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	Headwaters of Rio Sorrento, Paramo de Sumapaz, Meta, Colombia
• coordinates	3°34′2″N 74°31′23″W / 3.56722°N 74.52306°W / 3.56722; -74.52306 (approximately)
• elevation	3,530 m (11,580 ft) (approximately)
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	2,250 km (1,400 mi)
Basin size	989,000 km2 (382,000 sq mi)
Depth
• maximum	100 m (330 ft)
Discharge
• location	Orinoco Delta, Atlantic Ocean
• average	(Period of data: 1926–2011)37,740 m3/s (1,333,000 cu ft/s)[2]
• minimum	21,000 m3/s (740,000 cu ft/s)
• maximum	54,000 m3/s (1,900,000 cu ft/s)
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)[2]
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)[2]
Discharge
• location	Masagua, Colombia (Basin size: 101,000 km2 (39,000 sq mi))
• average	4,400 m3/s (160,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Tama Tama, Venezuela (Basin size: 37,870 km2 (14,620 sq mi)
• average	1,400 m3/s (49,000 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Casiquiare, Atabapo, 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 2,250 kilometres (1,400 mi).^{[citation needed]}

Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia,^[3] covers 989,000 km² (382,000 sq mi), with 76% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia. It is the fourth largest river in the world by discharge volume of water. 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.