Satellite image of the Paraná river delta
The meandering sediment-laden stream channels of the lower Paraná River are easily distinguished from the darker, densely vegetated delta immediately north of Buenos Aires, Argentina. A thin, north-south-oriented line (perhaps a road, railroad, or both) is visible in this extensive delta that measures approximately 70 miles (110 kilometers) at its maximum width. The muddy, much broader Uruguay River, which forms part of the Argentina-Uruguay border, flows from the north past part of the delta. The Paraná River floodplain can be identified by the darker areas adjacent to its meandering river channels. Cultivated field patterns are observed on either side of the Paraná delta. Part of Buenos Aires, with a population of more than 12 million, is visible along the southern edge of the photograph. Image acquired in April 1993.