| Rio Grande | |
| Map: | Rio Grande (Brésil).png |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | Brazil |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| Length: | 1090km (680miles) |
| Source1: | Mantiqueira Mountains |
| Source1 Location: | Bocaina de Minas, Minas Gerais, Brazil |
| Mouth: | Paraná River |
| Mouth Location: | confluence with Paranaíba River, Brazil |
| Mouth Coordinates: | -20.0781°N -50.9947°W[1] |
| River System: | Río de la Plata |
Rio Grande (Portuguese for "great river") is a river in south-central Brazil. It rises in the Mantiqueira Mountains in the state of Minas Gerais and descends inland, west-northwestward. Its lower course marks a portion of the Minas Gerais-São Paulo border. At the Mato Grosso do Sul state border, after a course of 10900NaN0,[2] it joins the Paranaíba River to form the Upper Paraná River.
Major tributaries of the Rio Grande are:
The basin of the Rio Grande belongs to the Paraná River basin. The basin has a total area of 1430000NaN0, of which 865000NaN0 are located within Minas Gerais, which is equivalent to 17.8% of the state territory. The basin of the Rio Grande is responsible for about 67% of all energy generated in the state.
The Grande is interrupted by several dams and reservoirs; in the upper Grande the river forms Furnas Dam, then Peixotos Dam, and downstream, Luiz Barreto Dam, Jaguara Dam, Volta Grande Dam, Marimbondo Dam and Água Vermelha Dam.
The river plays a major role in production of electricity and, due to rapids and waterfalls, and absence of locks, is only navigable by small craft in limited stretches. However the Estrada de Ferro Oeste de Minas (a narrow gauge railway) operated a passenger and freight steam navigation service between 1889 and 1963. The EFOM met the Rio Grande at Ribeirão Vermelho, from where the service ran down the river for 2080NaN0, as far as Capetina. There were six stations on the river between Ribeirão Vermelho and Capetinga, and the railway operated a fleet of 6 stern-wheel paddle steamers, together with barges and launches. The service was halted by the completion of the Furnas Dam.