It is an important river for Brazil, called "the river of national integration" because it unites diverse climates and regions of the country, in particular the Southeast with the Northeast. It is also significant because it passes through the semi-arid region of the country, a region historically caracterized by droughs and low access to water. It is navigable between the cities of Pirapora (Minas Gerais) and Juazeiro (Bahia), as well as between Piranhas (Alagoas) and the mouth on the ocean, but traditional passenger navigation has all but disappeared in recent years due to changes in the river flow (see below).