Amazon beats Nile as world's longest river

BRASILIA -- A group of Brazilian scientists recently said that they have scientifically proven that South America's Amazon River is officially the world's longest river.

While the Amazon has previously been proven to have the highest volume of water of any river, the announcement would allow it to surpass Africa's Nile River for top honors in length as well, the BBC said Sunday.

Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics scientist Guido Gelli said that during his scientific group's recent expedition to Peru, it discovered the Amazon's true starting point.

Gelli said that the river starts even further south than previously thought, originating in an ice-covered mountain in the South American country.

Officials had previously tabbed the start of the Amazon River in northern Peru.

The BBC said that the new findings, that are awaiting confirmation, would place the Amazon's length at 4,250 miles total, compared to the 4,160-mile length attributed to the Nile.