20+ Differences Between Sea And River (Explained)

There are plenty of water bodies present on the Earth. Knowing the differences between different kinds of waterbodies can be pretty confusing. Two such waterbodies are Rivers and Seas, which can seem pretty confusing.

A Sea is a large hollow body of water, whereas a River is a long tall body of flowing water covering a long distance. Another major difference between a River and a Sea is that the former has fresh water while the latter has salty water.

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Key Differences –

Sea –

A sea is a large hollow body of water.
A sea is linked to Rivers, Oceans, and Gulfs.
Sea Water is very salty in nature.
Seas have huge flora and fauna as compared to Rivers.
Seas are estimated to be 7 in number.

River –

A River is a long tall body of water.
A River is linked to other Rivers, Seas, Oceans, and Lakes.
River Water is fresh and not at all salty.
Rivers have lesser flora and fauna as compared to Seas.
Rivers are estimated to be 165 in number.

Comparison Between Sea And River

Parameter	Sea	River
Size	Seas are bigger in size than Rivers.	Rivers are smaller in size than Seas.
Saltiness and Minerals	Sea water is rich in salt and minerals.	River water lacks salt and minerals.
Rate of Evaporation	The rate of evaporation is higher in Seas.	The rate of evaporation is lower in rivers.
Ability to cause floods	Seas do not cause floods.	Rivers can cause floods.
Flora and Fauna	Seas have more flora and fauna compared to Rivers.	Rivers have lesser flora and fauna as compared to Seas.
Number	Seas are estimated to be 7 in number.	Rivers are estimated to be 165 in number.
Major names	Indian Ocean, Black Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea	River Nile, River Amazon, River Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock, River Chang Jiang, River ob, River Huang He, River Yenisei, River Parana, River Irtish, and River Zaire

Major Differences Between Sea And River

What exactly is a Sea?

A sea is a large hollow body of water covering a lot of areas. Seas are connected to different rivers, gulfs, other seas, and oceans. Seas and Oceans cover most of the part of water present on Earth.

Sea Water is known for its saltiness. Seas are home to a huge part of flora and Fauna. It takes millions of years for the formation of Seas.

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Main Seas of the world –

Indian Ocean
Black Sea
Red Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Adriatic Sea
Persian Gulf
Caspian Sea

What exactly is a River?

A River is a long tall body of flowing water covering a long distance. Rivers are connected to different rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans.

A River’s water is freshwater and does not have any saltiness. Rivers have flora and Fauna in a lesser amount than Seas. It takes only a few years for the formation of Rivers.

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Main Rivers of the world –

River Nile
River Amazon
River Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock
River Chang Jiang
River ob
River Huang He
River Yenisei
River Parana
River Irtish
River Zaire

The Contrast Between River And Sea

Origin Of The Word

River – The word River originated from the Latin word “riparius,” which originated from another Latin word, “ripa,” meaning “bank of a river.”

Sea – The word Sea originated from the Old English word “sæ,” Dutch “zee,” and German “see.”

Meaning

River – A river is a long tall body of flowing water.

Sea – A sea is a hollow body of water.

Size

River – Rivers are smaller in size in comparison to Seas.

Sea – Seas are bigger in size in comparison to Rivers.

Number

River – Rivers are estimated to be 165 in number.

Sea – Seas are estimated to be 7 in number.

Salty Water

River – Rivers do not have salty water.

Sea – Seas are known for their salty water.

Minerals

River – River water is not full of minerals.

Sea – Sea water is full of minerals.

Connected To

River – Rivers are connected to other rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans.

Sea – Seas are connected to other seas, rivers, gulfs, and oceans.

Evaporation Rate

River – The evaporation rate in rivers is lesser in rivers as compared to Seas.

Sea – The evaporation rate is more in seas than in rivers.

Aquatic Life

River – Rivers have lesser aquatic life than seas.

Sea – Seas have more aquatic life than rivers.

Formation

River -It takes only a few years the formation of Rivers.

Sea – It takes millions of years in the form of Seas.

Floods –

River – It is possible for Rivers to cause floods.

Sea – Seas rarely cause floods.

Conclusion

Sea and River are two waterbodies majorly contributing to the water present on Earth’s surface. A Sea is a bigger hollow body of water, whereas a River is comparatively smaller but a longer body of water.

It takes millions of years for the formation of Seas, while it takes only a few years for the formation of Rivers.

Sea water is very salty whereas River Water is fresh. There are estimated to be seven seas in the world, whereas there are estimated to be 165 major rivers in the world.

(FAQs) Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What are the major seas of the world?

The major seven seas of the world include the Indian Ocean, Black Sea, Red Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea.

Q2. What are some of the major rivers of the world?

Some of the world’s major rivers include River Nile, River Amazon, River Mississippi-Missouri-Red Rock, River Chang Jiang, River ob, River Huang He, River Yenisei, River Parana, River Irtish, and River Zaire.

Q3. What are the major differences between Sea and River?

The major differences between a Sea and a River are –

1. A sea is a big hollow body of water whereas a River is a long flowing body of water.
2. Seas have salty water, while rivers have freshwater water.
3. Sea water is full of minerals, but river water does not have many minerals.
4. Flora and Fauna present in a Sea are more than the flora and Fauna present in a River.
5. The rate of evaporation is more in a sea than in a river.