why do rivers flow from north to south and not the other way around?

Question

I have always observed that a river always flows from north to south before finally joining an ocean.. has this got something to do with the angle at which the north rotates or the magnetic fields of earth?

Answer 1

They don't. The two greatest rivers in the world are the Amazon which flows west to east and the Nile which flows almost exactly south to north.

Rivers flow from high ground to low ground and in some cases this means they'll flow from north to south but it could just as easily be any direction.

Answer 2

The Nile in Egypt flows South to North

Answer 3

Why? First of all, they don't. Many rivers flow from south to north. In fact, four of the ten largest rivers flow north. Examples of rivers that flow north:
Nile River
Niagara River
Lena River
Monongahela River
Yellowstone River
Tennessee River
Cuyahoga River
Ob River
Rhine River
Elbe River
...and thousands more...

Rivers basically flow downhill, so why wouldn't there be as many northerly flowing rivers as southernly (or easternly or westernly, for that matter)?

Answer 4

Rivers DON'T always flow north to south. It is coincidence that some of the major ones do so and has no basis in earth science.

Answer 5

Rivers dont flow from north to south, look at the nile, rivers flow from high land where they are formed and flow into the sea at sea level.

gimmie 10 points :)

Answer 6

Rivers flow frm north to south bcoz they r made 2 flow that way. If u want a more scientific ans, I suppose it is bcoz of da gravitational pull of the earth. But may I ask u, y do u look into all this? Let da nature luk after the way it has 2 flow. Y should v humans interfere???

Answer 7

In the southern hemisphere rivers run south to north.

Answer 8

i guess because the glaciers are to the north and when they melt that makes a flow of water. In antartica i dont think there is any glaciers though just really dry ice

Answer 9

because gravity is stronger at the south pole than the north pole so it pulls the water towards it.

Answer 10

complex factor. try searching with yahoo and bing. that can assist!