Vaupés River (Uaupés River) is a
tributary
A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...
of the
Rio Negro in
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. It rises in the
Vaupes Department of
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, flowing east through
Vaupés Department
Vaupés () is a departments of Colombia, department of southeastern Colombia in the Amazon rainforest, jungle covered Amazonía Region. It is located in the southeast part of the country, bordering Brazil to the east, the department of Amazonas ...
. It forms part of the international border between the
Vaupés department of Colombia and the
Amazonas state of
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
. On the border it merges with the
Papurí River
The Papurí River (, ) is a river in South America. It emerges in the Vaupés Department of Colombia and flows east, forming part of the international boundary between Colombia and the Amazonas state of Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federat ...
and becomes known as the Uaupés. In 1847 an explorer saw a rapid which hurled its waves in the air, "as if great subaqueous explosions were taking place." The river continues eastwards through the
Alto Rio Negro Indigenous Territory until it flows into the Rio Negro at São Joaquim,
Amazonas.
Vaupés is a
blackwater river
A blackwater river is a type of River#Classification, river with a slow-moving channel flowing through forested swamps or wetlands. Most major blackwater rivers are in the Amazon Basin and the Southern United States. The term is used in fluvial ...
.
See also
*
List of rivers of Amazonas
References
External links
Brazilian Ministry of Transport
Rivers of Amazonas (Brazilian state)
Rivers of Colombia
International rivers of South America
Brazil–Colombia border
Geography of Vaupés Department
Geography of Guaviare Department
Border rivers
Tributaries of the Rio Negro (Amazon)
{{Colombia-river-stub