Mississippi River

The Mississippi River, derived from the old Ojibwe word misi-ziibi meaning 'great river' (gichi-ziibi 'big river' at its headwaters), is the second-longest named river in North America, with a length of 2320 miles (3733 km) from Lake Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico. The longest named river in North America is its tributary, the Missouri River, with a length of 2341 miles (3767 km) from the confluence of the Jefferson River, Madison River, and Gallatin River to the Mississippi River. Taken together, the Jefferson, Missouri, and Mississippi form the largest river system in North America. It passes by New Orleans, Louisiana.