Река Парагвай: География, характеристики и значение для Южной Америки

River of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay

The Paraguay River (Ysyry Paraguái in Guarani, Rio Paraguai in Portuguese, Río Paraguay in Spanish) is a major river in south central South America, running through Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Argentina. It flows about from its headwaters in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso to its confluence with the Paraná River north of Corrientes and Resistencia.

The Paraguay's source is south of Diamantino in the Mato Grosso state of Brazil. It follows a generally southwesterly course, passing through the Brazilian city of Cáceres. It then turns in a generally southward direction, flowing through the Pantanal wetlands, the city of Corumbá, then running close to the Brazil Bolivia border for a short distance in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. From the city of Puerto Bahia Negra, Paraguay, the river forms the border between Paraguay and Brazil, flowing almost due south before the confluence with the Apa River. The Paraguay makes a long, gentle curve to the south southeast before resuming a more south southwesterly course, dividing the country of Paraguay into two distinct halves: the Gran Chaco region to the west, a largely uninhabited semi arid region; and the eastern forested departments of the country, accounting for some 98% of the country's inhabitants. As such the river is considered perhaps the key geographical feature of the country with which it shares its name. Some after flowing through the middle of Paraguay, at the confluence with the Pilcomayo River and passing the Paraguayan capital city, Asunción, the river forms the border with Argentina, flowing generally south southwesterly for another before it reaches its end, joining with the Paraná River.

The Paraguay River is the second major river of the Rio de la Plata Basin, after the Paraná River. The Paraguay's drainage basin, about , Directly after the inflow of Bermejo River, the pH of the Paraguay River may reach up to 8.2. The typical pH of the Paraguay River is 5.8—7.4 in the upper part (defined as the section before the inflow of the first non Pantanal tributary, the Apa River) and 6.3—7.9 in the lower part. There are significant temperature variations depending on the season. During the low water season, the water of the Paraguay River is relatively warm (typically above 27 °C (81 °F)) and clouded (Secchi depth typically less than ), but in the flood season it is colder (typically ) and clearer (Secchi depth typically ). About 80% of the fish species in the river are characiforms (tetras and allies) and siluriforms (catfish). and the golden dorado, which is important in the fishing industry.