The Madre de Dios River, homonymous to the
Peruvian region it runs through, then becomes the
Beni River in
Bolivia and then turns northward into
Brazil, where it is called the
Madeira River. The Madeira is a tributary to the
Amazon River. The Madre de Dios is an important waterway for the department of
Madre de Dios, particularly
Puerto Maldonado, the largest town in the area, and the capital of the department.
Mango farming and
Gold mining are among the many industries on its beaches. Other important industries the Madre de Dios provides are selective
logging and farming, both of which are serious environmental problems. Along the length of the river there are several national parks and reserves, notably
Tambopata-Candamo National Park,
Manu National Park (also known as Manu
Biosphere Reserve) and
Bahuaja-Sonene Reserved Area. The Madre de Dios serves as the largest
watershed in the area, as part of the vast
Amazon River watershed.
Madre de Dios near Boca Manu town