Usumacinta
| Usumacinta River | ||
 The Usumacinta in Tabasco, Mexico. |
||
| Data | ||
| location | Guatemala , Mexico | |
| River system | Usumacinta River | |
| origin | Confluence of the Río La Pasión and Río Salinas 16 ° 28 ′ 47 ″ N , 90 ° 32 ′ 37 ″ W |
|
| muzzle |
Campeche Bay ( Gulf of Mexico ) Coordinates: 18 ° 38 ′ 58 " N , 92 ° 28 ′ 4" W 18 ° 38 ′ 58 " N , 92 ° 28 ′ 4" W |
|
| Mouth height |
0 m
|
|
| length | 560 km | |
| Catchment area | 106,000 km² | |
| Drain |
MQ |
900 m³ / s |
The Río Usumacinta is the most water-rich river in Central America ; it forms the border between Guatemala and the Mexican state of Chiapas .
geography
The Río Usumacinta is located in southeast Mexico and northwest Guatemala and is about 560 km long - together with its headwaters, it is more than 1000 km. The source rivers of the Río Usumacinta are the Río La Pasión and the Río Salinas (also Río Chixoy ), both of which have their origins in Guatemala. In the further course of the Río Usumacinta crosses the Mexican state of Tabasco ; in the flat area north of Jonuta , it divides into three estuary arms: the eastern one is called Río Palizada and flows south of Ciudad del Carmen into the Laguna de Términos ; the middle branch of the estuary is called Río San Pedro y San Pablo and flows straight north, near the coast it forms the natural border with the Yucatán peninsula ; the western arm, the Río Chico y San Antonio , connects northeast of Villahermosa with the Río Grijalva coming from the southwest and together they flow into the Gulf of Mexico .
Cities
There are no large settlements on the Guatemalan side on the Usumacinta. In Mexico the places Tenosique , Balancán , Emiliano Zapata and Jonuta are to be mentioned.
history
Already in Mayan times - probably even earlier - the Río Usumacinta was one of the most important lifelines and communication routes in the Maya lowlands. The ancient Mayan sites of Yaxchilán and Piedras Negras can be found on its banks .
During the Guatemalan civil war (1960–1996) the river was crossed by many refugees who felt threatened by both government troops and rebels. Economic reasons also played a role, as many hoped for a better life in Mexico.
economy
Tree trunks have been rafted on the Usumacinta since the 19th century; however, this use has declined sharply since the end of the 20th century. In the 1980s, the idea of a dam to generate electricity was promoted, but this project was abandoned because of the rebels on the Guatemalan side and because of the increasing archaeological interest and ecological awareness. The lower reaches of the Usumacinta served at times as the scenic highlight of tourist boat tours, but there was still a certain amount of uncertainty about robber gangs.
fauna
A few river crocodiles and river turtles still live in the fish-rich Usumacinta and its two large source rivers. For ornithologists , the forests near the shore also offer interesting observation opportunities. The dense forest on both sides of the river should not hide the fact that large areas in the hinterland are used as pasture and arable land.
