The
São Francisco is a
riverA river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. With a length of 2914 kilometres (1,810.7 mi), it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in
South AmericaSouth America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
and overall in Brazil (after the
AmazonThe Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
, the
ParanáThe Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
and the
MadeiraThe Madeira River is a major waterway in South America, approximately 3,250 km miles long The Madeira is the biggest tributary of the Amazon...
). It used to be known as the
Opara by the indigenous people before colonisation, and is still popularly known by the affectionate moniker of
Velho Chico ("Old Frank").
The São Francisco originates in the Canastra mountain range in the central-western part of the state of
Minas GeraisMinas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
. It runs generally north in the states of Minas Gerais and
BahiaBahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
, behind the coastal range, draining an area of over 630000 square kilometres (243,244.4 sq mi), before turning east to form the border between Bahia on the right bank and the states of
PernambucoPernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
and
AlagoasAlagoas is one of the 27 federative units of Brazil and is situated in the eastern part of the Northeast Region. It borders: Pernambuco ; Sergipe ; Bahia ; and the Atlantic Ocean . It occupies an area of 27,767 km², being slightly larger than Haiti...
on the left one. After that, it forms the boundary between the states of Alagoas and
SergipeSergipe , is the smallest state of the Brazilian Federation, located on the northeastern Atlantic coast of the country. It borders on two other states, Bahia to the south and west and Alagoas to the north, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean...
and washes into the
Atlantic OceanThe Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. In addition to the five states which the São Francisco directly traverses or borders, its
drainage basinA drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
also includes tributaries from the state of
GoiásGoiás is a state of Brazil, located in the central part of the country. The name Goiás comes from the name of an indigenous community...
and the
Federal DistrictThe Federal District is set apart for Brasília, the capital of Brazil. Located in a region called Planalto Central, or Central Plateau, the Federal District is divided in 29 administrative regions. Brasilia - place where the three branches of the Federal Government are located - is the main...
(
BrasíliaBrasília is the capital city of Brazil. The name is commonly spelled Brasilia in English. The city and its District are located in the Central-West region of the country, along a plateau known as Planalto Central. It has a population of about 2,557,000 as of the 2008 IBGE estimate, making it the...
).
It is an important river for Brazil, called "the river of national integration" because it unites diverse climes and regions of the country, in particular the Southeast with the Northeast. It is
navigableA body of water, such as a river, canal or lake, is navigable if it is deep, wide and slow enough for a vessel to pass. Preferably there are few obstructions such as rocks or trees to avoid. Bridges must have sufficient clearance. High water speed may make a channel unnavigable. Waters may be...
between the cities of
PiraporaPirapora is a municipality in northcentral Minas Gerais in Brazil. Its population in 2007 was 51,636 in a total area of 577 km². The name Pirapora comes from the Tupi words for "fish" + "jump", referring to the piracema season when a mass migration of fishes ascends the São Francisco River...
(Minas Gerais) and
JuazeiroJuazeiro is a city and municipality in eastern Brazil in the state of Bahia . It had a population of 260,004, according to the 2010 census, and an area of 6,415.4 km². The population density was 31.34 hab/km² . The elevation is 373 meters. It became a city in 1833...
(Bahia), as well as between
PiranhasPiranhas is a historic city and municipality in the western of the State of Alagoas, in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Located on the bank of the São Francisco River, just at the border with the State of Sergipe, Piranhas was founded in 1891 and originally named Floriano Peixoto...
(Alagoas) and the mouth on the ocean, but traditional passenger navigation has all but disappeared in recent years due to changes in the river flow (see below).
Discovery
The river was first discovered by Europeans on 4 October 1501 by the Florentine discoverer
Amerigo VespucciAmerigo Vespucci was an Italian explorer, financier, navigator and cartographer. The Americas are generally believed to have derived their name from the feminized Latin version of his first name.-Expeditions:...
, who named it after Saint Francis of Assisi, whose feast day falls on 4 October.
In 1865 the
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
explorer and diplomat
Richard Francis BurtonCaptain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his...
was transferred to
Santos-Sister cities: Shimonoseki, Japan Nagasaki, Japan Funchal, Portugal Trieste, Italy Coimbra, Portugal Ansião, Portugal Arouca, Portugal Ushuaia, Argentina Havana, Cuba Taizhou. China Ningbo. China Constanţa, Romania Ulsan, South Korea Colón, Panama* Cadiz, Spain...
in
BrazilBrazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. He explored the
central highlandsThe Brazilian Highlands or Brazilian Plateau are an extensive geographical region, covering most of the eastern, southern and central portions of Brazil, in all approximately half of the country's land area, or some 4,500,000 km²...
, canoeing down the Sao Francisco river from its source to the falls of
Paulo AfonsoPaulo Afonso is a city in Bahia, Brazil. It is located at around . It was founded in 1958.The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paulo Afonso.The city is served by Paulo Afonso Airport....
.
The four parts of the São Francisco River
The course of the river, running through five states, may be divided into four parts, as follows:
- The high part, from its source to Pirapora
Pirapora is a municipality in northcentral Minas Gerais in Brazil. Its population in 2007 was 51,636 in a total area of 577 km². The name Pirapora comes from the Tupi words for "fish" + "jump", referring to the piracema season when a mass migration of fishes ascends the São Francisco River...
in Minas Gerais
- The upper middle part, from Pirapora, where the navigable part begins, up to Remanso
Remanso is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
(Bahia) and the Sobradinho DamThe Sobradinho Dam is a large hydroelectric dam built on the São Francisco River in Sobradinho, in the state of Bahia of Brazil. Completed in 1982, the dam generates power by utilizing six turbines of each, totalling the installed capacity to .- See also :...
- The lower middle part, from the Sobradinho dam to Paulo Afonso
Paulo Afonso is a city in Bahia, Brazil. It is located at around . It was founded in 1958.The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paulo Afonso.The city is served by Paulo Afonso Airport....
, also in Bahia (bordering on Alagoas), and ending at the Itaparica Dam
- The low part, from Paulo Afonso to the river's mouth on the Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
Tributaries
The river obtains water from 168 rivers and streams, of which 90 are on the right bank and 78 on the left bank.
The main tributaries are:
- Paraopeba River
The Paraopeba River is a river in Brazil, flowing in the state of Minas Gerais. In the Tupi language 'Para" means "great river or sea", and "peba means"flat" . The full name therefore means something like "flat River"....
- Abaeté River
The Abaeté River is a river of Minas Gerais state in southeastern Brazil. Its origin is in the Serra da Canastra, about north of São Gotardo and it passes through São Gonçalo do Abaeté. The river runs nearly north and empties into the São Francisco River, the confluence being located at...
- Das Velhas River
The das Velhas River, of which the source was found to be the waterfall Andorinhas located in the municipality of Ouro Preto, is by length the major tributary of the basin of the São Francisco river...
- Jequitaí River
-See also:* ] map]* Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993....
- Paracatu River
The Paracatu River is located mainly in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. It is the longest tributary of the São Francisco, draining a basin of about 45,000 km², including 21 municipalities and the Federal District...
- Urucuia River
-See also:* ] map]* Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993....
- Verde Grande River
-References:*...
- Carinhanha River
The Carinhanha River is a river of Bahia and Minas Gerais states in eastern Brazil.-References:*...
- Corrente River
Corrente or Correntes River may refer to:* Corrente River * Corrente River * Corrente River * Corrente River * Corrente River * Corrente River * Correntes River...
- Grande River
-References:*...
Navigability
The São Francisco is naturally navigable all through the year between
PiraporaPirapora is a municipality in northcentral Minas Gerais in Brazil. Its population in 2007 was 51,636 in a total area of 577 km². The name Pirapora comes from the Tupi words for "fish" + "jump", referring to the piracema season when a mass migration of fishes ascends the São Francisco River...
(
Minas GeraisMinas Gerais is one of the 26 states of Brazil, of which it is the second most populous, the third richest, and the fourth largest in area. Minas Gerais is the Brazilian state with the largest number of Presidents of Brazil, the current one, Dilma Rousseff, being one of them. The capital is the...
) and the twin cities of
PetrolinaPetrolina is a city located in the southernmost point of the state of Pernambuco, in Brazil. The population was 281.851 in 2009 in a total area of 4756.8 km²....
(
PernambucoPernambuco is a state of Brazil, located in the Northeast region of the country. To the north are the states of Paraíba and Ceará, to the west is Piauí, to the south are Alagoas and Bahia, and to the east is the Atlantic Ocean. There are about of beaches, some of the most beautiful in the...
) and
JuazeiroJuazeiro is a city and municipality in eastern Brazil in the state of Bahia . It had a population of 260,004, according to the 2010 census, and an area of 6,415.4 km². The population density was 31.34 hab/km² . The elevation is 373 meters. It became a city in 1833...
(
BahiaBahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
), a length of 1371 kilometres (851.9 mi). However, there are large variations in depth depending on the rainfall. Because of the diversity of physical characteristics over the course of the navigable stretch, it may be divided into three substretches, as follows:
- From Pirapora to Pilão Arcado
Pilão Arcado is a town and municipality in the state of Bahia in the North-East region of Brazil.-References:...
(Bahia), a length of 1015 kilometres (630.7 mi); differences in height up to 6 metres (19.7 ft) may occur due to rains and drought.
- From Pilão Arcado to the Sobradinho dam
The Sobradinho Reservoir is a large reservoir located in Sobradinho, north of the Brazilian state of Bahia. The reservoir measures approximately long, in surface area, and a storage capacity of at its nominal elevation of , making it the 12th-largest reservoir in the world...
; the latter's reservoir is 314 kilometres (195.1 mi) long, with a surface area of 4214 square kilometres (1,627 sq mi) and a comfortable depth.
- From the Sobradinho dam to Petrolina
Petrolina is a city located in the southernmost point of the state of Pernambuco, in Brazil. The population was 281.851 in 2009 in a total area of 4756.8 km²....
/JuazeiroJuazeiro is a city and municipality in eastern Brazil in the state of Bahia . It had a population of 260,004, according to the 2010 census, and an area of 6,415.4 km². The population density was 31.34 hab/km² . The elevation is 373 meters. It became a city in 1833...
, with a length of 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) and an average depth of 2 metres (6.6 ft), sustained by a flow of 1,500 m3/sec (about 53,000 cu.ft./sec).
Until recent years, the São Francisco was regularly navigated by a type of passenger boat called
gaiola (Portuguese for "cage"). These were paddle-wheel steamboats, some of them having been
MississippiThe Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
riverboatSteamboats played a major role in the 19th Century development of the Mississippi River and its tributaries by allowing the practical large-scale transport of passengers and freight both up- and down-river. Using steam power, riverboats were developed during that time which could navigate in...
s and dating from the time of the
American Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After the Sobradinho dam was built in Bahia, the conditions of navigability were altered considerably, since the reservoir's large size allowed for the formation of short waves of considerable height. Although the dam has a navigation
lockA lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
, the waves and currents made traversing the lake difficult for the
gaiolas. At the same time, deforestation and excessive agricultural use of the upper-course waters of the São Francisco and its tributaries greatly reduced the water flow in the middle course, creating sand banks and islands that hindered navigation.
In a short time, conditions were such that navigation became impossible for the large
gaiolas, although still possible for smaller boats. The shells of those old riverboats can still be seen on the river at Pirapora. As of 2009, a single boat, the
Benjamim Guimarães, remains in activity, making short-distance tourist cruises from Pirapora to
São RomãoSão Romão is a Brazilian municipality located in the north of the state of Minas Gerais. In 2007 the population was 9,080 in a total area of 2,432 km². It became a municipality in 1943.-Location and Distances:...
and back.
Towns and population
The area crossed by the river is vast and sparsely populated, but several towns lie on the river. Beginning in Minas Gerais, the river passes by
PiraporaPirapora is a municipality in northcentral Minas Gerais in Brazil. Its population in 2007 was 51,636 in a total area of 577 km². The name Pirapora comes from the Tupi words for "fish" + "jump", referring to the piracema season when a mass migration of fishes ascends the São Francisco River...
,
São FranciscoSão Francisco is one of the 48 neighborhoods in which the Brazilian city of Niterói is divided.Its name derives from the church consecrated to Saint Francis Xavier and references to it can be found as early as the 17th century...
,
JanuáriaJanuária, known as "The Queen of the Beautiful Waters" is a city and municipality in northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. It is located on the left bank of the São Francisco River...
,
Bom Jesus da LapaBom Jesus da Lapa is a municipality in Bahia, Brazil. The population is 62,199. The prefeita is Roberto Oliveira Maia da Silva. It is the site of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bom Jesus da Lapa.- History :...
, the twin cities of
PetrolinaPetrolina is a city located in the southernmost point of the state of Pernambuco, in Brazil. The population was 281.851 in 2009 in a total area of 4756.8 km²....
and
JuazeiroJuazeiro is a city and municipality in eastern Brazil in the state of Bahia . It had a population of 260,004, according to the 2010 census, and an area of 6,415.4 km². The population density was 31.34 hab/km² . The elevation is 373 meters. It became a city in 1833...
, and
Paulo AfonsoPaulo Afonso is a city in Bahia, Brazil. It is located at around . It was founded in 1958.The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paulo Afonso.The city is served by Paulo Afonso Airport....
. The hinterland is arid and underpopulated, so most of the towns are small and isolated. Only Petrolina and Juazeiro have grown into medium-sized cities and have become prosperous because of fruit production based on irrigation.
Hydroelectric dams
The river's hydroelectric potential started being harnessed in 1955, when the
Paulo Afonso damThe Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex , also known as the Paulo Afonso Complex, is a system of three dams and five hydroelectric power plants on the São Francisco River near the city of Paulo Afonso in Bahia, Brazil. The complex exploits an natural gap on the river, known as the Paulo Afonso Falls...
was built between Bahia and Alagoas. The Paulo Afonso plant now provides electric power for the whole of Northeastern Brazil. Four other large hydroelectric plants were later built:
Três MariasTrês Marias is a small Brazilian city in northwestern Minas Gerais. In 2007 the population was 26,431 in a total area of 2,763 km².-Climate:...
in Minas Gerais, built in 1961,
Sobradinho DamThe Sobradinho Dam is a large hydroelectric dam built on the São Francisco River in Sobradinho, in the state of Bahia of Brazil. Completed in 1982, the dam generates power by utilizing six turbines of each, totalling the installed capacity to .- See also :...
in Bahia, built in 1977,
Luiz Gonzaga (Itaparica)The Luiz Gonzaga Dam, formerly known as the Itaparica Dam, is a rock-fill embankment dam on the São Francisco River 25 km downstream of Petrolândia in Pernambuco, Brazil. The dam was built for navigation, and hydroelectric power generation as it supports a 1,479 MW power station...
, between Bahia and Pernambuco, in 1988 and the
Xingó DamThe Xingó Dam is a concrete face rock-fill dam on the São Francisco River on the border of Alagoas and Sergipe, near Piranhas, Brazil. The dam was built for navigation, water supply and hydroelectric power generation as it supports a 3,162 MW power station...
near
PiranhasPiranhas is a historic city and municipality in the western of the State of Alagoas, in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Located on the bank of the São Francisco River, just at the border with the State of Sergipe, Piranhas was founded in 1891 and originally named Floriano Peixoto...
in 1994. The Sobradinho reservoir is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world, with an area of 4214 square kilometres (1,627 sq mi).
Cultural significance
The São Francisco has great importance in history and particularly in folklore. That history is celebrated in song, legend and souvenirs based on the
carrancaA carranca is a type of figurehead attached to river craft which is attributed with power to protect the boatmen from the river's evil spirits. They were once commonly found on the lower Rio São Francisco in the river's Northeast region of Brazil...
s, a kind of
gargoyleIn architecture, a gargoyle is a carved stone grotesque, usually made of granite, with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building thereby preventing rainwater from running down masonry walls and eroding the mortar between...
placed on the prow of the
gaiola boats and intended to scare away river demons from the boat. Tourist shops far from the river have modernized replicas and miniatures of the vanishing originals. The stories of river demons and monsters persist today.
From Paulo Afonso to the historic town of
PenedoPenedo is a municipality in the state of Alagoas in Brazil. Its population was 59,968 and its area is 689 km².Founded in 1614, Penedo lies 173 km from the state capital of Maceió. Penedo has many important examples of Portuguese and Dutch colonial architectures, as well as beautiful landscapes...
(Alagoas), the river lies at the bottom of a gorge or steep sided valley.
PiranhasPiranhas is a historic city and municipality in the western of the State of Alagoas, in the Northeast Region of Brazil. Located on the bank of the São Francisco River, just at the border with the State of Sergipe, Piranhas was founded in 1891 and originally named Floriano Peixoto...
, a nearby town, was once the terminus of a railroad. The town has a number of abandoned historical buildings from that period. They have been restored and are emerging as a tourist attraction.
Controversial diversion project (under construction)
In 2005, the Brazilian government proposed a controversial water diversion project that will bring water from the river to semiarid areas of four Brazilian states (Ceará, Pernambuco, Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte). Environmentalists argue that the project will do more harm than good, benefitting only large landowners and a very small population, while bringing considerable ecological impact. The government insists that the project will give the people in the four states a much-needed water supply.
The diversion project intake point is located at Cabrobó.
External links