Orinoco

Orinoco River Río Orinoco
Orinoquia Bridge near Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela
The Orinoco drainage basin
Mouth location in Venezuela
Etymology	Warao for "a place to paddle"
Location
Countries	Colombia Venezuela
Region	South America
Physical characteristics
Source	Hydrological source (main stem)
• location	Cerro Delgado-Chalbaud, Parima Mountains, Venezuela
• coordinates	2°19′05″N 63°21′42″W / 2.31806°N 63.36167°W / 2.31806; -63.36167
• elevation	1,047 m (3,435 ft)
2nd source	Geographical source (Orinoco–Guaviare–Guayabero–Papamene–Sorrento)
• location	Cordillera Oriental, Colombia
• coordinates	3°31′36.5952″N 74°28′27.3684″W / 3.526832000°N 74.474269000°W / 3.526832000; -74.474269000
• elevation	3,080 m (10,100 ft)
Mouth	Delta Amacuro
• location	Atlantic Ocean, Venezuela
• coordinates	8°37′N 62°15′W / 8.617°N 62.250°W / 8.617; -62.250[1]
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	2,140 km (1,330 mi)[2] 2,150 km (1,340 mi)[3]
Basin size	981,446 km2 (378,938 sq mi)[3] to 1,014,797 km2 (391,815 sq mi)[2]
Depth
• maximum	100 m (330 ft)
Discharge
• location	Orinoco Delta
• average	(Period: 1983–2020)39,000 m3/s (1,400,000 cu ft/s)[2]
• minimum	8,000 m3/s (280,000 cu ft/s)[2]
• maximum	85,000 m3/s (3,000,000 cu ft/s)[2]
Discharge
• location	Ciudad Guayana
• average	(Period: 1926–2011)37,740 m3/s (1,333,000 cu ft/s)[4]
Discharge
• location	Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela (Basin size: 836,000 km2 (323,000 sq mi))
• average	(Period: 1926–2011)32,760 m3/s (1,157,000 cu ft/s)[4]
Discharge
• location	Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela ( Basin size: 342,000 km2 (132,000 sq mi))
• average	(Period: 1926–2011)16,182 m3/s (571,500 cu ft/s)[4]
Discharge
• location	Masagua, Colombia (Basin size: 101,000 km2 (39,000 sq mi))
• average	(Period: 1926–2011)4,400 m3/s (160,000 cu ft/s); Tama Tama, Venezuela (Basin size: 37,870 km2 (14,620 sq mi) 1,400 m3/s (49,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Atlantic Ocean
River system	Orinoco River
Tributaries
• left	Casiquiare, Guaviare, Vichada, Tomo, Cinaruco, Capanaparo, Meta, Arauca, Apure, Guárico
• right	Mavaca, Sipapo, Ocamo, Ventuari, Suapure, Parguaza, Caura, Cuchivero, Aro, Caroní

The Orinoco (Spanish pronunciation: [oɾiˈnoko]) is one of the longest rivers in South America at 2,140 km (1,330 mi).^[2]

Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia,^[5] covers ca 1 million km², with 65% of it in Venezuela and the 35% in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the world by discharge volume of water. The nevertheless high volume flow (39,000 m³/s at delta) of the Orinoco can be explained by the high precipitation in almost the entire catchment area (ca 2,300 mm/a). The Orinoco River and its tributaries are the major transportation system for eastern and interior Venezuela and the Llanos of Colombia. The environment and wildlife in the Orinoco's basin are extremely diverse.^[2][6][7][8]