Which major rivers drain into the Atlantic Ocean?

The Atlantic Ocean possesses the largest drainage area of any of the world's oceans. Because the continents on both sides of the Atlantic generally slope toward it, the ocean receives the discharge from a significant proportion of the world's major rivers.1

Major rivers that drain into the Atlantic Ocean include:

• South America: The Amazon River, which carries the largest volume of water of any river in the world; the Río de la Plata system (comprising the Paraguay, Paraná, and Uruguay rivers); the Orinoco River; and the São Francisco River.2
• North America: The St. Lawrence River and the Mississippi River system.1
• Africa: The Congo River and the Niger River.13
• Europe: The Loire River, the Rhine River, and the Elbe River.1

Additionally, the Atlantic receives water from many other rivers that drain into its various dependent seas, such as the Mediterranean, Black, and Baltic seas.1