The Orinoco is a major river in northern South America. Covering a course of about 2,140 kilometres (1,330 miles), it ranks among the longest rivers on the continent.
Drainage and course
The river drains a large region often called the Orinoquia. Its drainage basin extends over approximately 880,000 square kilometres (340,000 square miles). About 76.3% of this basin lies inside Venezuela while the remainder is in Colombia.
The Orinoco and its network of tributaries form the principal waterway system for eastern and inland areas of Venezuela and for the vast grassy plains known as the llanos in Colombia, carrying people and goods where roads are scarce.
Ecological significance
The Orinoco Basin supports a wide variety of ecosystems, from flooded forests to savannas, and sustains many species found nowhere else. It is the only habitat of the Orinoco crocodile, a critically endangered reptile with wild population estimates below 250 individuals. The basin is also inhabited by freshwater cetaceans such as Amazon river dolphins and numerous fish, bird and plant species important for regional biodiversity.
- Notable species: Orinoco crocodile (critically endangered), Amazon river dolphins
- Human uses: river transport, fishing, and local livelihoods across the basin