PARABA DO SUL RIVER

Portuguese Rio Paraba Do Sul, river, in eastern Brazil, formed by the junction of the Paraibuna and Paraitinga rivers, east of So Paulo, between Mogi das Cruzes and Jacare. It flows east-northeastward, receiving tributaries from the Serra da Mantiqueira and the Serra do Mar and forming part of the border between Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro states. From its initial elevation of 5,000 ft (1,500 m), the river descends gradually until it reaches So Fidlis, where it emerges through a series of falls to the coastal plain and enters the Atlantic Ocean near So Joo da Barra after a course of 700 mi (1,100 km). The Paraba do Sul has long played a vital role in the social and economic life of Brazil, for its lower course is navigable, and several large cities, including Volta Redonda, are located on its banks. Some of its tributaries, notably the Pira, have been used for power and irrigation.