Orinoco food type. Orinoco River Basin: wild fauna of Venezuela. Amazon connection

24.03.2014 09:22

The driver asked how we live there in Russia, because we have Putin, a dictatorship and frio, mucho frio. I replied that we are all, but instead of frio - a lot of calories.

Wikipedia: (Spanish: Río Orinoco) - a river in South America, flows mainly through Venezuela and empties into Atlantic Ocean. Length 2736 kilometers.

We're heading to the delta Orinoco River, where the last three days of rest of this vacation await us. Are you still relaxing on the couch, in the country or at the sea? Stop doing nonsense! You need to relax in the jungle. Go!

We went from Ciudad Bolivar. On the way, the driver and I discussed cheap gasoline in Venezuela and hard life in fraternal Cuba. And he somehow suddenly asked how we live there in Russia, because we have Putin, a dictatorship and frio, mucho frio. I replied that we had heard the same thing about Venezuela, only instead of frio there were a lot of calories.
“Mas o menos,” said Giovanni and changed the topic of conversation to the weather)

The destination is getting closer, the radio of Trinidad and Tobago is already playing on the receiver.
On one of the bridges the driver stopped the car and sent us to observe the life of real Indians. These are not country houses. This is how people live here.

A little more and we reached the village of San Jose de Buja. This is the center of a small universe - a river port where you can get fuel for a boat, buy pasta and plastic basins. In general, from the point of view of a city person, it’s a hole.

But for local population is a portal connecting the Indian world with the so-called civilized world.
This portal, like all strategic objects, needs reliable protection. The guards work in several shifts - while some are roasting in the sun, others are relaxing in the shed.

You already remember what is most important in Venezuela, right? The main thing here is politics. It doesn’t matter whether the elections are in five years, in a week, tomorrow or yesterday. It is important to always remember who you should vote for, to whom you owe everything, and how you should behave so as not to upset the unforgettable Comandante Hugo Chavez - he always sees everything, even in the jungle, even at night!

River delta

An Indian met us here and explained that we needed to wait for other vacationers. Half an hour later a car arrived. The “other vacationers” turned out to be our old friend Izzie, with whom we went to , and with whom we said goodbye yesterday in ))

Now everyone is ready to move to the camp. Our boat rushes along the water surface with the breeze, but periodically slows down to almost zero. The fact is that the majority of the local population travels in rowing canoes, and if you rush past them on a motorboat, they will simply be overwhelmed by the wave.

So, at the fork, or rather at the confluence of two rivers, a pier was discovered in the middle of the swamp. This is our home for the next three days - Eco Camp.

The camp actually stands on a swamp, into which wooden piles were driven and a floor made of planks was laid. That is, you won’t be able to leave the camp area on foot. We're trapped)
Okay, let's get settled in and get to know the inhabitants of the camp.

This is the owner of the camp. Unfortunately, I don’t remember his name, but he is the most indigenous resident here. Among the locals there is still a noisy chicken running around here, but she is completely stupid, and therefore is not included in this review)

The parrot comes from the harsh jungle, so even its glance should inspire fear in potential enemies. But, depending on how he looks at you, he can look like an angry warrior or a fluffy cat.

Here he is, by the way, with his best friend. When the girl has lunch, the parrot always sits next to her and helps. I cannot describe in words how touching this spectacle is.

In addition to the birds, three dogs and three cats also live here. In general, there is always someone to talk to.
When fresh tourists arrive, Indians come to the camp and sell their bead bracelets. Everything is made from what the jungle provides - no synthetics, and the prices are lower than in the city.

Having played enough with the dogs, we go to check into the apartment.

In the description that Thomas sent us, it is written that we will live in “comfortable wooden cabins”.
In short, this is what it looks like. Palm leaf roof, palm leaf curtain entrance, wooden floor. There is a mattress on four wooden blocks in the middle of the room, around which there is a mosquito net. Nearby is another stylized stool on which you can light a candle in the evening. There is no wall opposite the entrance at all – it’s a jungle there.

The guide, giving a tour of the camp, asked us not to forget to lock the doors if we left home for a long time. They are strange people - they give out keys, but no locks...

What is there to do here? First of all, eat well. It’s not that there is gourmet restaurant food here, no, everything here is home-style, but it’s tasty and practically unlimited - you go to the pots and add as much as you want.

Before lunch, you can take a canoe ride, paddle a little, and admire the the purest waters rivers in which bright flowers are reflected.

And after lunch you should definitely swing in a hammock and cuddle the dog. Then you can safely jump into the boat to drive to the dacha - well, where there are beds, greenhouses, and all sorts of chickens grazing.
The dacha is just an excuse. The main goal, of course, is to observe nature.

Toucans are sitting in the trees.

Less than peacocks and other birds. There are thousands of them here (without exaggeration), and all are different.

Macaws fly in flocks.

Monkeys are jumping in the trees. They are very difficult to notice. Only in the morning at dawn, when the jungle wakes up, they happily jump along the branches and watch the tourists with interest.

Bushes are blooming along the shore.

And turtles relax on driftwood.

Usually tourists take sticks with them in the boat to fight off crocodiles and anacondas, but our guide Antonio said that all these evil spirits creep in during the dry season, when there is not enough water in the swamps. At such times, we have to evacuate or additionally protect the farm we are sailing to - snakes steal piglets.

And here is the dacha. There is some kind of young hemp forest here. What kind of plant is this? It is grown in many places in Cuba.

There is also a lot here fruit trees, but we could only eat a green orange. Everything else will be, you guessed it, mañana. Not even manyana, but in a few months or even years. The garden is still very young.

An ownerless watermelon was found in the grass, Antonio took out a machete and chopped it into pieces. We ate and went for a walk further.

Orinoco River on the map

At sunset, as usual in Latin America, drank Cuba Libre, sang songs about Che Guevara and caught piranhas with lard. This time we didn’t succeed, only the experienced Antonio pulled out a couple of predatory fish.

We returned home at night.

Australian Ron, who, as it turned out, has been traveling around South America for more than a year, decided to stay here for a month as a volunteer, tell tourists about the local beauties, study nature and wait for his plane to Europe, showed us where spiders live. It turns out that in one of the palm trees (at least one :)), standing right in the center of the camp, live such wonderful creatures, the size of a palm.

A generator runs in the camp for a couple of hours after sunset. During this time you need to have dinner, swing in a hammock and cuddle the dogs. And then the light goes out.

Torches are lit along the “paths” and people go to their huts to sleep.

What is the jungle at night? You can, of course, watch some BBC film about the jungle, but it's all nonsense. You will watch a movie at home on the couch and will not feel anything. The jungle at night is warm, a little stuffy, a little foggy. The jungle at night is all about sounds: screams, rustles, creaks, murmurs and ringing silence in which your every move can be heard.

River

You can look into the darkness for a long time, looking out for moths that flash for a moment, listening, in the end, to the flow of water from the toilet and imagining creeping predators and reptiles. At the same time, you need to smear yourself with different dichlorvos every minute so as not to be eaten by mosquitoes.

And the worst thing I had to face on the first night was not even a black cat at the entrance to the hut, but the tide - the water in the river rose to such a level that our camp bridge rose slightly above the water. What if the water continues to rise at night? And in general, when I went to bed, I could not fall asleep for a long time due to the fact that a huge (well, not very huge by local standards - about 40 centimeters) fish was splashing under the bed.

In the morning you usually wake up to the fact that a crazy chicken has climbed into the hut and for some reason is chasing the cat that was sleeping in your fleece. But this time we woke up from a terrifying noise. The horror is that you don’t understand what it is. Some kind of endless test of the Soviet system of alerting citizens about an emergency. Antonio to the natural question “WHAT IS THIS???” answered - “Monkeys.” We didn’t believe him and went to the Indians, who confirmed the guide’s version. I'm afraid to imagine the picture of what is happening in the jungle and how many of these monkeys there are.

In general, the jungle is not as scary as it seems at first glance - it is interesting. We have never encountered this, but the way people are designed is that due to lack of knowledge, they begin to be afraid of everything. I think our cities are perceived as much more terrible than the jungle if you bring Indians to them, for whom the jungle is their home.

(Rio Orinoco) is one of the most big rivers South America.

Before breakfast, we went on a boat ride again, watched the monkeys, and there were at least two types of them - capuchins and some slightly larger red ones. Well, and, as usual, thousands of birds. In addition, two dogs rushed after us and desperately swam after our boat. We were very worried about them - we are afraid of crocodiles, boa constrictors and piranhas...

After breakfast, Ron showed me some bats hiding from the sun behind a tree. And last night, I thought it was butterflies flying over our heads)

By the way, Ron was very fond of the Indians working in the camp. Well, imagine if a foreigner came to visit you with a name, for example, “Vodka” :)

At the beginning of today's story there is a photograph showing rubber boots being dried. They are there, as you guessed, for a reason. Now we will go for a walk into the jungle.

In the forest, even during the day, it is always twilight, and the thickets are often so dense that if you fall behind by 5 meters, you may no longer find a guide.
Everything, absolutely all plants in the jungle are very important and necessary. There is not a single blade of grass that is not useful - they build houses from something, make clothes, mosquito nets or hammocks from something, kill with something, and heal with something. This tree is used for communication. If you hit it with a machete, it sounds like a drum. A boa constrictor is strangling you, and you tap out SOS to the whole forest - your fellow tribesmen will hear, come running, save you, and the boa constrictor will be fried and eaten - it’s a holiday in the family)

And this is a termite mound.
- Touch it, taste it! It's delicious, just like wood! - says Antonio.

We walked for about an hour, cut down vines, ate coconuts and other berries, looked for scorpions and snakes (we didn’t find any). And then Antonio admitted that we were lost. The most annoying thing is that it is impossible to understand whether the guide is joking or telling the truth. In general, we were soon found and saw our boat. There was just one problem - we were separated by a swamp. Having experienced various ways, came to the conclusion that you need to jump over, grabbing the vine.

Everyone drowned except me)

We escaped - everyone is alive. And we celebrated each successful rescue by hunting for piranha. Some even managed to catch it. If you catch normal Orthodox fish in normal Soviet reservoirs, then you need to remain quiet so as not to spook the fish. Here it’s the other way around: having put a bloody piece of meat on the hook, you need to tap the fishing rod thoroughly on the water so that the piranhas pay attention to you, after which you can cast.

I caught my only piranha from the dock at camp. The fish jumped off the hook, fell onto the boards, and was immediately grabbed and dragged away by the cat on duty nearby. This is such a sad story.

Most of the time they lie in hammocks.
Sometimes when tourists come, they try to sell them something. For example, a hammock.

At this time, the mythical elder brothers are somewhere hunting the mythical copybaras and anacondas.

And when you're tired of everything, you can watch TV.

Hugo was a real politician. He relied on the illiterate poor population, to whom he gave the necessary minimum of the benefits of civilization, sufficient for people to know about him (Hugo). He expanded the television network into the jungle, giving the population televisions and electricity generators so they could listen to his daily speeches.

In addition, if I understand correctly, each family has the right to choose – send one child to the city to study, or get a motor for a boat. This is real freedom of choice. Now in almost every big family there is a motor!

Well, when the TV is turned off, you can study offline campaigning posted on poles.

1 of 17

Presentation on the topic:

Slide no. 1

Slide description:

Slide no. 2

Slide description:

(Orinoco; in the language of the local Tamanak Indians Orinuku, literally - river) a river in South America, in Venezuela and Colombia. Length (according to various sources) from 2500 to 2730 km, basin area 1086 thousand km2. 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 left - Guaviare, Vichada, Meta, Arauca, Apure

Slide no. 3

Slide description:

Location on upstream the river separates from the Orinoco on the left. Casiquiare, along the bed of which about 1/3 of the flow goes into the river basin. Amazons. To the mouth of the river Meta. The Orinoco flows through mountainous and hilly terrain, forming rapids and rapids, especially in the area between the mouths of the Vichada and Meta rivers.

Slide no. 4

Slide description:

In the middle reaches of the Orinoco it turns into full-flowing river up to 1-1.5 km wide, in places up to 3 km, deep - 10-20 m or more. The wide (3-10 km) 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 big number sleeves and ducts. In the Barrancas area (200 km from the sea), the vast (about 20 thousand km2) marshy Orinoco delta begins, stretching along sea ​​coast approximately 300 km

Slide no. 5

Slide description:

Slide no. 6

Slide description:

Orinoco has predominantly rain power. 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 are 8-10 m, near the city of Ciudad Bolivar - 10-15 m above low horizons. Sea tides spread up the river to the city of Ciudad Bolivar.

Slide no. 7

Slide description:

Slide no. 8

Slide description:

During the dry season (November - April) in low-water years, water consumption decreases to 5-7 thousand m3/sec. Solid drainage is about 45 million tons per year. The total length of shipping routes in the Orinoco basin is about 12 thousand km. Ocean-going ships with a draft of up to 8 m rise to the city of Ciudad Bolivar (about 400 km from the mouth). During the rainy season, river boats rise to the river. Guaviare (with breaks at the rapids)

Slide no. 9

Slide description:

The right tributaries of the Orinoco are suitable for navigation only in the lower reaches, the left tributaries are navigable for most of the year. The hydropower resources of the Orinoco are still underutilized; 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).

Slide no. 10

Slide description:

In 1498 Columbus reached one of the mouth branches of the Orinoco. In 1499, members of the Spanish expedition A. Ojeda and A. Vespucci are believed to have seen one of the branches of the Orinoco. In 1531, the Spanish conquistador Diego Ordaz first climbed the Orinoco 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 Orinoco and established a connection between the Orinoco and Amazon systems. The origins of the Orinoco were discovered by a Franco-Venezuelan expedition in 1951.

Slide no. 11

Slide description:

The Orinoco delta and floodplain are home to many wading birds; there are more than 100 colonies of them. The spectacular Scarlet Ibis nests in trees scattered across the alliance, where the population of more than 65,000 pairs makes up a significant portion of the bird's global population. Also nests in the region a large number of wood storks - about 5,500 pairs, as well as many Brazilian jabiru, various types herons and ducks. The floodplain is of particular importance for two species of wood ducks. The birdlife of the savannah is also unique, with ti-namu, Brazilian cariama and rich variety small songbirds, as well as numerous raptors: hawks, falcons, kites, falcons and vultures. Pictured is Kariama.

Slide no. 12

Slide description:

Large areas of the floodplain are used for grazing livestock, but currently increasing attention is being paid to capybara breeding. The semi-aquatic capybara is the world's largest rodent, reaching a weight of 80 kg. It is much more profitable for breeding than large cattle, because it gives four times more meat per square meter pasture land. White-tailed deer and numerous feline predators are common in the savanna: cougar, ocelot and jaguar. Pictured is a capybara

Slide no. 13

Slide description:

Angel (Spanish: Salto Ángel) is the highest waterfall in the world, total height 1024 meters, continuous fall height 807 meters. Named after the pilot James Angel, who flew over the falls in 1935. On December 20, 2009, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez renamed (in his country only) Angel Falls, and now it is called Kerepakupai merú. . However, this does not mean that it (the waterfall) will be renamed on world maps. The waterfall is located in tropical forests Venezuela, in the Canaima National Park. Water cascades from the top of Auyantepui, the largest of the Venezuelan tepuis - its name means “devil’s mountain” in Russian.

Slide no. 14

Slide description:

The waterfall was discovered in the early 20th century by explorer Ernesto Sanchez La Cruz, but was not widely known until the flight of James Angel. In 1933, US pilot James Angel flew in search of ore deposits. According to local guides, he was looking for diamonds. This is quite justified by the fact that local aborigines during the time of James Angel constantly talked about stones that, according to their descriptions, could be mistaken for diamonds. In fact, the plateau from which Angel Falls falls is rich in quartz. On November 16, 1933, while flying, Angel noticed a tepui called Auyantepui, which attracted his attention. On October 9, 1937, he returned and attempted to land the plane on Auyantepuy, but the plane was damaged during landing when one of the plane's wheels burst.

Slide no. 15

Slide description:

As a result, Angel and his three companions, including his wife Marie, had to walk down from the tepui. Their return to civilization took 11 days. News of their adventure spread very quickly, and the waterfall was named after him - "Angel Falls" (Salto Ángel). IN Spanish the surname Angel is read as Angel, so the name is exactly that. Also, the waterfall has nothing to do with angels (as many people think) - it is simply the name of the person in whose honor the waterfall was named.

Slide no. 16

Slide description:

Angel's Flamingo monoplane remained at the crash site for 33 years until it was rescued by helicopter. The plane was restored in the aviation museum of the city of Maracay, and now it stands right in front of the airport in Ciudad Bolivar. In 1949, an expedition of the National Geographical Society(USA) to the highest waterfall in the world, based on the results of the trip, the height of the waterfall was determined and a book was published. In 1994, UNESCO contributed National Park Canaima, and therefore the waterfall, is on the World Heritage List. In April-May 2005, an international expedition consisting of 4 English, 2 Venezuelan and one Russian climbers and climbers made the first ascent of the waterfall wall by free climbing.

Slide no. 17

Slide description:

On December 20, 2009, on his weekly show, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, in a wave of anti-imperialism, renamed Angel Falls Kerepakupai-meru, in accordance with one of its local names. Initially, the name Churun-meru was proposed, but the President's daughter noticed that one of the smallest waterfalls in this area had this name, after which Chavez suggested a different name. The President explained this decision by the fact that the waterfall was the property of Venezuela and part of its national wealth long before James Angel appeared, and the waterfall should not bear his name. The photo shows a diagram National Park Canaima.

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 .

See what "Orinoco" is in other dictionaries:

River in Venezuela and Colombia. In the language of the Tama Nucan Indians, Orinoco is a 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 water consumption is 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`...

The Orinoco River is one of the largest rivers in South America. Its length is 2410 km, and the drainage basin area covers 880 thousand square meters. km. Moreover, 76.3% of the area is in Venezuela, and the rest is in Colombia. The water flow bends around Venezuela in a wide arc and flows into the Atlantic Ocean near the island of Trinidad, forming a huge delta at the mouth. This is the most important transport route in northern South America.

From source to mouth

The river flow begins its path on the Parima mountain range (Guiana Plateau) at an altitude of 1047 meters above sea level. These are the foothills of Mount Delgado Chalbaud. The ridge serves as a natural watershed between the Amazon and Orinoco river basins. The source is located in Venezuela very close to the border with Brazil.

The path of the water flow is an ellipsoidal arc, encircling the Guiana Plateau from the west. The entire river is divided into 4 sections different lengths. These are upper, middle, lower and delta.

Orinoco River on the map of South America

Upper section has a length of approximately 250 km. It stretches from the source to the rapids of Raudalis de Guajaribos. It is a mountainous area and the water flows in a northwest direction.

Middle section is approximately 750 km long. For the first 480 km, the river flows west until the confluence of such rivers as the Atabapo from the east and the Guaviare from the west. Near the city of San Fernando de Atabapo, the water flow turns north and flows 270 km along the Venezuela-Colombia border. Near the city of Puerto Carreño, the lower section begins after the confluence of the Meta rivers from the west and Puerto Carreño from the east.

Lower section reaches a length of almost 1000 km. It is characterized by a well-developed floodplain, and the water moves in a northeast direction. This section ends near the city of Barrancas.

Delta has a length of 200 km. Its area is 41 thousand square meters. km. At its widest point its width reaches 370 km. It is a whole network of narrow rivers and streams flowing to the ocean among swampy forests.

Bird's eye view of the river delta

During the rainy season, the river can flood up to 22 km wide. Moreover, the depth in some places reaches 100 meters. But during the dry season, the water level drops, and many islands appear on the river surface, and some channels turn into lakes.

Amazon connection

From the Orinoco you can get to the Amazon, since there is a natural link between the two water basins. natural connection. It is carried out through the Casiquiare River (326 km long). It is a branch of the river we are considering in its upper section, flows south and flows into the Rio Negro. This deep stream is a tributary of the Amazon.

Shipping

The water stream is navigable along most of its length. Ocean-going ships, due to dredging of the bottom, reach the city of Ciudad Bolivar. It is 435 km upstream from the coast. River boats carry cargo to Puerto Ayacucho.

Pink river dolphin

Animal world

The river is home to river dolphins and giant otters. Also home to one of the most rare reptiles Orinoco crocodile in the world. There are more than 1000 species of fish. Some of them live only in brackish or salt water near the mouth. Black piranhas and cardinal tetras are also common in the water. The latter fish is very popular in home aquariums, but its original homeland is the Rio Negro, which once again confirms its connection with the Amazon.

Minerals

In 1926, rich deposits were discovered in the river area iron ore. Its mass production began in the second half of the last century. River sediments contain tar (oil) sand. In the future it may become a source of oil production.

There are still such settlements along the banks.

Historical reference

The Orinoco River was first officially documented by Columbus in August 1498 during his 3rd voyage. The delta and tributaries up to the Meta River were explored in the 16th century by a German expedition led by Ambrosius Ehinger. In 1531, Diego de Ordaz sailed from the confluence of the Meta tributary to the mouth. In 1800, Alexander von Humboldt, who explored the basin, reported pink river dolphins. Singer Enya created the song “Orinoco Flow”, dedicated to the exotic river flowing through the northern lands of South America.