Paraguay–Paraná–Plata river system

The Paraguay–Paraná–Plata river system is a vast network of waterways in South America, draining a significant portion of the continent. The Paraná River, meaning "Father of the Waters," is the larger of the two main systems feeding into the Río de la Plata estuary. It originates in Brazil and flows southwest, then southeast, into the Río de la Plata.12

The Paraguay River, the Paraná's greatest tributary, also begins in Brazil and flows south, forming part of the border between Paraguay and Argentina before joining the Paraná. Together, these rivers and their tributaries drain an area of about 1.2 million square miles, covering much of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. The Río de la Plata itself is considered by some to be an estuary, while others view it as a river, making it potentially the widest in the world.1342