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, a significant tributary of the Amazon River, originates from the confluence of the Mamoré and Beni rivers in Villa Bella, Bolivia.
- It marks a 100 km (approximately 60 miles) boundary between Bolivia and Brazil as it flows northward.
- The river belongs to the expansive Madeira Basin, which covers roughly 1,300,000 square kilometers—about 19% of the Amazon Basin’s total area.
- This basin spans across Bolivia (50%), Brazil (40%), and a small portion in Peru (10%).
- The Madeira River is integral to the Amazon Basin’s hydrology, playing a pivotal role in the regional ecosystem.
- It supports a diverse array of flora and fauna across Bolivia and Brazil, highlighting its environmental significance.
- This river is essential for biodiversity, water transport, and ecological balance in the area.
-Source: The Hindu
