Apure

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Apure (äpōō´rā), river, c.500 mi (800 km) long, rising in the Andes, N Colombia, and flowing E across W central Venezuela to the Orinoco River. It drains much of the western portion of the Orinoco basin and is navigable by river steamers for c.400 mi (640 km) during the rainy season. There is extensive livestock ranching along the Apure llanos, or plains. The Portuguesa and Guárico rivers are the chief tributaries.