Madeira River

Madeira River
The river in the outskirts of Porto Velho
Map of the Madeira River watershed
Etymology	Portuguese, "wood river"
Location
Country	Bolivia, Brazil
Cities	Nova Olinda do Norte, Borba, Novo Aripuanã, Manicoré, Humaitá, Porto Velho
Physical characteristics
Source	Confluence of Madre de Dios and Mamoré[1][2]
• location	Near Guayaramerín, Bolivia
• coordinates	10°38′19″S 65°39′20″W / 10.63861°S 65.65556°W / -10.63861; -65.65556
• elevation	180 m (590 ft)
Mouth	Amazon River
• location	Amazonas, Brazil
• coordinates	3°22′32″S 58°46′23″W / 3.37556°S 58.77306°W / -3.37556; -58.77306
• elevation	40 m (130 ft)
Length	1,450 km (900 mi)[3]
Basin size	1,376,000 km2 (531,000 sq mi)
Discharge
• location	near mouth
• average	(Period: 1973–1990)31,200 m3/s (1,100,000 cu ft/s)
• minimum	2,346 m3/s (82,800 cu ft/s)
• maximum	52,804 m3/s (1,864,800 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Amazon → Atlantic Ocean
River system	Amazon
Tributaries
• left	Madre de Dios, Abunã
• right	Mamoré, Jamari, Ji-Paraná, Marmelos, Manicoré, Mataurá, Mariepauá, Aripuanã

The Madeira River (Portuguese: Rio Madeira [ˈʁi.u mɐˈdejɾɐ]) is a major waterway in South America. It is estimated to be 1,450 km (900 mi) in length, while the Madeira-Mamoré is estimated near 3,250 km (2,020 mi)^[4] or 3,380 km (2,100 mi) in length depending on the measuring party and their methods. The Madeira is the biggest tributary of the Amazon, accounting for about 15% of the water in the basin.^[5] A map from Emanuel Bowen in 1747, held by the David Rumsey Map Collection, refers to the Madeira by the pre-colonial, indigenous name Cuyari.^[6]

The River of Cuyari, called by the Portuguese Madeira or the Wood River, is formed by two great rivers, which join near its mouth. It was by this River, that the Nation of Topinambes passed into the River Amazon.