Tapajós

The Rio Tapajós several miles before it flows into the Amazon.

The Rio Tapajós [ ˌ ˌ χiu tapɐʒɔz ] is one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon. Originating from the confluence of the Rio Teles Pires and Juruena, it opens on the right, the south bank near Santarem in the largest river in the world.

River

The Rio Tapajós has no headwaters of a length of about 810 kilometers. With his right source river, the Teles Pires, he comes to 2291 km. The river is navigable over its entire length, but above Itaitubas due to many rapids only for smaller vessels. In the lower reaches of cruise ships from Germany go into the Atlantic Ocean and the Amazon.

The Rio Tapajós is characterized by its blue- green color. At the mouth of the river is about twelve miles wide and makes them wider (but flatter) than the Amazon. He has bright white on the lower reaches shore beaches with very fine sand that go very flat in the river. In contrast to the Amazon its water is very clear. The river is supposed to be only about 40 inches deep, making it extremely shallow.

In Itaituba, almost 400 kilometers from the mouth of the Amazon River, crosses the forest road Transamazônica the Rio Tapajós. At this point the Transamazônica is the Amazon the next. Parallel to the river from Santarem leads from a very well developed for local standards for road Transamazônica (Santarem - Cuiaba Highway ).

In the upper reaches of the river there are rapids that can not be overcome for larger vessels. There are plans to blow up the rock, so that large ships can go up to the headwaters. This is due to the raw materials that can be promoted there.

The largest inflows

One of the biggest inflows include ( downstream ):

• Río Cururu (right)
• Río Leste ( right)
• The Río Tropas (right)
• Río Crepori (right)
• Rio Jamanxim (right)
• Río igarapé Açu (right)