Madre de Dios River

river in Peru and Bolivia

Key facts

Country: Bolivia , Peru
Location: Cordillera Vilcanota , Peru
Coordinates: 12°53′17.0808″S 71°21′36.1944″W / 12.888078000°S 71.360054000°W / -12.888078000; -71.360054000
Mouth: Madeira River
Elevation: 105 m (344 ft)
Length: 1,347 km (837 mi)
Basin size: 281,000 km (108,000 sq mi) to 310,000 km (120,000 mi )
Average: (Period: 1985–2013)9,350 m /s (330,000 cu ft/s) (Period: 1973–1990)10,140 m /s (358,000 cu ft/s)
Minimum: 2,970 m /s (105,000 cu ft/s)
Maximum: 17,800 m /s (630,000 cu ft/s)
Progression: Madeira → Amazon → Atlantic Ocean
River system

Article

The Madre de Dios River ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmaðɾe ðe ðjos]) is a river shared by Bolivia and Peru which is homonymous to the Peruvian region it runs through. On Bolivian territory, it receives the Beni River, close to the town of Riberalta, which later joins with the Mamore River to become the Madeira River after the confluence. The Madeira is a tributary to the Amazon River.

The Madre de Dios is an important waterway for the department of Madre de Dios, particularly Puerto Maldonado, the largest town in the area, and the capital of the department. Mango farming and gold mining are among the many industries on its banks. Other important industries the Madre de Dios provides are selective logging and farming, both of which are serious environmental problems. Along the length of the river, there are several national parks and reserves, notably Tambopata-Candamo National Park, Manu National Park (also known as Manu Biosphere Reserve) and Bahuaja-Sonene National Park.