Many people believe that most rivers flow south, but this is actually a misconception. Rivers flow from higher elevations to lower elevations, which means they can flow in any direction: north, south, east, or west, depending on the topography of the land.

Here are a few examples of rivers that flow in different directions:

• The Nile River in Africa flows north from the mountains in central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea.

• The Mississippi River in the United States flows south from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico.

• The Amazon River in South America flows east from the Andes Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.

• The Columbia River in North America flows west from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean.

Geographical features like mountains, valleys, and plains dictate the direction a river will take. Rivers follow the path of least resistance, moving from higher elevations to lower ones.

Sources: National Geographic, Britannica, World Atlas