River · United States, Canada
Mississippi
The Mississippi River flows through the heart of the United States, from small streams in Minnesota down to the warm Gulf of Mexico. It has shaped American history, farming and music for centuries.
Picture credit: JennyCuervo (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Infrogmation of New Orleans (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Bernard Spragg. NZ (CC0) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Mississippi?
The river begins at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, USA.
It ends in the Gulf of Mexico.
Along the way it passes: Lake Itasca, MN → Bemidji, MN → Minneapolis, MN → La Crosse, WI → Dubuque, IA → St. Louis, MO → Cairo, IL → Memphis, TN → Vicksburg, MS → Baton Rouge, LA.
Countries on the river: United States, Canada.
The story behind it
The Mississippi begins as a shallow, walkable stream flowing out of Lake Itasca in Minnesota, so narrow that visitors can cross it by stepping on rocks. As it heads south it collects water from thirty-one states and joins forces with the mighty Missouri and Ohio rivers, growing into a wide, muddy highway for barges carrying grain and coal. Steamboats once carried passengers and cargo up and down its length, and the river inspired countless songs and stories, including Mark Twain's tales of life along its banks. Near New Orleans, the Mississippi spreads into a huge delta before reaching the sea, dropping tonnes of rich silt that has built new land for thousands of years. Alligators, catfish and paddlefish all make their home in its waters.
Questions children ask
How long is the Mississippi River?
The Mississippi itself is about 3,766 kilometres long, but when measured together with its biggest tributary, the Missouri River, the combined system stretches roughly 6,275 kilometres, one of the longest in the world.
Where does the Mississippi River start and end?
The Mississippi begins at Lake Itasca in Minnesota, so small there you can walk across it. It ends over 3,700 kilometres later, spreading out into a wide delta before flowing into the Gulf of Mexico.
Why is the Mississippi River important?
The Mississippi is a vital highway for shipping grain, coal and other goods across the United States. Its fertile floodplains support huge farms, and the river has shaped American culture, music and history for generations.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
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