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The '''Orinoco River''' is one of the longest rivers in South America at 2,140 km, (1,330 miles). Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia (especially in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia Colombia]) covers 880,000 km², 76.3% in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela Venezuela] with the rest in Colombia. The Orinoco and its tributaries are the major transportation [[system]] for eastern and interior Venezuela and the llanos of Colombia. However, since river [[navigation]] is declining in every country, many of the old waterways along the Orinoco [[watershed]] are now an obstacle to land [[communication]]s rather than a useful commercial route.

The '''Orinoco River''' is one of the longest rivers in South America at 2,140 km, (1,330 miles). Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia (especially in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia Colombia]) covers 880,000 km², 76.3% in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuela Venezuela] with the rest in Colombia. The Orinoco and its tributaries are the major transportation [[system]] for eastern and interior Venezuela and the llanos of Colombia. However, since river [[navigation]] is declining in every country, many of the old waterways along the Orinoco [[watershed]] are now an obstacle to land [[communication]]s rather than a useful commercial route.

==History==

==History==

Although the mouth of the Orinoco in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean Atlantic Ocean] was [[discover]]ed by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus Columbus] on 1 August 1498 during his third voyage, its source at the Cerro Delgado-Chalbaud, in the Parima range, on the Venezuelan-Brazilian border, at 1,047 m of elevation ( [show location on an interactive map] 02°19′05″N 63°21′42″W / 2.31806°N 63.36167°W / 2.31806; -63.36167 ), was only explored in 1951, 453 years later, by a joint Venezuelan-French team.

Although the mouth of the Orinoco in the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean Atlantic Ocean] was [[discover]]ed by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Columbus Columbus] on 1 August 1498 during his third voyage, its source at the Cerro Delgado-Chalbaud, in the Parima range, on the Venezuelan-Brazilian border, at 1,047 m of elevation ( [show location on an interactive map] 02°19′05″N 63°21′42″W / 2.31806°N 63.36167°W / 2.31806; -63.36167 ), was only explored in 1951, 453 years later, by a joint Venezuelan-French team.

The Orinoco delta, and tributaries in the eastern llanos such as the Apure and Meta, were explored in the 16th century by German expeditions under [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrosius_Ehinger Ambrosius Ehinger] and his successors. In 1531 [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_de_Ordaz Diego de Ordaz], starting at the principal outlet in the delta, the Boca de Navios, sailed up the river to the Meta, and Antonio de Berrio sailed down the Casanare, to the Meta, and then down the Orinoco and back to Coro.

The [https://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/gallery/venezuela_orinoco-flood-plains.html Orinoco delta], and tributaries in the eastern llanos such as the Apure and Meta, were explored in the 16th century by German expeditions under [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambrosius_Ehinger Ambrosius Ehinger] and his successors. In 1531 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diego_de_Ordaz Diego de Ordaz], starting at the principal outlet in the delta, the Boca de Navios, sailed up the river to the Meta, and Antonio de Berrio sailed down the Casanare, to the Meta, and then down the Orinoco and back to Coro.

 

==Geography==

==Geography==

The Orinoco course describes a wide [[ellipse|ellipsoidal]] arc, surrounding the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guiana_Shield Guiana Shield]; it is divided in four stretches of unequal length that roughly correspond to the longitudinal zonation of a typical large river:

The Orinoco course describes a wide [[ellipse|ellipsoidal]] arc, surrounding the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guiana_Shield Guiana Shield]; it is divided in four stretches of unequal length that roughly correspond to the longitudinal zonation of a typical large river:

* Upper Orinoco, 242 km long, from its headwaters to the rapids Raudales de Guaharibos, flows through mountainous landscape in a northwesterly direction

* Upper Orinoco, 242 km long, from its headwaters to the rapids Raudales de Guaharibos, flows through mountainous landscape in a northwesterly direction

* Lower Orinoco, 959 km long with a well developed alluvial plain, flows in a Northeast direction, from Atures rapids down to Piacoa in front of Barrancas

* Lower Orinoco, 959 km long with a well developed alluvial plain, flows in a Northeast direction, from Atures rapids down to Piacoa in front of Barrancas

* Delta Amacuro, 200 km long that empties into the Gulf of Paría and the Atlantic Ocean, a very large delta (some 22.500 km² and 370 km at its widest).

* Delta Amacuro, 200 km long that empties into the Gulf of Paría and the Atlantic Ocean, a very large delta (some 22.500 km² and 370 km at its widest).

 

At its mouth, the Orinoco forms a wide delta that branches off into hundreds of rivers and waterways that flow through 41,000 km² of [[swamp]]y [[forest]]s. In the rainy season the Orinoco can swell to a breadth of 22 kilometres and a depth of 100 meters.

At its mouth, the Orinoco forms a wide delta that branches off into hundreds of rivers and waterways that flow through 41,000 km² of [[swamp]]y [[forest]]s. In the rainy season the Orinoco can swell to a breadth of 22 kilometres and a depth of 100 meters.

Most of the important Venezuelan rivers are tributaries of the Orinoco, the largest being the Caroní, which joins it at Puerto Ordaz, close to the Llovizna Falls. A peculiarity of the Orinoco river system is the Casiquiare canal, which starts as an arm of the Orinoco, and finds its way to the Rio Negro, a tributary of the [[Amazon]], thus forming a 'natural canal' between Orinoco and Amazon.

Most of the important Venezuelan rivers are tributaries of the Orinoco, the largest being the Caroní, which joins it at Puerto Ordaz, close to the Llovizna Falls. A peculiarity of the Orinoco river system is the Casiquiare canal, which starts as an arm of the Orinoco, and finds its way to the Rio Negro, a tributary of the [[Amazon]], thus forming a 'natural canal' between Orinoco and Amazon.

==Major rivers in the Orinoco Basin==

==Major rivers in the Orinoco Basin==