The Río de la Plata is an estuary located on the south side of Uruguay and the northeast side of Argentina. Río de la Plata is where the Paraná river and Uruguay rivers meet. The Paraná River, together with its tributaries, forms the larger of the two river systems that drain into the Río de la Plata, making the border between Uruguay and Argentina. The Parana river is about 3,000 miles long. The Río de la Plata receives waters draining from the basin of these rivers, which covers much of south-central South America; the total area drained is about 1.2 million square miles, or about one-fifth of the surface of the continent. The muddiness of the water in the Río de la Plata itself is increased by the tides and winds that hinder the deposition of silt on the bed. Around the Río de la Plata, the climate is hot  and humid throughout the year, making dry winters and rainy summers. The river system has a rich and varied animal life throughout its length. Among its many edible fish are the dorado, the surubi, the patí, the pacu, the pejerrey, and the corbina.