Major World Rivers Starting with K
Numerous significant rivers begin with the letter K, spanning Asia, Africa, North America, Europe, and Oceania. Here are the most notable:
Asian Rivers
| River | Countries | Length | Key Features |
|---|
| Kabul River | Afghanistan, Pakistan | 700 km (435 mi) | Indus tributary; historic Khyber Pass route; wars, trade |
| Kapuas River | Indonesia (West Kalimantan) | 1,143 km (710 mi) | Longest river in Borneo; peat swamp forests; biodiversity |
| Krishna River | India (Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh) | 1,400 km (870 mi) | 2nd longest in India; major irrigation, pilgrimage (Vijayawada) |
| Kosi River | Nepal, India | 720 km (450 mi) | "Sorrow of Bihar"; massive sediment, avulsions; Himalayan source |
| Kamchatka River | Russia (Kamchatka Peninsula) | 758 km (471 mi) | Longest in Kamchatka; salmon runs; volcanic valley |
| Kolyma River | Russia (Siberia) | 2,129 km (1,323 mi) | Gold fields; Gulag history; permafrost; East Siberian Sea |
| Kura River | Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan | 1,515 km (941 mi) | Transcaucasia main river; Caspian Sea; Mingachevir Reservoir |
African Rivers
| River | Countries | Length | Key Features |
|---|
| Kasai River | Angola, DRC | 2,153 km (1,338 mi) | Major Congo tributary; diamonds; Kasai Basin |
| Kagera River | Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda | 400 km (250 mi) | Nile's longest headstream; Lake Victoria source; Rwanda genocide history |
| Kunene River | Angola, Namibia | 1,050 km (652 mi) | Border river; Epupa Falls; hydroelectric (Ruacana) |
| Kafue River | Zambia | 1,576 km (980 mi) | Longest wholly in Zambia; Kafue Flats wetlands; Lusaka water supply |
North American Rivers
| River | Region | Length | Key Features |
|---|
| Kuskokwim River | Alaska, USA | 1,165 km (724 mi) | 2nd largest in Alaska by discharge; Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta; subsistence fisheries |
| Kootenay/Kootenai River | BC (Canada), MT/ID (USA) | 781 km (485 mi) | Columbia tributary; Libby Dam; transboundary; sturgeon |
| Kanawha River | West Virginia, USA | 156 km (97 mi) | New+Gauley confluence; chemical industry; Charleston capital |
| Kettle River | BC (Canada), WA (USA) | 281 km (175 mi) | Columbia tributary; cross-border; rock formations |
European Rivers
| River | Countries | Length | Key Features |
|---|
| Kama River | Russia | 1,805 km (1,122 mi) | Longest Volga tributary; Kama Reservoir; Ural industrial region |
| Kemi River | Finland | 550 km (342 mi) | Longest in Finland; salmon; hydroelectric |
| Klarälven | Sweden, Norway | 460 km (286 mi) | Longest in Scandinavia; Vänern Lake; timber floating history |
Oceania
- Kawarau River (New Zealand, South Island) — Kawarau Gorge, bungy jumping birthplace, Clutha tributary
- Katherine River (Australia, NT) — Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, seasonal flow
Etymology Note
Many "K" river names derive from Indigenous languages (Kuskokwim: Yup'ik; Kapuas: Dayak; Kosi: Sanskrit "kaushika"; Kama: Finno-Ugric). Colonial renaming also produced K-names (Kennebec, Kentucky — not rivers but related).
Wanderlust World