The largest rivers in South America

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:44

The continent of South America is the richest in terms of water resources. Of course, there is not a single sea on the mainland, but the rivers of South America are very full-flowing and so wide that in a weak current they resemble huge lakes. According to statistics, there are about 20 large rivers here. Since the continent is washed by the waters of two oceans, the rivers also belong to the basins of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. At the same time, the Andes mountain range is a natural watershed between them.

The largest river on the mainland of South America. The Amazon is one of the greatest rivers on the planet

From the school geography course, we all know that one of the largest rivers not only on the South American continent, but also in the world is the Amazon. It, together with its many tributaries, carries a quarter of the world's river water. The Amazon flows immediately through the territories of nine countries and is important for themwaterway, especially in terms of transport links. River shipping is one of the most developed sectors of the economy on the entire continent of South America. The Amazon River in some parts reaches 50 km in width (well, why not the sea?), And its depth in some areas is as much as 100 meters. It is not surprising that in terms of the diversity of flora and fauna, the Amazon also holds the palm. More than 2,000 species of fish live in its waters, including piranha, eel, stingray, etc. In fact, there is no such rich nature on the entire globe as on the mainland of South America. The Amazon and its tributaries annually attract tourists from all over the world. There are many scientists among them (entomologists, ornithologists, zoologists, etc.)

Parana

Like the other major rivers in South America, the Parana passes through several countries: Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. It got its name from the Indian tribes living on its shores. "Parana" is translated from Indian as "big". This river has many tributaries. Some of them have beautiful waterfalls. Their formation is associated with the relief of the basin of these rivers, as well as their full flow, which is explained by the fact that they receive food from many small channels and streams. They carry their water streams resulting from the huge amount of precipitation. That is why almost all the full-flowing rivers of South America form waterfalls. Parana has four of them, with the most famous of them being Iguazu. But on the tributary of the La Plata is one of the most beautiful citiesin South America - the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo.

Orinoco

In the list of "Largest rivers of South America" Orinoco takes the third place. It flows through the territories of two South American countries, namely Venezuela and Colombia. This river differs not so much in width as in length, being one of the longest on the continent. The Orinoco coast is a favorite place for tourists from various countries. Here you can see beautiful natural landscapes.

Paraguay

Several geographical features can be found under this name in South America. Translated from the Indian, this word means "horned." Paraguay flows through the territories of two large countries - Brazil and Paraguay, and in some areas it represents a natural border between these states. And in other areas, it is a watershed between two parts of Paraguay - South, undeveloped, and North, where more than 90 percent of the country's total population lives. By the way, some rivers of South America also serve as natural boundaries separating the territories of two or even three neighboring countries.

Madeira

This river is also one of the largest. It is formed as a result of the confluence of many small rivers. Its name is Portuguese and means "forest". Isn't that a strange name for a river? However, the fact is that the bark of trees growing on the banks constantly floats along it. This river was first described at the beginning of the 18th century by the Portuguese Francisco de Melo Palleta. It was he who named her Madeira. Later her alreadywell studied by Landrad Gibbon, a lieutenant in the US Navy. By the way, this river serves as the border between Brazil and Bolivia.

Tocantins

As noted above, the largest rivers in South America flow through several states at once. But the basin of this river is completely located on the territory of one country - Brazil. It is the central water artery of this state. The inhabitants of the states of Goias, Maranhao, Tocantins and Para use the water of this particular river. Its name translates as "toucan's beak".

Araguaia

Araguaia is a tributary of the Tocantins and also claims to be one of the largest Brazilian rivers. Depending on the season, it can be both calm and stormy. In the area of Bananal Island, Araguaia forms two branches and smoothly bends around it.

Uruguay

Uruguay merges with the Parana, and these two rather large rivers of South America form the bay-estuary of La Plata, the maximum width of which is 48 km. It stretches to the Atlantic coast for 290 km and has a funnel-shaped depression. When it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, the river forms many waterfalls. Her power is also used in energy.

Couple

“Big River” is what the local Indians call it. It is a right tributary of the Amazon. As already mentioned, the entire basin of the most powerful river is distinguished by a large variety of flora and fauna and is of considerable interest to biologists, zoologists, etc. The same can be said about the Para River.

Rio Negro

And the name of this river is translated as “black”. She is takingoriginates in Colombia, but flows mainly through Brazil. In its upper reaches, it is very stormy and swift, but when it descends to the Amazonian lowland, it becomes a real "quiet". Its main tributary is the Rio Branco.

Iguazu

This river was named like this because of its full flow. After all, from the Indian its name is translated as “big water”. This river forms a whole cascade of waterfalls, and such a beautiful sight is simply breathtaking. The banks of this magnificent river are considered reserved and are included in the territory of the National Park of Argentina and Brazil.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you have learned which rivers in South America are the largest and deepest. There are many such rivers on the mainland, but the largest are the legendary Amazon, named after the Greek warriors, as well as the Parana and Orinoco.