Mississippi River

rivers · north america · geography

Massive Drainage Basin. The Mississippi River's watershed is so enormous that it collects water from 32 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces, stretching all the way from the Rocky Mountains to the Appalachian Mountains.

Second Longest River. At 2,340 miles long, the Mississippi is the second-longest river in the United States, beaten only by the Missouri River.

Tenth Largest by Flow. The Mississippi ranks as the world's tenth-largest river when you measure how much water flows through it, and it's by far the biggest river in all of North America.

Starts in Minnesota. The Mississippi River begins at Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota and flows generally southward until it reaches the Mississippi River Delta where it empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

Borders Ten States. The mighty river either borders or flows through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.