Indus River

Author: Leandro Alegsa Creation date: November 13, 2022

The Indus River is the greatest river on the western side of the south Asian subcontinent. It is one of the seven sacred rivers for The Brahmans of Vedic period. It was the birthplace of the early Indus Valley civilization. It flows through China (Western Tibet), India and Pakistan. It is one of the main rivers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

The river is 3180 km long. It is Pakistan's longest river. The river has a total drainage area exceeding 1,165,000 km2 (450,000 sq mi). Its estimated annual flow stands at around 207 km3 (50 cu mi), making it the twenty-first largest river in the world in terms of annual flow. It discharges about 6,600 cubic meters per second.

The word Indus and the cognate word "Hindu" are derived from Sapta Sindhu (Sanskrit for "seven rivers") for the region is ancient. The Ancient Greeks used the word Indós; Hinduš was Old Persian; Sindhu in Sanskrit. Latest languages on the sub-continent use either Sindh (modern Sindhi) or Sindhu (ancient Sanskrit) or very similar words. The river's region's name came to be the name of the country India.

Questions and Answers

Q: What is the Indus River?

A: The Indus River is the greatest river on the western side of the south Asian subcontinent. It is one of the seven sacred rivers for The Brahmans of Vedic period and was the birthplace of the early Indus Valley civilization.

Q: Where does it flow?

A: The Indus River flows through China (Western Tibet), India, and Pakistan. It is also one of the main rivers of the Indo-Gangetic Plain.

Q: How long is it?

A: The Indus River is 3180 km long, making it Pakistan's longest river.

Q: What is its total drainage area?

A: The total drainage area for the Indus River exceeds 1,165,000 km2 (450,000 sq mi).

Q: How much water does it discharge annually?

A: The estimated annual flow for the Indus River stands at around 207 km3 (50 cu mi), making it one of world's largest rivers in terms of annual flow. It discharges about 6,600 cubic meters per second.

Q: Where did its name come from?

A:The word "Indus" and cognate word "Hindu" are derived from Sapta Sindhu (Sanskrit for "seven rivers") as this region was ancient when these words were first used by Ancient Greeks who called it "Indós". Hinduš was Old Persian; Sindhu in Sanskrit while modern languages on sub-continent use either Sindh or Sindhu which are very similar words to those mentioned before. This region's name eventually became synonymous with country India itself.