For centuries, the source of the mighty Amazon River was one of geography’s greatest mysteries. Early explorers searched deep into the South American jungles, following the river’s immense flow backwards in an attempt to find its beginning. Today, we know the answer, though it might surprise you that it involves a debate settled not so long ago.
The Long-Held Answer: The Marañón River
For much of modern history, the headwaters of the Marañón River in Peru were considered the true source of the Amazon. This powerful river surges from the Andes mountains and contributes a massive volume of water. If you were to look at a map from a few decades ago, you would likely see the Marañón named as the primary starting point. This origin point set the river’s length at an already impressive 6,400 kilometers.
A New Contender in the Highlands
The story changed in the 1990s and early 2000s thanks to advancements in satellite technology and GPS. A series of scientific expeditions proposed a different source. They identified a much more remote and tiny stream, high in the Peruvian Andes, as the furthest point in the entire Amazon river system. This stream is born from a simple trickle of melting snow on a peak called Nevado Mismi.
The Official Source Today
So, where does the Amazon actually begin? The scientific consensus now points to the headwaters of the Apurímac River on Nevado Mismi. This tiny spring, over 5,000 meters above sea level, is the most distant point from the Amazon’s mouth that water flows from. By starting the measurement here, the Amazon’s length was recalculated, making it the longest river in the world, even surpassing the Nile.
It’s a fascinating journey from a small, icy trickle in the high Andes to the colossal, freshwater powerhouse that empties into the Atlantic Ocean thousands of miles away. This humble beginning reminds us that even the greatest forces in nature can start from the smallest of places.
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