The Missouri is one of the largest rivers in North America along with the Mississippi; it is the chief tributary of the Mississippi. The Missouri's length is 3,767 km (2,341 miles) slightly longer than the Mississippi (3733 km, 2320 miles). The Missouri commences from the point where the Madison, Jefferson and Gallatin rivers confluence at Three Forks in Montana in the north western part of the United States.

The river flows in an eastward direction in its early stages and then flows in a south easterly manner finally joining the Mississippi at St. Louis in Missouri state. The river carries a large amount of silt as is seen from the muddy nature of its waters especially at the point where it converges with the Mississippi. The major cities situated along its banks are Great Falls, Bismarck, Pierre, Sioux City, Omaha, Kansas City and Jefferson City, the capital of the state of Missouri.