Courantyne River

Wonotobo Middle Fall in the Corentyne Basin from Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana by Charles Barrington Brown

The Courantyne/Corentyne/Corantijn River is a river in northern South America in Suriname. It is the longest river in the country. The river originates in the Acarai Mountains and flows northward for approximately 724 km (450 mi) between Guyana and Suriname, emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Corriverton, Guyana and Nieuw Nickerie, Suriname. A ferry service operates between these two towns.

The Guyanese–Surinamese border is the Guyanese river bank (the west bank of the river), but Guyana disputes this, based on the Thalweg Doctrine. The tribunal that defined the maritime boundary between Suriname and Guyana in 2007 confirmed Surinamese sovereignty over the full width of the Courantyne River.

Small ocean-going vessels are able to navigate the river for about 120 km, to Apura, Suriname.

Waterfalls

The Wonotobo Falls, Frederik Willem IV (Anora) Falls, and the King George VI Falls are on the Courantyne River. Other falls include the Barrington Brown Falls, the Drios Falls and the Maopityan Falls.

See also

• Corantijn Basin
• Borders of Suriname
• East Berbice-Corentyne, area in Suriname that borders the river