Template:Short description Template:About Template:Infobox river
The Paraná River (Template:Langx {{#invoke:IPA|main}}; Template:Langx {{#invoke:IPA|main}}; Template:Langx) is a river in south-central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina for some Template:Convert.<ref name=britannica>"Parana River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 26 May. 2012 https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/443063/Parana-River Template:Webarchive. "Rio de la Plata". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Web. 26 May. 2012 https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/463804/Rio-de-la-Plata Template:Webarchive</ref> Among South American rivers, it is second in length only to the Amazon River. It merges with the Paraguay River and then farther downstream with the Uruguay River to form the Río de la Plata and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
The first European to go up the Paraná River was the Venetian explorer Sebastian Cabot, in 1526, while working for Spain.
A drought hit the river in 2021, causing a 77-year low.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
EtymologyEdit
In eastern South America there is "an immense number of river names containing the element para- or parana-", from Guarani language words meaning "river" or "sea"; attempts to derive a more precise meaning for the name of this, the largest of them, e.g. "kin of the sea", have been discounted.<ref>Template:Cite journal, pp=139-141.</ref>
CourseEdit
{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= Template:Ambox }} The course is formed at the confluence of the Paranaiba and Rio Grande rivers in southern Brazil. From the confluence the river flows in a generally southwestern direction for about Template:Convert before encountering the city of Saltos del Guaira, Paraguay. This was once the location of the Guaíra Falls (Sete Quedas waterfalls, where the Paraná fell over a series of seven cascades. This natural feature was said to rival the world-famous Iguazu Falls to the south. The falls were flooded, however, by the construction of the Itaipu Dam, which began operating in 1984. For approximately the next Template:Convert, the Paraná flows southward and forms a natural boundary between Paraguay and Brazil until the confluence with the Iguazu River. Further upstream from this confluence, however, the river is dammed by the Itaipu Dam, the third largest hydroelectric power plant in the world (following the Three Gorges Dam and the Baihetan Dam, both in the People's Republic of China), creating a massive, shallow reservoir behind it.
After merging with the Iguazu, the Paraná becomes the natural border between Paraguay and Argentina. Overlooking the Paraná River from Encarnación, Paraguay, across the river, is downtown Posadas, Argentina. The river continues its general southward course for about Template:Convert before making a gradual turn to the west for another Template:Convert, and then encounters the Paraguay River, the largest tributary along the course of the river. Before this confluence, the river passes through a second major hydroelectric project, the Yacyretá Dam, a joint project between Paraguay and Argentina. The massive reservoir formed by the project has been the source of a number of problems for people living along the river, most notably the poorer merchants and residents in the low-lying areas of Encarnación, a major city on the southern border of Paraguay. River levels rose dramatically upon completion of the dam, flooding out large sections of the city's lower areas.
From the confluence with the Paraguay River, the Paraná again turns to the south for another approximately Template:Convert through Argentina, making a slow turn back to the east near the city of Rosario for the final stretch of less than Template:Convert before merging with the Uruguay River to form the Río de la Plata. This flows into the Atlantic Ocean. During the part of its course downstream from the city of Diamante, Entre Ríos, it splits into several arms and it forms the Paraná Delta. {{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}}
TributariesEdit
The main tributaries from the mouth:<ref name="Rivers Network–Parana (La Plata)">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
| Left
tributary |
Right
tributary |
Length
(km) |
Basin size
(km2) |
Average discharge
(m3/s)* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paraná Delta | ||||
| Luján | 100 | 5,065.6 | 60.5 | |
| Arroyo de La Cruz | 1,057.2 | 12.9 | ||
| Areco | 124 | 4,149.8 | 51.6 | |
| Arrecifes | 255 | 11,304.4 | 114.4 | |
| Gualeguay | 375 | 22,716 | 237.9 | |
| Nogoyá | 164 | 9,334.5 | 120 | |
| Arroyo
Tiestos Grandes |
210 | 2,070.6 | 12.2 | |
| Arroyo Ramallo | 1,175.2 | 10.6 | ||
| Arroyo Yaquarón | 1,825.5 | 15.8 | ||
| Arroyo Pavón | 90 | 2,611.7 | 21.2 | |
| Arroyo Saladillo | 145 | 3,144 | 20.6 | |
| Carcaraña | 240 | 48,746.5 | 81 | |
| Río Salado del Norte | 2,355 | 225,844.4 | 170 | |
| Lower Paraná | ||||
| Arroyo
de las Conchas |
50 | 2,184 | 14.2 | |
| Arroyo Feliciano | 198 | 8,341 | 76.9 | |
| Guayquiraró | 158 | 9,701 | 90 | |
| Corriente (Aruhary) | 500 | 26,872.9 | 336.2 | |
| San Javier | 250 | 2,948.4 | 16.4 | |
| Arroyo El Rey | 6,346.4 | 40 | ||
| Río Los Amores (São Jerônimo) | 177 | 17,440.7 | 69.7 | |
| Santa Lucia | 190 | 6,963.4 | 85.6 | |
| Paraná Miní–Tapenaga | 300 | 12,072.7 | 53.5 | |
| Tacuari | 7,034.6 | 39.1 | ||
| Arroyo San Lourenzo | 1,411.4 | 12.4 | ||
| Empedrado | 2,002.2 | 18.3 | ||
| Riachuelo | 2,921.9 | 26.2 | ||
| Negro (Chaco) | 410 | 21,121.4 | 58.5 | |
| Guaycurú | 446 | 21,656.6 | 33.9 | |
| Paraguay | 2,695 | 1,137,190.9 | 5,070.2 | |
| Yabebyry | 1,955 | 30.31 | ||
| Arroyo Aguapey | 60 | 1,809 | 35.06 | |
| Tacuary | 1,010 | 20.54 | ||
| Arroyo
Garupá |
62 | 1,416 | 38.1 | |
| Arroyo Yabebiry | 130.1 | 1,889.3 | 46.9 | |
| Capiibari | 978 | 12.2 | ||
| Pirapó | 952 | 20.5 | ||
| Arroyo Cuñapirú | 67.6 | 525 | 11.3 | |
| Pirajui | 97 | 1,221 | 26.6 | |
| Arroyo Garuhapé | 527.9 | 11.7 | ||
| Tembey | 95 | 1,243 | 28.8 | |
| Arroyo Paranay
Guazú |
114.2 | 1,319.5 | 30.7 | |
| Arroyo
Piray Guazú |
69.5 | 2,141.5 | 63.9 | |
| Arroyo
Piray Mini |
88.5 | 1,476.6 | 50.7 | |
| Yacuy Guazú | 788 | 23.77 | ||
| Arroyo Aguaray
Guazú |
873 | 27.8 | ||
| Ñacunday | 150 | 2,541 | 82.74 | |
| Arroyo | 150.5 | 2,533.7 | 96.3 | |
| Monday | 150 | 6,693 | 164.7 | |
| Iguaçu | 1,320 | 67,537.3 | 1,836 | |
| Acaray | 160 | 9,681 | 233.7 | |
| Limay | 1,099.8 | 27.4 | ||
| São | 73 | 1,706.3 | 53.7 | |
| Itambey | 115 | 1,805.3 | 39.5 | |
| São
Francisco Verdadeiro |
152 | 2,210.2 | 64.2 | |
| Arroyo Pozuelo | 572.2 | 15 | ||
| Carapa | 150 | 2,678 | 44 | |
| Arroyo | 1,222.3 | 26.6 | ||
| Piratiy | 80 | 1,545.6 | 22.4 | |
| Upper Paraná | ||||
| Piquiri | 665 | 24,156 | 606.5 | |
| Iguatemi | 300 | 8,409.3 | 99.2 | |
| Maracaí | 1,831.2 | 18.3 | ||
| Amambaí | 340 | 10,094.6 | 101.6 | |
| Ivaí | 798 | 36,587 | 733.4 | |
| Laranjal | 1,782 | 14.9 | ||
| Ivinheima | 595 | 38,200 | 544.5 | |
| Bahia | 1,344 | 10.2 | ||
| Paranapanema | 929 | 101,738.7 | 1,198.4 | |
| Samambaia | 1,379.7 | 12.3 | ||
| Santo Anastácio | 102 | 2,132.4 | 15 | |
| Pardo | 600 | 39,419.4 | 529 | |
| Taquaruçu | 2,615.3 | 17.9 | ||
| Rio do Peixe | 380 | 10,195.4 | 84 | |
| Verde | 500 | 22,470.7 | 185 | |
| Aguapeí | 420 | 12,026.4 | 85.3 | |
| Sucuriú | 450 | 25,220 | 353.7 | |
| Tietê | 1,150 | 72,168 | 937.2 | |
| São José dos Dourados | 334.5 | 6,783 | 52.3 | |
| Quiteria | 2,384.9 | 29.2 | ||
| Rio Grande | 1,455 | 143,484 | 2,279 | |
| Paranaíba | ||||
| Aporé | 200 | 6,965.3 | 109 | |
| Corrente | 7,323.5 | 119 | ||
| São Domingos
(Arantes) |
3,589.7 | 39.2 | ||
| Verde | 11,768.2 | 192.1 | ||
| Claro | 495.2 | 13,684.2 | 205.4 | |
| Ribeiro dos Patos | 1,073.1 | 10.8 | ||
| Alegre | 1,406.1 | 17.3 | ||
| Preto | 127.3 | 2,302.6 | 29.9 | |
| São Francisco | 1,337.9 | 15.7 | ||
| Tijuco | 355 | 14,284 | 170.2 | |
| Dos Bois | 528 | 34,759 | 334 | |
| Meia Ponte | 471.6 | 12,370.5 | 154.8 | |
| Piedade | 1,777.3 | 19.6 | ||
| Ribeiro Santa Maria | 1,287.4 | 13.4 | ||
| Corumbá | 567.5 | 34,071.4 | 417 | |
| Araguari | 475 | 22,091 | 284 | |
| Veríssimo | 200 | 4,533.7 | 48.8 | |
| Jordão | 921.8 | 10.6 | ||
| Bagagem | 1,375.4 | 15.9 | ||
| Perdizes | 1,265.4 | 14.7 | ||
| Dourados | 2,451.6 | 30.3 | ||
| São Marcos | 466.7 | 12,049.7 | 141.4 | |
| Verde | 1,337.1 | 15.8 | ||
| Ribeiro das Minas Vermelhas | 889.1 | 12.1 | ||
| Espirito Santo | 1,035.1 | 13.7 | ||
*Period: 1971–2000
UsesEdit
Together with its tributaries, the Rio Paraná forms a massive drainage basin that encompasses much of the southcentral part of South America, essentially including all of Paraguay, much of southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and the southeastern part of Bolivia. If the Uruguay River is counted as a tributary to the Paraná, this watershed extends to cover most of Uruguay as well. The volume of water flowing into the Atlantic Ocean through the Río de la Plata roughly equals the volume at the Mississippi River delta. This watershed contains a number of large cities, including São Paulo, Buenos Aires, Rosario, Asunción, Brasília, and La Plata.
The Paraná and its tributaries provide a source of income and of daily sustenance for fishermen who live along its banks. Some of the species of fish (such as the surubí and the sábalo) are commercially important, and they are exploited for heavy internal consumption or for export. The Parana River delta ranks as one of the world's greatest bird-watching destinations.<ref>Iriondo, Martín H., Juan César Paggi, and María Julieta Parma, eds. The Middle Paraná River: Limnology of a subtropical wetland. Chapter "Birds." Springer Science & Business Media, 2007.</ref>
Much of the length of the Paraná is navigable, as part of the Template:Ill and the Template:Ill.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The river serves as an important waterway linking inland cities in Argentina and Paraguay with the ocean, providing deepwater ports in some of these cities. The construction of enormous hydroelectric dams along the river's length has blocked its use as a shipping corridor to cities further upstream, but the economic impact of those dams offsets this. The Yacyretá Dam and the Itaipu Dam on the Paraguay border have made the small, largely undeveloped nation of Paraguay the world's largest exporter of hydroelectric power.
Due to its use for oceangoing ships, measurements of the water tables extend back to 1904. The data correlates with the Sun's solar cycle.<ref>Pablo J.D. Mauas & Andrea P. Buccino. "Long-term solar activity influences on South American rivers" page 5. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics on Space Climate, March 2010. Accessed: 20 September 2014.</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
GalleryEdit
- Rio Parana SPOT 1033.jpg
Paraná River source at the border of the states of São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul and Minas Gerais, in Brazil.
- Confluence of the Iguazu and Parana rivers, Puerto Iguazu, Misiones, Argentina, 6th. Jan. 2011 - Flickr - PhillipC.jpg
Confluence of the Iguazu and Parana rivers. The Triple frontier is a bit further in the background center: On the left is Paraguay, on the right Brazil, taken from Argentina.
- Amanecer en las Dunas de San Cosme y Damián.jpg
Sunrise over the Paraná River at San Cosme y Damián Dunes, Paraguay
- CPonte Parana1.jpg
Container ship, traveling downstream by the city of Ramallo, Argentina
- Puente Rosario-Victoria 2.jpg
- Paraná River Floodplain, Northern Argentina.jpg
Astronaut's photo showing a Template:Convert stretch of the Paraná, just downstream from Goya, Argentina
- Vistaaereadeposadas.jpg
Parana river in Posadas, Argentina
- Paraná River, Rosario (2).jpg
The sun rising over the Paraná River, from northeast of Rosario, Argentina
- Riodelaplatabasinmap.png
Map of the Rio de la Plata Basin showing the Paraná River and its major tributaries
Links across the ParanáEdit
The course of the Paraná is crossed by the following bridges, beginning upstream:
See alsoEdit
- Tributaries of the Río de la Plata
- Paraná River steamers