Mississippi River: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Nov. 14, 2026

News •

New Orleans port sues to get control of tanker that crashed into cruise ship on Mississippi River • Nov. 14, 2026, 2:34 PM ET (AP)

All passengers and crew on New Orleans cruise ship survive crash with tanker on Mississippi River • Nov. 13, 2026, 8:52 PM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

Map of the United States showing the Mississippi River and its major tributaries flowing south from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. A shaded area marks the Mississippi River basin, and New Orleans is labeled near the river's mouth.

A large white steamboat decorated with red, white, and blue bunting is docked on the Mississippi River as people walk down a gangway to the shore at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

Map showing the Mississippi River basin and its extensive drainage network across the central United States, with major tributaries labeled, physical features such as mountain ranges and plains indicated by color-coded elevation, and state boundaries outlined. The map includes a locator inset highlighting the region within North America.

Wide view of the Mississippi River at McGregor, Iowa, with green forested banks, islands in the river, and a small boat leaving a wake on the water.

Confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers

Big Black River

A long barge moves up the Mississippi River, leaving a wake behind, with forested riverbanks and distant industrial buildings near Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Aerial view of Arkansas City, Arkansas, mostly submerged by floodwaters during the Great Mississippi River Flood of 1927, with buildings and trees partially underwater.

Aerial view of water surging through a breach in a levee at Mounds Landing, Mississippi, with floodwaters spreading across the land during the 1927 Mississippi River flood.

Side-by-side thematic maps of North America showing two major bird migration routes. The left map highlights the Mississippi Flyway in green, stretching from northern Canada and the Arctic through the central United States to the Gulf of Mexico. The right map highlights the Atlantic Flyway in purple, running along the eastern coast from northeastern Canada down to Florida and the Caribbean. Both maps use shaded regions and arrows to indicate the general paths and directions of migratory movement

Behold a barge-carrying ship transporting a load down the Mississippi River

Tour the U.S. Southeast region and learn about its warm climate, landforms, and water features

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