Orinoco

The Orinoco (Spanish pronunciation: [oɾiˈnoko]) is one of the longest rivers in South America at 2,140 km (1,330 mi). Its drainage basin, sometimes known as the Orinoquia, covers approximately 1,000,000 km2 (390,000 sq mi), with 65% of it in Venezuela and 35% in Colombia. It is the third largest river in the world by discharge volume of water (39,000 m3/s or 1,400,000 cu ft/s at delta) due to the high precipitation throughout its catchment area (2,300 millimetres per are or 0.084 in/sq ft). The river and its tributaries are the major transportation system for eastern and interior Venezuela and the Llanos plain of Colombia. The Guaviare River is the main tributary. The environment and wildlife in the Orinoco's basin are extremely diverse.