Mississippi River Facts for Kids

A Map of the Mississippi River
  • River Name: Mississippi River
  • Location: United States of America
  • Total Length: 2,320 miles
  • Maximum Depth: 200 feet
  • Main Outlet: Gulf of Mexico
  • Known for: Being the second longest river in North America

18 Mississippi River Facts for Kids

  1. The Mississippi River is a watercourse in North America.
  2. The Mississippi River is most well-known for being an approximate dividing line for sections of the United States.
  3. The Mississippi River flows through or borders ten U.S. states.
  4. The ten U.S. states the Mississippi River flows through or borders the following U.S. states: Arkansas, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Wisconsin and Tennessee.
  5. The start of the Mississippi River is a small glacial lake called Lake Itasca in Minnesota, USA.
  6. The end of the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Ocean.
  7. The average travel time for water from the start to end of the Mississippi River is around three months.
  8. Water travels between 1.2 and 3 miles per hour in the Mississippi River.
  9. The entire length of the Mississippi River is 2,320 miles.
  10. The Mississippi River is the fourth longest river in the world and the second longest in North America.
  11. The average flow rate (discharge) of the Mississippi River is 593,000 cubic feet a second.
  12. The Mississippi River’s average flow rate can fill more than six Olympic-size swimming pool each second.
  13. The deepest point of the Mississippi River is 200 feet deep.
  14. The widest part of the Mississippi River is more than 11 miles wide.
  15. The Mississippi River is divided into three different sections and they are the Upper Mississippi River, the Middle Mississippi River and the Lower Mississippi.
  16. There are an estimated 375 species of fish that live in the Mississippi River.
  17. A few species of fish found in the Mississippi River are bass, bluegills, catfish, crappie and walleye.
  18. The Mississippi River is an important source of water for millions of people.

Additional Resources on the Mississippi River

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