Where is the source of the Orinoco River? Orinoco River - Paradise River

Orinoco from the languages ​​of almost all Indian tribes of the basin is translated simply - River, exactly like that - as a proper name, with respect.
And this means that she is both “great” and “great,” as this translation is sometimes expanded. The Warao Indians living in the Orinoco Delta call it “The River You Can Dip an Oar In,” that is, “navigable river,” and their self-name means “boat people.” Also called Orinoco and the Guajiro Indians. How long ago people began to settle on the banks of the Orinoco is still not fully clarified; there is only one evidence that they lived here at least three thousand years ago, these are the rock paintings of the Arawakan Indians on the border of Venezuela and Colombia, passing along the river.
The Orinoco begins with a fast stream in the Venezuelan state of Amazonas, near the border with Brazil, on the slopes of Mount Dilgado Chilbaud in the Serra Parima ridge of the Guiana Highlands. Numerous rivers flow into it from it and the spurs of the Andes in the west, and the Orinoco current in the upper reaches is rapidly gaining strength. Skirting the Guiana Highlands, before the confluence of the Meta River, the Orinoco passes through many rapids and rapids, the most significant of which are Maipures and Atures. In some places in the upper reaches of the Orinoco, low waterfalls - up to 17 m - are formed. Having descended from the heights of the highlands, the river then flows through the Guiana Lowland, expanding to 3-10 km. In the gorges, called angosturas (gorges) in Venezuela, the Orinoco channel narrows in places to 250 m. Below the major port river - Ciudad Bolivar - its bed widens sharply, and in the area of ​​​​the city of Barrancas it branches, forming a complex network of water channels and oxbow lakes, spilling between land areas covered with dense wet jungle, mangroves. They are adjacent to numerous lagoons and swamps. This network forms 36 branches spread over a large area. The most significant of them - Boca Grande - has a width of up to 20 km, and the most convenient for navigation is Macareo. These two natural channels flow into the Gulf of Paria of the Atlantic Ocean, most of the remaining branches flow into the Boca del Serpiente Strait, between the continent and the island of Trinidad.

Story

When Christopher Columbus on August 1, 1498, during his third expedition to New World, saw the Orinoco Delta, he called it “paradise river”, and one can understand him. The natural world of the delta is unusually rich and colorful. Many tall palm trees rush to the sky, fruit trees are hung with ripe fruits, orchids, bromeliads and other strange flowers bloom under their crown. tropical plants, tree and liana-like ferns extend their powerful feather-like leaves. It is home to jaguars, ocelots, capuchin monkeys, giant otters, manatees, hundreds of species of birds, as well as anacondas, caimans and crocodiles. The Warao Indians, who still live in the delta today, were friendly to the newcomers, but the Spaniards had no time for them: obsessed with the desire to find El Dorado, they were sure that the country of their dreams was somewhere close. They did not encounter anything similar and took out their frustration on the same Warao, destroying their villages. For a very long time, the Orinoco was considered in Europe the most mysterious river in South America. Its source was discovered only in 1951. But the delta was explored back in the 16th century. In 1531, the conquistador Diego de Ordaz walked from the mouth of the Orinoco to the Meta River in search of the same Eldorado; this was, by the way, the first such deep penetration of a European into the South American continent in history. In the same year, the delta was explored by the expedition of the German Ambrosius Ehinger. big Adventure the Orinoco and its tributaries were carried out by the Governor of Trinidad, Antonio de Berrio. And the first one is for real Scientific research The Orinoco was made by the founder of vegetation geography, Alexander Humboldt, who described the features of the river, its flora and fauna, and he was the first to describe the river pink dolphin.

Nature

The life cycles of the river are directly related to the wet and dry seasons. During the rainy season, the water in the Orinoco rises by 8-10 m and vast expanses of water form in the lowlands, and when the water subsides, many small tributaries of the Orinoco turn into chains of small closed swamps, immediately populated by malaria mosquitoes. Then everything is even more severe: in the open spaces of the savannah in the middle reaches, the grasses wither, clouds of dust begin to circulate, some trees even shed their leaves. Apart from the thickets of the delta, during the drought period only the tropical palm gallery forests of the southwestern part of the Llanos Orinoco, stretching parallel to water flow. And of course, cacti in the savannah.
The birdlife of the savannah is no less diverse than in the delta region, with a huge number of species of ibises, herons, storks, flamingos and other wading birds, wood ducks, as well as parrots, hawks, kites, falcons and vultures. In savannas there are a myriad of insect species, and large colonies of termites are also often found.
And the main predators, just like in the delta, are jaguars, pumas and ocelots. In general, counting all the species of fish, crustaceans, birds, reptiles and mammals living in the Orinoco basin, we can talk about many hundreds of species. And all this rich animal world, judging by the fact that drought does not cause much damage to its population, it is perfectly adapted to the extremes of the local climate. It is the person who does the harm. The rarest species of reptile - the Orinoco crocodile - is now listed in the Red Book; only 250 individuals of this endemic Orinoco remain due to the fact that poachers killed it for its beautiful skin. Several dozen more species of mammals are on the verge of survival, and for the same reason.

Population

Most of Venezuela's indigenous population lives along the banks of the Orinoco. These are Indians of relatively numerous tribes (from 10 to 30 thousand people): Tamanuki, Guayacho, Makiritare, Yaruro, Yanomami, Warao, Guajiro (this tribe, in addition, lives on Lake Maracaibo); mestizos, people of the European type - a small number. The growth of cities and ports in the Orinoco basin began around the middle of the 20th century, when mining began iron ore and other minerals in the Guiana Highlands, but, as a rule, all these towns located on high places for protection against flooding, - small. Most Big city Orinoco basin - Ciudad Guayana at the confluence of Orinoco and Caroni, it was created in 1961 at largest hydroelectric power station Macagua and Guri reservoirs and stretches 40 km. With a population of more than 900,000 people, it includes two cities: the old one - San Felix (founded in 1576) and the new one - Puerto Ordaz (founded in 1952).
There are plantations of agricultural crops and pastures on the Llanos Orinoco, but their areas in our time are not so significant that we can talk about serious economic development these spaces by man. With the exception of oil production in the oil-bearing, or, scientifically, bituminous sands of the “Orinoco belt”, in which oil is contained in the form of oil shale. Experts call this kind of oil “unconventional”: its carriers require processing already at initial stage their prey. In 2011, OPEC announced that Venezuela, thanks mainly to the tar sands of the Orinoco Belt (previously not taken into account much), had become the world leader in oil reserves. A year later, the BP Corporation confirmed the same position: as of December 31, 2011, Venezuela had 296.5 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, or 17.9% of its total world reserves, while Saudi Arabia, which for many years held the world record for oil reserves, had 265.4 billion barrels on the same date.

general information

One of the largest rivers in South America and the northernmost large river continent. It flows mainly in Venezuela, partly along the Venezuela-Colombia border.

Source: Mount Dilgado Chilbaud (Guiana Highlands) at an altitude of 1047 m.

Mouth: Gulf of Paria of the Atlantic Ocean.
Food: mainly rain.
Largest tributaries: right - Ventuari, Kaura, Caroni; left - Guaviare, Vichada, Meta, Arauca, Apure.

Largest cities and ports: Ciudad Guayana, which includes San Felix and Puerto Ordaz, Ciudad Bolivar, Santa Barbara, Puerto Ayacucho.

Largest reservoir: Guri (on the Karoni River).

Nearest airports:- Simon Bolivar International Airport; Ciudad Guayana - Manuel Carlos PR Airport; Ciudad Bolivar - Ciudad Bolivar Tomás de Jerez Airport.

Numbers

Length: 2736 or 2410 km (according to various sources).
Maximum width(during the flood period): 22 km.

Maximum depth: 100 m.

Water consumption: 30,000 m 3 /s (varies depending on the season within the range of 5-55,000 m 3 /s).
Annual flow: about 915 km 3 .

Pool area: 1086 thousand km 2. 76.3% of it belongs to Venezuela, the rest to Colombia.

Delta area: 41,000 km2.

Total length of shipping lanes in the Orinoco Basin: about 12,000 km.

Economy

Natural resources of the Orinoco basin: oil, gas, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, vanadium, chromium, bauxite, gold, diamonds.
Industry: ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy (aluminum smelting), pulp and paper and food industry in Ciudad Guayana. A cascade of hydroelectric power stations on the Caroni River in the Orinoco Basin with reservoirs providing 76.3% of Venezuela's electricity needs.
Agriculture: cattle breeding, cultivation of cassava, corn, cotton, rice.
Fishing.
Shipping: vessels with a displacement of 8 tons reach from the mouth to Ciudad Bolivar (435 km from the mouth), lighter ones during the Orinoco flood period reach Puerto Ayacucho (1127 km).
Service sector: ecological tourism.

Climate and weather

Tropical.
The rainy seasons last on average from April to October, the dry season from November to March. In the north of the Orinoco Plain, where the northeast trade wind penetrates first, the dry season lasts longer, and the rainy season lasts only three summer months.

Throughout the year the temperature does not drop below +20°C.

The average temperature even in the coolest months of the dry season is +25° - +26°C, and at the beginning and end of the rainy season it reaches +29°C.
Average annual precipitation: in the north of the Orinoco Plain - 800 mm, in the south - up to 1000 mm.

Attractions

■ Waterfall (in Venezuela it is called Kerepa-kupai Meru) on the Carrao (Churun) River, which flows into Apure, one of the largest left tributaries of the Orinoco, the highest waterfall in the world (979 m, according to some sources - 1054 m, the height of the free fall of water - 807 m). National Park Canaima, on whose territory the waterfall is located, and it itself are included in the World Heritage List natural heritage UNESCO.
■ The network of plateaus of varying heights of the Gran Sabana (Great Savannah) between the Lemma and Carrao rivers, near the city of Ciudad Guayana (Canaima National Park is located on the territory of the Gran Sabana).
■ City of Ciudad Bolivar: Angostura Bridge (1967) in the city of Ciudad Bolivar.
Length - 1678 m, height of support towers - 119 m. For some time after its opening, it was considered one of the most outstanding technical structures in South America. Colonial architecture; Cathedral; the Museum of Contemporary Art named after Jesus Rafael Soto, the famous creator of the style of kinetic sculpture and painter, a local native, with a collection of his works; at the city airport - James Angel's Flamingo plane, which flew over Angel Falls in 1933 and thereby opened it to the world. The waterfall was named after him, although he was the first to visit it at the beginning of the 20th century. Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz.

Curious facts

■ The Casiquiare River, which branches off from the Orinoco (this phenomenon, as a result of which the river bed is divided into two parts, is called bifurcation), flows into the Rio Negro, one of the tributaries of the Amazon. This creates a natural channel connecting the Amazon and Orinoco.
■ The electric eel, a fish native to the waters of the Orinoco, capable of generating a discharge with voltages of up to 1300 V and currents of up to 1 A, grows up to 2.4 m in length and weighs up to 19 kg. Need I say that an encounter with this fish can cost the lives of both man and horse? The Orinoco catfish, which the Indians call kuyukuyu, can reach a meter in length and weigh 18 kg. At the back of this fish's body there are extensions that support the caudal fin, making it look like prehistoric fish.
■ In 1532, when the conquistadors attacked the Varao village, they used... environmental weapons against them. These were hot frying pans with hot red pepper powder sprinkled on them. From the acrid smoke, the Spaniards began to sneeze and cough, the tears that came out covered their eyes, and they and their guns were powerless against the tomahawks of the Indians.
■ Jules Verne has a novel “The Magnificent Orinoco” (1894) about the adventures of several Frenchmen on the river itself and in the jungle.
■ In the city of Ciudad Bolivar, which until 1846 was called Santo Tome de Guayana de Angostura del Orinoco, the Constitution of Venezuela of 1811 was adopted, written by the leader of the Venezuelan and several other revolutions, Simon Bolivar (1783-1830 gg.), in whose honor the city was renamed.
■ The Indians say that several small tribes still live at the source of the Orinoco, avoiding any contact with the outside world. 

Orinoco (Orinoco; in the language of the local Tamanak Indians Orinuku, literally - river)

river in South America, in Venezuela and Colombia. Length (according to various sources) from 2500 to 2730 km, pool area 1086 thousand. km 2. It originates on the western slopes of the Serra Parima mountains, in the southwestern part of the Guiana Plateau, flows through the Guiana Lowland, flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming a delta. Main tributaries: on the right - Ventuari, Caura, Caroni; from the left - Guaviare, Vichada, Meta, Arauca, Apure. In the upper reaches, the river separates from the O. on the left. Casiquiare, along the bed of which about 1/3 of the flow goes into the river basin. Amazon (see Bifurcation of rivers). To the mouth of the river Meta O. flows through mountainous and hilly terrain, forming rapids and rapids, especially in the area between the mouths of the river. Vichada and Meta. In the middle reaches of the O. it turns into a full-flowing river with a width of up to 1-1.5 km, in some places - up to 3 km, depth - 10-20 m and more. Wide (3-10 km) the valley narrows in places, forming the so-called. angosturas; the last of these narrowings is located in the lower reaches, in the area of ​​​​the city of Ciudad Bolivar, after which the river flows through a wide valley to its mouth, branching into a large number of branches and channels. In the Barrancas area (200 km from the sea) begins extensive (about 20 thousand. km 2) the swampy delta of O., stretching along the sea coast for about 300 km. In the delta section, the river is divided into 36 branches and many channels. The main branches are: Manamo (far left), Macareo (navigable along it), Araguao, Merejana, Boca Grande (right and largest; its width is 15-20 km).

The lake is predominantly fed by rain. Water levels and flows fluctuate dramatically throughout the year. In the lower reaches, near the city of Ciudad Bolivar, the flood begins in the 2nd half of April - early May, in September the level reaches its greatest height, after which a gradual decline is observed until March - April, when the level is lowest. Near the mouth of the river. Meta water rises - 8-10 m, near Ciudad Bolivar - 10-15 m above low horizons. Sea tides spread up the river to the city of Ciudad Bolivar. At spring tide the level increase is about 2 m. The average annual water flow at the top of the delta is about 29 thousand. m 3 /sec, annual flow about 915 km 3. During periods of very powerful floods, the maximum water flow reaches 50-55 thousand. m 3 /sec and more. During the dry season (November - April) in low-water years, water consumption decreases to 5-7 thousand. m 3 /sec. Solid waste is about 45 million. T in year. The total length of shipping routes in the O. basin is about 12 thousand. km. Ocean-going vessels with a draft of up to 8 m rise to Ciudad Bolivar (about 400 km from the mouth). During the rainy season, river boats rise to the river. Guaviare (with breaks at the rapids). The right tributaries of the O. are suitable for navigation only in the lower reaches; the left tributaries are navigable for most of the year. The hydroelectric resources of the island are still poorly used; A hydroelectric power station system is being built (1974) on the river. Caroni. Main cities: Santa Barbara, Puerto Ayacucho, Ciudad Bolivar, Puerto Ordaz (Venezuela); Puerto Carreño (Colombia).

In 1498, Columbus reached one of the mouth branches of the O. In 1499, members of the Spanish expedition A. Ojeda and A. Vespucci are believed to have seen one of the branches of the O. In 1531, the Spanish conquistador Diego Ordaz first climbed the O. to the mouth of the river. Meta and followed a small section of its flow. At the beginning of 1800, the German scientist A. Humboldt, together with the French botanist E. Bonpland, traveled through the Ocean and established a connection between the systems of the Ocean and the Amazon. The origins of O. were discovered by a Franco-Venezuelan expedition in 1951.

Lit.: Grelier J., Aux sources de l "Orénoque, P., 1954; Gómez P. R., La hoya hidrográfica del Orinoco y la Orinoquia Colombiana, "Boletin de la Sociedad Geografica de Colombia", 1960, v. 18, no. 65; Perrin P ., Caractéristiques générales des rivières vénézuéliennes, “Revue de géographie Alpine”, 1969, v. 57, fasc. 2.

A. P. Muranov.

Big Soviet encyclopedia. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia. 1969-1978 .

Synonyms:

See what "Orinoco" is in other dictionaries:

River in Venezuela and Colombia. In the language of the Tama Nucan Indians of Orinoco big river. See also Venezuela, Llanos Orinoco. Geographical names world: Toponymic dictionary. M: AST. Pospelov E.M. 2001... Geographical encyclopedia

Orinoco- at the confluence of the river. Caroni. Orinoco (Orinoco; in the language of the Tamanuk Indian tribe big river), a river in Colombia and Venezuela. Length 2730 km, basin area about 1 million km2. It originates on the western slopes of the Serra Parima mountains, at an altitude... ... Encyclopedic reference book "Latin America"

Exist., number of synonyms: 1 river (2073) ASIS Dictionary of Synonyms. V.N. Trishin. 2013… Synonym dictionary

- (Orinoco), a river in Venezuela and Colombia. 2730 km, basin area over 1 million km2. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming a delta. Main tributaries: Caura, Caroni, Guaviare, Meta, Arauca, Apure. Average consumption water about 29 thousand m3/s. Below… … encyclopedic Dictionary

Orinoco- a river in Venezuela and Colombia. In the language of the Tama Nucan Indians, Orinoco is a big river. See also Venezuela, Llanos Orinoco... Toponymic dictionary

- (Orinoco; in Indian ringed snake) one of the main rivers South America, originates in Venezuelan Guiana, on the top of Ferdinand Lesseps, in the Sierra Parima mountains, one of the main chains of the Guiana Highlands, at an altitude of 1600 m. ur. m.;... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Ephron

Orinoco- (Orinoco) Orinoco, a river in the north of South America, which originates in the southeast. Venezuela and flows for 2060 km in a large arc through Venezuela, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean as a wide delta. Part of its length the river forms the border between... ... Countries of the world. Dictionary

River in Venezuela and Colombia. 2730 km, area of ​​the St. 1 million km². It flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming a delta. Main tributaries: Caura, Caroni, Guaviare, Meta, Arauca, Apure. Average water consumption approx. 29 thousand m³/s. Below the city of Barrancas... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Coordinates: 2°19′05″ N. w. 63°21′42″ W. d. / 2.318056° n. w. 63.361667° W d. ... Wikipedia

Books

• Tales of Jean-Marie Cabidulin. The Magnificent Orinoco, Jules Verne. The thirteenth volume of the series `The Unknown Jules Verne` includes new translations of the novels `The Tales of Jean-Marie Cabidoulin` (1901) and `The Magnificent Orinoco`...

Orinoco River in South America it is the first open river in the New World. When Christopher Columbus saw the mouth of the Orinoco River in 1498, he was so amazed by the beauty of the area that he decided that it was one of the four rivers of paradise. The Varao Indians greeted the sailors friendly. But the Indian tradition of wearing gold jewelry played a cruel joke on them. The conquistadors, driven by the gold rush and dreams of the golden city of El Dorado, moved deeper and deeper along the river, destroying everything in their path. But they were never able to find the mythical golden city.

Warao Indians still live in the Orinoco Delta. Their number becomes only 20 thousand people.

Varao translates as “boat people”, which refers to their way of life. Big photo.

River length: 2736 kilometers.

Drainage basin area: 1,086,000 km. sq.

Where does it occur: The Orinoco River originates near Mount Delgado Chalbaud in Venezuela near the border with Brazil. From its source, the river flows in a wide arc around the Guiana Highlands. The river changes the direction of its flow from southwest to west, then flows north and, finally, when it flows into the Atlantic Ocean, to the northeast. The origins of the Orinoco remained unexplored until the mid-twentieth century. This is partly due to flooded forests, tributaries, rapids and waterfalls, which made it very difficult for researchers to access these places. Before today only two expeditions visited there. The Indians say that several small tribes still live at the source of the Orinoco. They obtain their food exclusively by gathering and hunting and avoid any contact with the outside world.

Further downstream, the Orinoco forms the border between Venezuela and Colombia. During the dry season, the water recedes and ancient paintings dating back three thousand years can be seen. They were drawn by Indians from the Arawak tribe. Even further downstream, the river spills over a wide plain, called here Lyanos. These plains contain the meaning of life for the Laneros - Venezuelan cowboys. Here they are engaged in breeding large cattle. The Laneros are the descendants of the conquistadors, black slaves and Ojonic Indians who once inhabited these lands. Near the city of Ciudad Bolivar the river narrows, after which it flows again through a wide valley. The Orinoco is navigable from the delta all the way to Ciudad Bolivar.

In the lower reaches, the Orinoco branches into many branches and flows into the Atlantic Ocean, forming a large delta with an area of ​​41,000 km. sq.

River mode: The Orinoco is fed mainly by seasonal (mainly summer) rains, which causes uneven water flow. During summer floods, the river's width can reach 22 km and its depth - 100 meters. During the dry season, small tributaries of the river turn into a chain of stagnant lakes. The average water flow is 33,000 m3/s (varies depending on the season within the range of 5-55 thousand m3/s). A special feature of the river is a natural channel connecting the Orinoco and the Amazon - this is the Casiquiare River, which first branches off from the Orinoco and then flows into the Rio Negro (one of the tributaries of the Amazon). Most of the Venezuelan rivers are tributaries of the Orinoco.

Main tributaries: Ventuari, Caura, Caroni – right tributaries; Guaviare, Vichada, Meta, Arauca, Apure are left tributaries. On one of its tributaries, the Churun ​​River, there is the world's highest waterfall - Angel.

Biological resources: The river is home to Amazonian dolphins and the rarest species of crocodiles in the world - the Orinoco crocodile; on the banks you can find large capybara rodents.

Watch the video clip: “Wildlife of Venezuela. Somewhere in the Orinoco valleys"

South America is rich in many rivers, but it is Orinoco(Spanish: Río Orinoco) can be called a unique river. Most of its channel is located in the territory. The total length of the river is about 2.74 thousand km.

The area of ​​the river basin is 880 thousand km², the water flow is close to 30 thousand m³/sec.

Originating on the mountainside Delgado-Chalbaud(Spanish: Montaña Delgado Chalbaud), located near Parima (on the border with), the Orinoco turns west in a wide arc from the southwest, then north and finally northeast, where the Atlantic Ocean flows into the Gulf of Paria (Spanish: Golfo de Paria). More specifically, the river goes around (the plateau) and, crossing the southwestern part of the Guiana Lowland, flows into the ocean bay.

In the lower reaches, the Orinoco River branches into many streams that form a river delta. The area of ​​the entire delta is about 41 thousand km². When floods begin, the river spreads, reaching a width of more than 22 km, and its depth at this moment reaches 100 m. The right tributaries of the Orinoco are the following rivers: Caura (Spanish: Río Caura), Caroni (Spanish: Río Caroni), Ventuari (Spanish: Rio Ventuari). Left tributaries: (Spanish: Río Apure), Guaviare (Spanish: Río Guaviare), Arauca (Spanish: Río Arauca), (Spanish: Río Meta), Vichada (Spanish: Río Vichada). On the river (Spanish: Río Churun ​​- a tributary of the Caroni) there is the highest waterfall in the world - (Spanish: Salto Аngel; about 980 m high)

The river is of interest for navigation, since ocean-going ships can reach the city (Spanish: Ciudad Bolívar) by moving upstream. Ciudad Bolivar is located 435 km from the ocean bay.

Orinoco is in the zone subequatorial belt. If we talk about the river’s nutrition, then the river is mainly filled due to abundant tropical rains. Therefore, the river is characterized by sharp fluctuations in water level: during the dry season, several tributaries of the Orinoco turn into small stagnant lakes.

When the great navigator first saw the mouth of the Orinoco in 1498, he called it “the river of paradise” - he was so amazed by the beauty of these places. The Warao Indians who met the travelers were very friendly. But greed and an indomitable thirst for gold turned local residents against the conquistadors. The Spaniards were obsessed with the search for the mythical city of gold - Eldorado (Spanish: Eldorado), moving up the river, they destroyed absolutely everything in their path. However, there was no “Golden City”.

Locals

Why is the South American Orinoco River so attractive to tourists? Partly because of the incredible beauty natural world basin, partly due to the Indians living in the Orinoco Delta. The indigenous inhabitants of Venezuela, as a rule, live along the banks of the river.

The river delta is inhabited mainly by Varao Indians, who in terms of their numbers occupy the second position in Venezuela: the number of Varao reaches more than 20 thousand people. This people has inhabited the Orinoco Delta for more than 12 thousand years. The Warao tribe are known as the "boat people". They probably got this name because they build their houses on stilts above the water. Interestingly, the houses have no walls. As vehicle The Warao use canoes.

Arriving in Venezuela, tourists can get to know the Indians better, with their unique culture and way of life. Varao are quite friendly and can treat tourists to traditional local cuisine. Travelers are very fond of canoe tours, where the guide is a Warao Indian. The Indians organize excursions through the jungle and can also arrange piranha hunting.

In addition to the Warao tribe, the Orinoco River Delta is home to such tribes as the Yaruro, Guayacho, Tamanuki, Guajiro, and many others. It should be noted that the tribes of the indigenous Indians are quite small.

Flora and fauna of Orinoco

During the rainy season, which begins in June and ends in October, the river floods large areas, which leads to the appearance of swamps. The fauna of the river is unusually rich and diverse.

Travelers can contemplate exotic fauna: giant anaconda, white ibis, puma, parrots, hawks, jaguars, flamingos and many other species.

In addition, in the waters of the river you can see Amazon dolphins and the Orinoco crocodile, which is a rare species representatives of this genus. Orinoco crocodiles for a long time were exterminated by poachers because of their valuable and beautiful skin. Orinoco crocodiles are listed in the Red Book because there are no more than 250 of them left.

As for birds, there are more than 100 colonies of wading birds. The most remarkable plant growing in the river delta is the Moriche palm, famous for its perfectly straight trunks up to 30 m high. Residents make cellulose from this palm. In addition, the Moriche palm tree is one of the main materials for the construction of huts. The heartwood of the tree is edible.

The Orinoco is one of the largest river systems in the world. This is the most mysterious and fascinating river in South America. Its waters have been attracting adventurers for centuries, despite their dangerous and unpredictable nature.

History of discovery

From the day of its discovery, the Orinoco was for a long time inaccessible due to the jungle hiding it, and therefore unknown. The first mention of it can be found in the notes of Christopher Columbus relating to his third expedition. The discoverer saw only the Orinoco delta, but the picture that opened struck him with its beauty.

The name of the Spaniard Diego de Ordaz is associated with this river, who spent half his life trying to find mysterious place El Dorado. It was he who was the first to study wildlife Orinoco. In 1531, German explorer Ambrosius Ehinger decided to study the river. At the same time, several other expeditions of a research nature were carried out. Unfortunately, the Orinoco of those times has not reached us.

It was remembered only at the beginning of the 19th century, when the German traveler Alexander von Humboldt went to study the nature of South America. It was he who described in detail the plants that grew along the banks of the Orinoco River, as well as the animals that lived in its waters. The source of the reservoir was found only in the middle of the 20th century.

Geographical location of the river and its size

The Orinoco River, as mentioned above, is located in South America. Its source is located on the border of Venezuela and Brazil. The river originates from Mount Delgado Chalbaud in the Guinean Plateau region.

Almost all of the Orinoco flows through Venezuela, but some parts of it lie in Colombia. Having passed the northern part of the mainland, the river flows into the Gulf of Paria, and from it into the Atlantic Ocean.

The Orinoco River is 2,736 km long, making it one of the longest bodies of water in South America. The width in different areas ranges from 250 m to 10 km. During floods, the Orinoco can flood up to 22 km in width. The depth of the river is not the greatest - its maximum point reaches 100 m.

Character of the Orinoco River

Navigation on the Orinoco is limited and very risky. moves only in the area of ​​the deep delta. This is a necessary measure caused by the inconsistency of the nature of the reservoir. Here, every 6-7 hours, significant ebbs and flows occur, which prevent ships from moving. Orinoco varies depending on the time of year and season. IN dry season it turns into a system of lakes and swamps, and when it rains, it overflows.

The flow of the Orinoco River at its source is southwest. The riverbed gradually bends in the form of an arc. Then the direction of the Orinoco River changes. It flows north and northeast. There the river flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The speed of water flow is consistently average along the entire length, except at the source. Since the river originates in the mountains, it flows faster in this area than in the lower reaches.

Relief and tributaries

Located in the upper reaches of the Orinoco River a large number of waterfalls of all sizes. This is due to the rocky and uneven surface of this area. In the lower and middle parts the relief of the Orinoco River is flat.

Closer to the delta, the Orinoco branches greatly, forming a large number of tributaries and lakes. Thanks to them, this place is especially picturesque. The tributaries of the river are unique because, despite the same source, each of them has an individual color and a unique composition of water. The water level in them is also not constant, as it depends on the amount of precipitation. During the dry season, tributaries dry out greatly or turn into small lakes

One of the tributaries of the Orinoco, the Casiquiare, connects it with the most famous and deep-flowing river in South America - the Amazon.

Fauna of the Orinoco River

Fauna river system Orinoco is unique. It has about 700 species of living beings. The river waters abound with fish. Found here electric eels and catfish weighing several pounds that have fed local populations for centuries. However, you should be wary of piranhas and crocodiles, which are found in abundance here. The Orinoco River region is home to thousands of bird species. Scarlet ibises, flamingos, and colorful parrots live here. On the shores you can find giant turtles and other reptiles. The lower part of the river is home to many monkeys - capuchins, howler monkeys, macaques, as well as representatives of the cat family - ocelots, jaguars, pumas, etc.

Most tourists travel along the Orinoco River in hopes of seeing huge anacondas. But you can also find very rare animals here - pink and gray river dolphins, a giant river otter, herbivorous manatees, and the rarest reptile in the world - the Orinoco crocodile. Today these species are recognized as endangered and are under protection.

Flora of the river

The forest growing along the river is floodable. Therefore, plant life here is lush and diverse. In the lower reaches of the river, the flora is dense due to the large number of vines, which make these places impassable. However, those who manage to walk through the Orinoco forests will be delighted by the abundantly blooming bromeliads and orchids.

The predominant trees are mangroves. Their roots sink directly into the water, from where they receive nutrition. Tall palm trees and a variety of fruit trees grow abundantly in numerous mixed forests.

The importance of the river in human economic life

There are practically no settlements off the coast of the Orinoco. However, numerous indigenous tribes live here, for whom the river has become a source of not only food, but also additional income. So, the local friendly Indian tribes Warao have been living here for many years. Their small wooden houses built on stilts and rising above the water. In addition to fishing, they transport tourists along the Orinoco River. The word “Varao” itself is translated as “boat people”, so closely does this primitive tribe connect its life with water.

The largest of the few towns along the Orinoco River is Ciudad Guayana. It was next to it that ports began to be built in the middle of the last century. This was the result of the discovery of iron ore and other minerals. On this moment Ore processing work continues. A reservoir and hydroelectric power station were also installed on the river.

IN Lately the vast tropical meadows of the Orinoco basin are used as pastures for livestock. This entails unpleasant consequences, as herds of animals trample down grass and eat large quantities of plants, and degradation of once fertile soils also occurs.

Tourism on the Orinoco River

The tourist base of the Orinoco River began to develop quite recently. Today this place is attractive to true adventurers. Tourists are offered exciting boat trips that allow them to explore all the canals of the river, get acquainted with the flora and fauna, and get in touch with the thousand-year-old culture of the local residents.

Traveling through the Orinoco can be considered such a popular destination today, as many places here are untouched and pristine. Travel agencies offer many programs to suit every taste. Depending on your preferences, you can go canoeing, go fishing (piranha hunting is especially popular), take a walk in the jungle, or visit a Warao settlement. Both day and night programs are provided.