An igarapé is an Amazon watercourse of first or third order, constituted by a long arm of river or channel. It exists in a small number in the Amazon basin, characterized by little depth and running almost inside the forest.
Most igarapés have dark waters similar to the Negro River (Rio Negro), which is one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River, carrying few sediments. They are navigable by small vessels and canoes and play an essential role as transport and communication routes.