Mixteco River facts for kids

The Mixteco River is an important river located in Mexico. It flows through the state of Oaxaca, which is known for its many mountains. Even though Oaxaca has many rivers, none of them are big enough for boats to travel on.

Rivers of Oaxaca

Oaxaca's landscape is very mountainous. Because of this, the rivers there are usually smaller. They often change their names as they flow through different areas. This can sometimes make it tricky to follow their path!

Continental Divide in Oaxaca

A special feature of Oaxaca is that the continental divide passes right through it. Imagine a big invisible line across the land. On one side, all the rivers flow towards the Gulf of Mexico. On the other side, they flow towards the Pacific Ocean. This means Oaxaca's rivers send water to both sides of the country.

Rivers Flowing to the Gulf of Mexico

Most of the water that flows towards the Gulf of Mexico comes from two main rivers: the Papaloapan River and the Coatzacoalcos River. These rivers have many smaller rivers that join them, like the Grande River and the Salado River.

Rivers Flowing to the Pacific Ocean

For the Pacific Ocean, three main rivers carry most of the water. These are the Atoyac River, the Tehuantepec River, and the Mixteco River. The Mixteco River, along with its own smaller streams, plays a key role in sending water towards the Pacific coast.

See also

In Spanish: Río Mixteco para niños

• List of rivers of Mexico