TAPAJS RIVER

Portuguese Rio Tapajs, central Brazil, formed by the union of the Teles Pires and the Juruena rivers, in north-central Mato Grosso state. It winds northward through the Mato Grosso plateau and forms the state border between Mato Grosso and Amazonas and then between Par and Amazonas states. It bends north-northeastward, traverses Par, and empties into the Amazon River just above Santarm, after a course of about 400 miles (650 km). Its length, including its longest tributary, the Teles Pires, is 1,238 miles (1,992 km). Although the Tapajs is interrupted by rapids, its entire length is navigable. It is even possible for rivercraft to ply the Tapajs and the Arinos, pass through a canal into the Cuiaba River, a tributary of the Paraguai River, and eventually reach Buenos Aires, Arg. Settlement along the Tapajs is sparse, and many of its tributaries are uncharted; but there are several important rubber plantations on its banks.