BRANCO

branco, or parima, a river of northern brazil and tributary of the rio negro, formed by the confluence of the takutu, or "upper rio branco," and uraricoera, about 3 deg. n. lat. and 60 deg. 28' w. long., and flowing south by west to a junction with the negro. it has rapids in its upper course, but the greater part of its length of 348 m. is navigable for steamers of light draught. the takutu rises in the roraima and coirrit ranges on the guiana frontier, while the uraricoera rises in the serra de parima, on the venezuelan frontier, and has a length of 360 m. before reaching the branco. these are white water rivers, from which the branco (white) derives its name, and at its junction with the negro the two differently-coloured streams flow side by side for some distance before mingling.