River · Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina
Paraná
The Paraná River flows through the heart of South America, linking Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. One of the world's biggest dams, Itaipu, uses its powerful current to make electricity.
Picture credit: GurHaenouasHazourem (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Pablo D. Flores (CC BY-SA 2.5) · Pablo D. Flores (CC BY-SA 2.5) · Wikimedia Commons
Where is Paraná?
The river begins at Serra da Canastra, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
It ends in the Río de la Plata, Atlantic Ocean.
Along the way it passes: Rio Paranaíba source, Minas Gerais → São Simão Dam → Confluence forming Paraná (Panorama) → Porto Primavera Dam → Itaipu Dam, Foz do Iguaçu → Yacyretá Dam → Corrientes (Paraguay River confluence) → Santa Fe → Rosario → Zárate.
Countries on the river: Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina.
The story behind it
The Paraná begins in the highlands of southern Brazil, where two rivers meet to form its main stream, then flows southwest through wetlands and forests before turning south toward the Atlantic. Along its middle stretch, the river powers the Itaipu Dam, one of the largest hydroelectric power stations on Earth, built jointly by Brazil and Paraguay to generate electricity for millions of homes. Further downstream, the Paraná joins the Paraguay and Uruguay rivers to form the wide Río de la Plata estuary, a busy waterway lined with cities including Rosario and Buenos Aires. Giant river fish called dorado, prized by anglers for their fighting strength, swim in its currents, alongside caimans hiding in the marshy wetlands nearby. The river's name comes from an old phrase meaning "as big as the sea".
Questions children ask
How long is the Paraná River?
Measured from its most distant headstream, the Paraná River is about 4,880 kilometres long, making it one of the longest rivers in South America after the Amazon. It flows through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.
What is the Itaipu Dam?
Itaipu is a massive hydroelectric dam on the Paraná River, built by Brazil and Paraguay together. It is one of the largest power stations in the world and supplies a huge share of electricity to both countries.
Which countries does the Paraná River flow through?
The Paraná flows through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina before reaching the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean. Its wider drainage basin also touches parts of Bolivia and Uruguay.
Where these numbers come from
Every figure on this page was checked against public reference sources before publication. Where sources genuinely disagree, the text says so.
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