- Portuguese:
- Rio Paraná
- Spanish:
- Río Paraná
Paraná River
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What is the Paraná River?
The Paraná River in South America is the second longest river on the continent after the Amazon. It rises on the plateau of southeast-central Brazil and flows south for 3,032 miles (4,880 km). It joins the Uruguay River to form the Río de la Plata estuary of the Atlantic Ocean.
The river's drainage basin covers a large portion of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. The Paraná is divided into two segments: the Upper Paraná above the confluence with the Paraguay River, and the Lower Paraná below the confluence.
The river has a rich and varied animal life that includes many species of edible fish. The main dam of the huge Itaipú project on the Paraná River was completed in 1982 and had a power generating capacity of 12,600 megawatts.
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Where is the Paraná River located?
The Paraná River is located in South America. It rises on the plateau of southeast-central Brazil and flows south where it joins the Uruguay River to form the Río de la Plata estuary of the Atlantic Ocean after a course of 3,032 miles (4,880 km).
The Paraná River's drainage basin includes the greater part of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. From its origin to its junction with the Paraguay River, it is known as the Alto (Upper) Paraná. From the confluence with the Iguaçu River to the junction with the Paraguay River, the Alto Paraná continues as the frontier between Paraguay and Argentina.
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Which countries does the Paraná River flow through?
The Paraná River flows through Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. The river rises in south-central Brazil and flows south. The Alto (Upper) Paraná serves as the frontier between Paraguay and Argentina from its confluence with the Iguaçu River to its junction with the Paraguay River. After joining with the Paraguay River, it becomes the lower Paraná and flows through Argentine territory.
The Paraná River is South America's second-longest, after the Amazon, running for 3,032 miles (4,880 km) until it joins the Uruguay River, forming the Río de la Plata estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. The Paraná River’s drainage basin includes southeastern Bolivia, as well.
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How long is the Paraná River and what is its source?
The Paraná River stretches 3,032 miles (4,880 km), making it South America's second-longest river after the Amazon. Its source is the confluence of the Grande and Paranaíba rivers in southeastern Brazil. The Paraná earns its name, "Father of the Waters," from the Guaraní language.
The river flows generally south, draining much of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. The Paraguay River joins the Paranà, adding about 25 percent to its total volume. The Alto (Upper) Paraná flows through a deep cleavage in the Brazilian Highlands.
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What are some important cities or landmarks along the Paraná River?
The Paraná River is South America's second-longest river, stretching 3,032 miles (4,880 km). Several important cities and landmarks lie along its course:
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Itaipu Dam: Located on the Alto (Upper) Paraná River on the Brazil-Paraguay border, north of Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, it's among the world’s largest hydroelectric projects. The dam's reservoir submerged the Guaíra Falls.
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Posadas: A city in Argentina, where the river widens to about 1.5 miles.
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Paraná: The capital of Entre Ríos province in northeastern Argentina.
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Santa Fe and Rosario: Cities where the river's delta begins to form.
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Why is the Paraná River important for the people and economy of South America?
The Paraná River is South America's second-longest river, critical for the region's people and economy.
The river serves as a vital transport route for agricultural products, manufactured goods, and petroleum products, and its waters irrigate adjacent farmlands. The Itaipu and Yacyretá Dams on the Paraná generate substantial hydroelectric power, stimulating industry and agriculture. The river supports livestock raising and small-scale farming, with plantations producing maté, tung oil, and tea along the Alto Paraná.
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Paraná River, river of South America, the second longest after the Amazon, rising on the plateau of southeast-central Brazil and flowing generally south to the point where, after a course of 3,032 miles (4,880 km), it joins the Uruguay River to form the extensive Río de la Plata estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. See also Plata, Río de la.
The Paraná River’s drainage basin, with an area of about 1,081,000 square miles (2,800,000 square km), includes the greater part of southeastern Brazil, Paraguay, southeastern Bolivia, and northern Argentina. From its origin at the confluence of the Grande and Paranaíba rivers to its junction with the Paraguay River, the river is known as the Alto (Upper) Paraná. This upper course has three important tributaries, namely the Tietê, the Paranapanema, and the Iguaçu, all three having their sources near the Atlantic coast in southeastern Brazil. The Alto Paraná’s passage through the mountains was formerly marked by the Guaíra Falls; this series of massive waterfalls was completely submerged in the early 1980s by the reservoir of the newly built Itaipú dam complex, which spans the Alto Paraná.
From its confluence with the Iguaçu River to its junction with the Paraguay River, the Alto Paraná continues as the frontier between Paraguay and Argentina. When it is joined by the Paraguay, it becomes the lower Paraná and commences to flow only through Argentine territory. Near Santa Fé, the lower Paraná receives its last considerable tributary, the Salado River. Between Santa Fé and Rosario the delta of the Paraná begins to form, being 11 miles (18 km) wide at its upper end and roughly 40 miles (65 km) wide at its lower end. Within the delta the river divides again and again into distributary branches, the most important being the last two channels formed, the Paraná Guazú and the Paraná de las Palmas.
The volume of the lower Paraná River is dependent on the amount of water that it receives from the Paraguay River, which provides about 25 percent of the total; the Paraná’s annual average discharge is 610,700 cubic feet per second (17,293 cubic metres per second). The basin of the Alto Paraná has a hot and humid climate year round, with dry winters and rainy summers. The climate of the middle and lower basins ranges from subtropical in the north to temperate humid in the south, with less plentiful rainfall. The Alto Paraná has two zones of vegetation, forests to the east and savanna to the west. Forests continue along the Paraná downstream to Corrientes, where the savanna begins to dominate both banks. The Paraná River has a rich and varied animal life that includes many species of edible fish. Much of the Paraná basin is economically unexploited. The main dam of the huge Itaipú project on the Paraná River was completed in 1982 and had a power generating capacity of 12,600 megawatts. The Yacyretá Dam on the lower Paraná River began operation in 1994. The lower river is a transport route for agricultural products, manufactured goods, and petroleum products, and its waters are used for irrigation of the adjacent farmlands.