The largest rivers of South America

Continent South America is the richestin terms of water resources. Of course, there is not a single sea on the mainland, but the rivers of South America are very full and so wide that in a weak current they resemble huge lakes. According to statistics, there are about 20 large rivers. Since the continent is washed by the waters of two oceans, the rivers belong to the basins of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The natural watershed between them is the Anda mountain chain.

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

From the school course of geography we all know thatone of the largest rivers not only on the South American continent, but also in the world is the Amazon. It, along with its numerous tributaries, carries a quarter of the world's river water reserves. The Amazon flows right through the territories of nine countries and is an important waterway for them, especially from the point of view of transport communications. River navigation is one of the most developed branches of the economy throughout the continent of South America. The Amazon River in some parts of its width reaches 50 km (well, what is not the sea?), And its depth is in some areas and as much as 100 meters. Not surprisingly, and with respect to the diversity of the flora and fauna of the Amazon also belongs to the palm of primacy. In its waters there are more than 2000 species of fish, among which there are piranhas, eel, stingray, etc. In fact, there is no such rich nature around the globe as on the mainland South America. Amazon and its tributaries attract tourists from all over the world every year. Among them, many scientists (entomologists, ornithologists, zoologists, etc.)

Parana

Like the other major rivers of South America,Parana passes through several countries: Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. Its name is derived from Indian tribes living on its shores. "Parana" from the Indian translates 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 high water content, which is explained by the fact that they receive food from many small channels and streams. They carry their water currents, resulting from the precipitation of a huge amount of precipitation. That's why almost all the deep rivers of South America form waterfalls. Parana has four of them, and the most famous of them is Iguazu. But on the tributary of La Plata is one of the most beautiful cities in South America - the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo.

Orinoco

In the list of "Largest rivers of South America" ​​the thirdthe place is occupied by Orinoco. It flows through the territories of two South African 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 beaches of Orinoco are a favorite place for tourists from different countries. Here you can see the beautiful natural landscapes.

Paraguay

Under this name in South America you can findseveral geographical objects. In translation from the Indian this word means "horned". Paraguay flows through the territories of two large countries - Brazil and Paraguay, and in some areas it is a natural border between these states. And in other areas it is a watershed between two parts of Paraguay - South, undeveloped, and Northern, where more than 90% of the total population of the country lives. By the way, some rivers of South America also serve as natural borders dividing the territories of two or even three neighboring countries.

Madeira

This river is also among the largest. It is formed as a result of the fusion of many small rivers. Its name is Portuguese and means "forest". True, a strange name for the river? However, the fact is that it constantly swims the bark of trees growing on the banks. For the first time this river was described in the beginning of the XVIII century by the Portuguese Francisco Franco de Melo Pallet. It was he who called it Madeira. Later, it was already well studied by Landrad Gibbon, a US Navy lieutenant. By the way, this river serves as a border between Brazil and Bolivia.

Tocantins

As mentioned above, the largest rivers of SouthAmerica flow through several states at once. But the pool of this river is completely in the territory of one country - Brazil. It is the central waterway of this state. Residents of the states of Goias, Maranhana, Tocantins and Para use the water of this river. Its name translates as "beak of toucan".

Araguaia

Aragua is a tributary of Tocantins and alsoclaims to be one of the largest Brazilian rivers. Depending on the season, it can be both calm and stormy. In the Bananal island area, Araguaia forms two sleeves and gently rounds it.

Uruguay

Uruguay merges with Parana, and these two are prettylarge rivers of South America form a bay-estuary of La Plata, the maximum width of which is 48 km. It stretches to the coast of the Atlantic at 290 km, has a funnel-shaped depression. At the confluence of the Atlantic Ocean, the river forms many waterfalls. Its power is also used in power engineering.

Couple

"Great River" - that's what the local Indians call it. It is the right tributary of the Amazon. As already mentioned, the entire basin of the most powerful river is distinguished by a great variety of flora and fauna and is of considerable interest for biologists, zoologists, etc. The same can be said about the Pare River.

Rio Negro

And the name of this river is translated as "black". It originates in Colombia, but mainly in Brazil. In its upper reaches it is very stormy and swift, but when it descends to the Amazon lowland, it becomes a real "quiet" one. Its main tributary is Rio Branco.

Iguazu

This river was named in this way because ofits fullness. After all, with the Indian its name translates as "big water". This river forms a cascade of waterfalls, and from such a beautiful spectacle simply captures the spirit. The shores of this magnificent river are considered protected and enter the territory of the National Park of Argentina and Brazil.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you learned which rivers are inSouth America is the largest and deepest. There are a lot of such rivers on the mainland, but the biggest are the legendary Amazon, named after the Greek warriors, as well as Paran and Orinoco.