More Than a Few Northerly Running Rivers in the World

• Main Author: Kamiar, Mohammad
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Florida Geographer 2008
• Subjects: Earth sciences; Geoscience; Geography; Florida—Geography; Florida > Description and travel > Periodicals. Geography > Periodicals.; Rivers; Rivers > Florida; Rivers > Africa; Rivers Alaska; Kasai River (Angola and Congo); Rivers > Amazon River Region; Rivers New York (State); Rivers > Russia (Federation) > Siberia; Rivers Washington (State); Geography; Atlases; Alaska; Siberia
• Online Access: http://journals.fcla.edu/flgeog/article/view/76274

The purpose of this paper is to correct that mistaken assumption and the associated statements. After a brief explanation of the scientific facts associated with the orientation of rivers in general, an approximate number of major rivers that flow north will be provided. Direction of rivers has less to do with magnetic forces than gravity, topography, and geomorphology. It is believed that as long as the source of a river is higher than the mouth, it will follow a path of least resistance to utilize energy efficiently. Although small rivers, and those with no clear patterns, were not included, more than 245 rivers in the world that flow north were identified, unarguably a little more than only two or a few! Thus, contrary to what it intends to suggest, the title of the film Where the Rivers Flow North (1994) hardly defines a unique or limited territory.