Orinoco

For other uses, see Orinoco (disambiguation).

Orinoco River Río Orinoco
Orinoquia Bridge near Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela
The Orinoco drainage basin
Mouth location in Venezuela
Etymology	Warao for "a place to paddle"
Location
Countries	Colombia Venezuela
Region	South America
Physical characteristics
Source	Hydrological source (main stem)
• location	Cerro Delgado-Chalbaud, Parima Mountains, Venezuela
• coordinates	2°19′05″N 63°21′42″W
• elevation	1,047 m (3,435 ft)
2nd source	Geographical source (Orinoco–Guaviare–Guayabero–Papamene–Sorrento: 3,010 km)
• location	Cordillera Oriental, Colombia
• coordinates	3°31′36.5952″N 74°28′27.3684″W
• elevation	3,080 m (10,100 ft)
Mouth	Delta Amacuro
• location	Atlantic Ocean, Venezuela
• coordinates	8°37′N 62°15′W
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	2,140 km (1,330 mi)
Basin size	1,014,797 km2 (391,815 sq mi)
Depth
• maximum	100 m (330 ft)
Discharge
• location	Orinoco Delta
• average	(Period: 1983–2020) 39,000 m3/s (1,400,000 cu ft/s)
• minimum	8,000 m3/s (280,000 cu ft/s)
• maximum	85,000 m3/s (3,000,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Ciudad Guayana
• average	(Period: 1926–2011) 37,740 m3/s (1,333,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Ciudad Bolívar
• average	(Period: 1926–2011) 32,760 m3/s (1,157,000 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Puerto Carreño
• average	(Period: 1971–2000) 18,363.7 m3/s (648,510 cu ft/s)
Discharge
• location	Puerto Ayacucho
• average	(Period: 1926–2011) 16,182 m3/s (571,500 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Progression	Atlantic Ocean
River system	Orinoco River
Tributaries
• left	Casiquiare, Guaviare, Vichada, Tomo, Cinaruco, Capanaparo, Meta, Arauca, Apure, Guárico
• right	Mavaca, Sipapo, Ocamo, Ventuari, Suapure, Parguaza, Caura, Cuchivero, Aro, Caroní

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.