BRANCO RIVER

Portuguese Rio Branco, river, Roraima territory, northern Brazil, formed by the junction of the Rio Uraricoera, which rises in the Serra Parima on the Venezuela border, and the Rio Takutu, which descends from the Serra Pakaraim on the Guyana border. The Branco follows a south-southwesterly course for 482 mi (775 km) before it joins the Negro River, a major tributary of the Amazon, via numerous channels. The lower course of the Branco is easily navigable, but the upper course contains numerous rapids. In dry periods the water level falls markedly, making travel between Boa Vista, the territorial capital, and the Negro River difficult.