Indus River

Introduction
Physical features
- Hydrology
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
Economy
- Irrigation
- Navigation

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Physical map showing the Indus River basin and its drainage network across parts of Pakistan, India, China, and Afghanistan. The map details river courses, tributaries, canals, dams, irrigated and marsh areas, sand regions, and elevation changes with shaded relief. International, disputed, and control boundaries are marked, and a small locator map in the corner shows the basin's position within South Asia.

The Indus River flows in the foreground with snow-capped Himalayan mountains rising in the background in Ladakh, India.

Long concrete Sukkur Barrage stretches across the Indus River in Pakistan, with multiple arches and water flowing beneath, and grassy banks in the foreground.

View of the confluence of the muddy Zanskar River and the green Indus River, surrounded by barren mountains in Ladakh, India, with a small building near the riverbank.

Map of Pakistan showing areas affected by the 2010 flooding, with regions along the Indus River marked in red for severely affected areas and orange for moderately affected areas. Major cities such as Karachi, Sukkur, Hyderabad, Multan, Lahore, Peshawar, and Islamabad are labeled, along with provincial and international boundaries. Neighboring countries including Afghanistan, India, and China are also indicated.

At a Glance

Indus River summary

Quizzes

Tower Bridge over the Thames River in London, England. Opened in 1894. Remains an Important Traffic Route with 40,000 Crossings Every Day.

Guess the City by Its River Quiz

water glass on white background. (drink; clear; clean water; liquid)

Water and its Varying Forms

Related Questions

How did the Indus Waters Treaty divide the six main Indus basin rivers between India and Pakistan?
How did the Indus Waters Treaty support the construction of dams and canals in Pakistan?
How did the Left Bank Outfall Drain cause environmental damage in southeastern Sindh?
How do embankments protect communities along the Indus River?
How do glaciers affect the flow of the Indus River?
How do high tides affect the Indus River delta?
How do the Jhelum River and Chenab River contribute to the Indus River system?
How does irrigation lead to salt buildup in Indus River soils?
How does the Ghazi Barotha project produce hydroelectric power from the Indus River?
How does the Kotri Barrage provide water to Karachi?
How does the Panjnad River connect the Punjab rivers to the Indus River?
How has canal irrigation transformed agriculture in the Indus River basin?
How have Indus River deposits helped create the Sindh plain?
How large is the Indus River delta?
How large is the Indus River drainage basin?
How long is the Indus River?
What are doabs in the Punjab Plain?
What are the major crops grown with water from the Indus River system?
What fish are caught in the lower Indus River and near its mouth?
What happened when India stopped canal water flowing to Pakistan in 1948?
What is the purpose of the Chashma-Jhelum link canal?
What landforms are found in the floodplains of the Indus River system?
What role did British rule play in building canals in the Indus River basin?
When was the Indus Waters Treaty signed?
Where does the Indus River begin?
Where does the Indus River empty into the sea?
Where does the Indus River enter the Punjab Plain?
Where is Tarbela Dam located and why was it built?
Where is the Indus River delta located?
Which countries does the Indus River flow through?
Which five rivers give Punjab its name?
Which mountain ranges supply meltwater to the Indus River?
Which rivers join the Indus River near Skardu and Bunji?
Which seasons bring the lowest and highest water levels to the Indus River?
Which tributary first joins the Indus River in Ladakh?
Why are floods a continuing problem in the Indus River plain?
Why can canal irrigation cause waterlogging in the Indus River plain?
Why did the partition of British India create a dispute over Indus River water?
Why does the Indus River deposit silt across the plains of Pakistan?
Why does the Indus River flood most often from July to September?
Why does the Indus River pass through deep gorges near Nanga Parbat?
Why does the Indus River sometimes change its course?
Why is the Indus River channel raised above parts of the surrounding plain?
Why is the Punjab region called the land of five rivers?
Why is the Sukkur Barrage important for farming in Sindh?
Why was the Sindh Sagar Doab less productive than other Punjab doabs?
Is China a part of South Asia?
What are the two main regional organizations in South Asia?
Why is the Ganges River considered holy in Hinduism?
What are the main causes of pollution in the Ganges River?
What are the physical features of the Himalayas?

Geography & Travel Physical Geography of Water Rivers & Canals

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External Websites

Food and Agricultural Organizations of the United Nations - Transboundary River Basin Overview Â– Indus (PDF)
Oxford Public International Law - Indus River
NASA Science - World of Change: Seasons of the Indus River

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Indus River - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
Indus River - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Indus River

river, Asia

Also known as: Mehran, Sênggê Zangbo, Shiquan He, Sindhu

Written by

Deryck O. Lodrick

Research Associate, Center for South Asia Studies, University of California, Berkeley. Author of Sacred Cows, Sacred Places: Origins and Survival of Animal Homes in India; coeditor of The Idea...

Deryck O. LodrickAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Oct. 25, 2026 •History

Indus River, great trans-Himalayan river of South Asia. It is one of the longest rivers in the world, with a length of some 2,000 miles (3,200 km). Its total drainage area is about 450,000 square miles (1,165,000 square km), of which 175,000 square miles (453,000 square km) lie in the ranges and foothills of the Himalayas, the Hindu Kush, and the Karakoram Range; the rest is in the semiarid plains of Pakistan. The river’s annual...

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