San Juan River

The San Juan River (Spanish: Ro San Juan) is a 192-kilometer (119-mile) river that runs east from Lake Nicaragua into the Caribbean Sea. It is also known as El Desaguadero ("the drain"). The river's southern bank is home to a substantial stretch of the Nicaragua-Costa Rica boundary. It was part of a proposed canal route for Nicaragua in the 19th century, along with the lake.

The project's concept was renewed in the previous decade, and it now includes the potential of more routes throughout the nation. The Nicaraguan National Assembly has granted the Ecocanal project permission to reopen the San Juan River to commercial barge traffic.

Costa Rica's usage of the San Juan River has been the subject of various border disputes between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The issue dates back to the 1858 Caas-Jerez Treaty, which both nations signed. The San Juan River was found to belong to Nicaragua by the treaty, although Costa Rica was granted economic access and the right to "free and permanent" passage of the river. The pact was reinterpreted throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and disagreements were widespread (particularly during discussions about the river as a prospective canal route); they were frequently settled by arbitration.

Length: 180 km