Alaska has thousands of rivers. More than 12,000 rivers have been counted, but this number does not include thousands of smaller tributaries (streams that flow into a larger river or lake).

The Yukon River is the longest river in Alaska and is more than 1,980 miles long (source: USGS). The river starts in the Yukon, Canada and flows through Alaska.

The other three important rivers are the Kuskokwim River, the Colville River, and the Copper River.

Rivers in Alaska serve as a source of water, food, and routes of transportation.