Indus River

It is one of the world's longest rivers, with a length of 1,976 mi (3,180 km ! Its annual average flow of "7" #illion $u %d ("07 #illion $u m is twi$e that of the &ile! It rises in southwestern 'i#et and flows northwest through valle%s of the (imala%as! )fter $rossing into the *ashmir region, it $ontinues northwestward through the Indian+ and ,akistani+administered areas and then turns south into ,akistan! -welled #% tri#utaries from the ,un.a# region, in$luding the /helum, 0hena#, Ravi, 1eas, and -utle. rivers, it widens and flows more slowl%! It has su22lied water for irrigation on the 2lains of the Indus valle% sin$e earl% times!
Description

'he Indus 2rovides the ke% water resour$es for the e$onom% of ,akistan + es2e$iall% the 1read#asket of ,un.a# 2rovin$e, whi$h a$$ounts for most of the nation's agri$ultural 2rodu$tion, and -indh! 'he 3ive rivers after whi$h ,un.a# is named are the /helum, 0hena#, Ravi, 1eas and the -utle.! 'he river also su22orts man% heav% industries and 2rovides the main su22l% of 2ota#le water in ,akistan! 'he ultimate sour$e of the Indus is in 'i#et4 it #egins at the $onfluen$e of the -engge and 5ar rivers that drain the &ganglong *angri and 5angdise -han mountain ranges! 'he Indus then flows northwest through 6adakh and 1altistan into 5ilgit, .ust south of the *arakoram range! 'he -h%ok River, -higar and 5ilgit streams $arr% gla$ial waters into the main river! It graduall% #ends to the south, $oming out of the hills #etween ,eshawar and Rawal2indi! 'he Indus 2asses giganti$ gorges 7,800+8,"00 meters (18,000+ 17,000 feet dee2 near the &anga ,ar#atmassif! It flows swiftl% a$ross (a9ara, and is dammed at the 'ar#ela Reservoir! 'he *a#ul River .oins it near )tto$k! 'he remainder of its route to the sea is

in 2lains of the ,un.a# and -indh, and the river #e$omes slow+ flowing and highl% #raided! It is .oined #% ,an.nad River at:ithankot! 1e%ond this $onfluen$e, the river, at one time, was named -atnad River (-at ; seven, &adi ; river , as the river was now $arr%ing the waters of the *a#ul River, the Indus River and the five ,un.a# rivers! ,assing #% /amshoro, it ends in a large delta to the east of 'hatta! 'he Indus is one of the few rivers in the world that e<hi#it a tidal #ore! 'he Indus s%stem is largel% fed #% the snows and gla$iers of the(imala%as, *arakoram and the (indu *ush ranges of 'i#et, the Indian state of /ammu and *ashmir and the &orthern )reas of ,akistan res2e$tivel%! 'he flow of the river is also determined #% the seasons + it diminishes greatl% in the winter, while flooding its #anks in themonsoon months from /ul% to -e2tem#er! 'here is also eviden$e of a stead% shift in the $ourse of the river sin$e 2rehistori$ times + it deviated westwards from flowing into the Rann of *ut$h and ad.oining 1anni grasslands after the 1816 earth=uake!