Context:
Residents near the Madeira River in the Amazon are facing unprecedented challenges as water levels drop to historic lows amid a severe drought.
Relevance:
Facts for Prelims
Madeira River:
- The Madeira River stands as an essential tributary of the Amazon River.
- This river emerges from the confluence of the Mamoré and Beni rivers at Villa Bella, Bolivia, and proceeds northward.
- Geographical Role: Spanning approximately 100 kilometers (about 60 miles), it demarcates the boundary between Bolivia and Brazil.
- Basin Size: Encompassing an area of roughly 1,300,000 square kilometers (502,000 square miles), the Madeira River Basin constitutes about 19% of the entire Amazon Basin.
- Distribution: The basin’s expanse covers Bolivia (50%), Brazil (40%), and Peru (10%).
Significance of the Madeira River:
- As the Amazon’s largest tributary, the Madeira River is pivotal to South America’s ecological framework, influencing the Amazon Basin’s hydrology.
- It plays a critical role in supporting a rich diversity of flora and fauna across Bolivia and Brazil, enhancing the region’s environmental diversity.
-Source: India Today
