By David A. Longanecker. Executive Director, Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education. Although the federal government plays a secondary role in supporting and financing American higher education, this role remains quite substantial and clearly helps shape the enterprise.
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at 2,140 kilometres (1,330 mi). Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers 880,000 square kilometres (340,000 sq mi), with 76.3 percent of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia.he Orinoco delta, and tributaries in the eastern llanos such as the Apure and Meta, were explored in the 16th century by German expeditions under Ambrosius Ehinger and his successors. In 1531 Diego de Ordaz, starting at the principal outlet in the delta, the Boca de Navios, sailed up the river to the Meta.
In addition, some of these rivers also have north-flowing tributaries; for example, the Lacantum is a tributary of the Usumacinta. In South America, there are many rivers that flow into the Amazon from the south, such as the Beni, Jurua, Tapajos, Xingu, and Tocantins, to name only a few. There are also north-flowing rivers in the northern part of South America that flow into the Caribbean and Atlantic. The Orinoco River in Venezuela flows in a clockwise arc, starting out northwest, then north, then east-northeast. And some of its tributaries, such as the Cuchivero, Caura, and Paragua flow north.