Which of the following rivers carries the maximum quantity of water into the sea?

Appeared in: RML 2023

Explanation

The Amazon River in South America has the largest discharge volume of any river in the world.
It carries more water to the sea than the next seven largest rivers combined.
Its massive volume is a result of its vast drainage basin, which is located in a region of heavy and consistent tropical rainfall.
The Amazon accounts for approximately 20% of the total freshwater discharged into the world's oceans by all rivers.

Option A: The Nile is famous for its length, not its volume. It is the longest river in the world, but it flows through arid and semi-arid regions for much of its course, leading to significant water loss through evaporation and a relatively low discharge volume.
Option C: The Brahmaputra is a major trans-boundary river in Asia with a very high discharge, especially during the monsoon season. However, its average annual discharge is significantly less than that of the Amazon.
Option D: The Mississippi-Missouri river system is the longest in North America and drains a vast area. However, its water discharge volume is much smaller than the Amazon's, as it flows through a temperate region with less rainfall compared to the Amazon's tropical basin.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Major World Rivers and Water Discharge Volume as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
This is a general knowledge question relevant for the General Intelligence and Awareness section of nursing and other competitive exams.
Understanding major geographical features of the world is part of a well-rounded education that is often tested in the preliminary stages of recruitment processes.
What if the question asked for the longest river instead of the one with the maximum water quantity? The correct answer would then be the Nile, which highlights the critical importance of reading the question carefully to distinguish between length and volume (discharge).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept being tested. The phrase 'maximum quantity of water' refers to the river's discharge volume, not its length or the size of its basin.
Recall or access your general knowledge about major world rivers.
Compare the characteristics of the rivers listed in the options. The Amazon is famously the 'largest' river by volume, while the Nile is the 'longest'. This is a common point of distinction in geography questions.
Based on this key difference, recognize that the Amazon has the highest water discharge.
Eliminate the other options: the Nile (long but low volume), and the Brahmaputra and Mississippi-Missouri (large rivers, but with significantly less volume than the Amazon).

Concept Tested & Keywords

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Practise the full RML 2023

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.