All three rivers are long. The Nile and the Amazon are the longest and second longest rivers in the world, respectively. The Mississippi also ranks among the world's longest rivers, even when measured from its own source instead of the source of its longest tributary, the Missouri River.
All three rivers drain extensive areas of land. The Amazon River drains a larger area than any other river.
All three rivers are navigable and have served as important arteries of transportation.
All three rivers have a history of flooding. The Amazon regularly overflows its banks during the rainy season beginning in January, and the Nile used to overflow its banks yearly before the Assuan Dam was built. The Mississippi has caused disasterous floods in the past.
All three rivers have deltas at their mouths. The deltas of the Nile and Mississippi have developed more fully than the Amazon delta, which consists of only a few islands.
