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.
The Atures Rapids mark the beginning of the lower Orinoco basin, in which the river makes its great bend to the east. In this section, the river flows slowly through the lowest level of the plains and increases to about five miles in width.