Iguazu River
The Iguazu River (Portuguese: Rio Iguaçu[1] [ˈʁi.u iɡwaˈsu], Spanish: Río Iguazú [ˈri.o iɣwaˈsu];[2] also called Rio Iguassu[3]) is a river in Brazil and Argentina. It is an important tributary of the Paraná River. The Iguazu River is 1,320 kilometres (820 mi) long, with a drainage basin of 62,000 square kilometres (24,000 sq mi).[4]
Course
The Iguazu originates in the Serra do Mar coastal mountains of the Brazilian state of Paraná. For 1,205 kilometres (749 mi), to its confluence with the San Antonio River, the Iguazu flows west through Paraná State, Brazil. Downriver from the confluence the Iguazu River forms the boundary between Brazil and Argentina's Misiones Province.[4] Continuing west, the river drops off a plateau, forming Iguazu Falls. The falls are within national parks in both Brazil, Iguaçu National Park, and Argentina, Iguazú National Park. It empties into the Paraná River at the point where the borders of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay join, an area known as the Triple Frontier.
Environmental issues
In July 2000 more than 4,000,000 litres (1,100,000 US gal) of crude oil spilled into the river from a state-run oil refinery near the city of Curitiba.[5]
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See also
References
- ^ Rio Iguaçu at GEOnet Names Server
- ^ Río Iguazú at GEOnet Names Server
- ^ Rio Iguassu at GEOnet Names Server
- ^ a b Varis, Olli; Tortajada, Cecilia; Biswas, Asit K. (2008). Management of Transboundary Rivers and Lakes. Springer. p. 271. ISBN 978-3-540-74926-4.
- ^ "Brazil battles oil spill threat". BBC Online. 18 July 2000. Retrieved 7 June 2012.
