Orinoco

The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America, stretching about 2,140 kilometers or 1,330 miles. It flows through Venezuela and Colombia, with most of its water basin lying in Venezuela. Because it receives a lot of rain, the Orinoco carries a huge amount of water, making it the fourth largest river in the world for water flow.

This river and its smaller rivers, called tributaries, are very important for travel and transport in parts of Venezuela and Colombia, especially in the flat lands known as the Llanos. The Guaviare River is the largest tributary of the Orinoco. The area around the Orinoco is home to many different kinds of plants and animals, making it a place of great natural richness.

Etymology

The name of the Orinoco River comes from a word used by the Warao people. It means "a place to paddle", from their words for "paddle" and "place". This shows that the river was a good spot for boats and canoes to move through.

History

The mouth of the Orinoco River at the Atlantic Ocean was first seen by Christopher Columbus on August 1, 1498, during his third trip across the sea. In the 1500s, German explorers and others traveled up and down the river and its smaller rivers, like the Apure and Meta.

Later, famous explorer Alexander von Humboldt and his friend Aime Bonpland explored parts of the Orinoco in 1800. They wanted to show that South America's rivers were all connected, stretching from the Andes to the Amazon. They wrote about the animals and plants they found there.

The exact beginning of the Orinoco River was found in 1951 by a group from France and Venezuela. In 1967, the first bridge over the Orinoco River was built. More bridges and tall power lines were added in the years after that.

Map of the Lower Orinoco, 1897

Geography

The Orinoco River makes a wide, oval-shaped curve around the Guiana Shield. It is split into four parts:

• Upper Orinoco – This part is 286 km long and runs through mountains toward the northwest.
• Middle Orinoco – This section is 805 km long. It first flows west for about 515 km until it meets the Atabapo and Guaviare rivers at San Fernando de Atabapo. Then it flows north for around 290 km along the Colombia–Venezuela border until it reaches the Atures rapids near Puerto Carreño.
• Lower Orinoco – This part is 959 km long and has a wide, flat area. It flows northeast from the Atures rapids to Barrancas.
• Delta Amacuro – The last part is 200 km long and ends in a large delta that empties into the Gulf of Paría and the Atlantic Ocean. This delta covers 22,500 km² and can be 370 km wide.

At the river’s end, the Orinoco forms a huge delta with many smaller rivers and waterways spreading through 41,000 km² of swampy forests. During rainy times, the Orinoco can become 22 km wide and 100 m deep. The river’s slope is very gentle, at just 0.05%.

Many important rivers in Venezuela flow into the Orinoco. The largest is the Caroní, which joins it at Puerto Ordaz. Another major tributary is the Guaviare River. A special feature of this river system is the Casiquiare canal, which starts from the Orinoco and flows to the Rio Negro, a part of the Amazon River. This creates a link between the Orinoco and the Amazon rivers.

Other rivers that join the Orinoco include Apure, Arauca, Atabapo, Caroní, Casiquiare canal, Caura, Guaviare, Inírida, Meta, Ventuari, and Vichada.

Discharge

Ciudad Guayana

Ciudad Bolívar

Ecology

The Orinoco River is home to many different animals and plants. You can find the boto, a special kind of river dolphin, and the giant otter swimming in its waters. The Orinoco crocodile, one of the world's rarest reptiles, lives only in parts of the river.

The river has over 1,000 kinds of fish. Some well-known fish include the black spot piranha and the bright cardinal tetra. Many of these fish can travel between different parts of the river system because they can live in both dark and clear water.

Economic activity

The Orinoco River can be used by ships for most of its length. With dredging, big ocean ships can reach as far as Ciudad Bolívar, which is 435 km upstream. Small steamers carry goods to places like Puerto Ayacucho and the Atures Rapids.

In 1926, someone discovered a large amount of iron ore near the river’s delta. Mining started after World War II, with many companies involved. In the early 1950s, about 10,000 tons of iron ore were mined each day. The river area also has large tar sands that might be used for oil in the future.

Recreation and sports

Since 1973, a group called the Civil Association Nuestros Rios son Navegables has organized a big boat race called the Internacional Rally Nuestros Rios son Navegables. This race covers more than 1,200 kilometers through the Orinoco, Meta, and Apure Rivers. It starts in either Ciudad Bolívar or San Fernando de Apure and is the longest river race in the world. Many competitors from around the world take part, along with many support boats, teams, and fans.

Since 1988, the local government in Ciudad Guayana has held a swimming race in the Orinoco and Caroní Rivers. Since 1991, this race, called the Paso a Nado Internacional de los Rios Orinoco–Caroní, has been held every year in April. The race has grown in popularity and now has many competitors from all over the world.

In culture

The singer and songwriter Enya wrote a popular song called "Orinoco Flow" in 1988. Many people in Europe and North America enjoyed this song. The writer Jules Verne also featured the Orinoco River in his novel called "Superbe Orénoque".