Paracatu River
{{onesource|date=August 2009}}
{{Infobox river
| name = Paracatu River
| image = Rio Paracatu.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption =
| subdivision_type1 = Country
| subdivision_name1 = Brazil
| source1_location = Goiás state
| source1_elevation =
| mouth = São Francisco River
| mouth_location = Minas Gerais state
| mouth_elevation =
| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|16.5700|S|45.1075|W|source:wikidata|display=inline,title}}
| length = {{convert|485|km|abbr=on}}
| discharge1_avg =
| basin_size = {{convert|45000|km2|abbr=on}}
}}
The Paracatu River ({{langx|pt|Rio Paracatu}}) is located mainly in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. It is the longest tributary of the São Francisco, draining a basin of about 45,000 km2, including 21 municipalities and the Federal District. The basin is almost completely located in the state of Minas Gerais (19 municipalities), including only three municipalities in the state of Goiás.
The river has a length of {{convert|485|km|mi}}. Its main tributary, the Preto, has its source in Lagoa Feia near Formosa in the state of Goiás and it forms the boundary with the Federal District.{{Citation needed|date=August 2009}}
Etymology
"Paracatu" comes from the Tupi language. Originally parakatu the name comes from a junction of the words para, meaning "river" and katu meaning "good" or "clean".{{Cite book |last=Almeida Navarro |first=Eduardo |title=Dicionário de Tupi Antigo |publisher=Global |year=2013 |isbn=9788526019331 |location=Brazil |pages=590 |language=Portuguese |trans-title=Dictionary of Ancient Tupi}}