APURE RIVER

Spanish Ro Apure, river in western Venezuela. The major navigable tributary of the Orinoco River, it arises in the Cordillera de Mrida and flows for 510 miles (820 km) northeast and east through the heart of the Llanos (plains), Venezuela's most important cattle-raising area. The river's principal tributaries, including the Portuguesa and the Gurico, flow mainly from the north. During the rainy season (May to November), the Apure is navigable for small boats from Ciudad Bolvar up to San Fernando de Apure and Puerto de Nutrias. Since 1957 the highway connecting San Fernando de Apure with Calabozo and the densely populated north has reduced river traffic drastically.