List of rivers of Nicaragua facts for kids

The majority of rivers in Nicaragua are found on the Caribbean coast and flow into the Caribbean Sea. One of the most important rivers is the Río San Juan. It forms part of the border with Costa Rica and connects the Caribbean Sea to Lake Cocibolca, which is also known as Lake Nicaragua. There was a big idea for a Nicaragua Canal to connect the Pacific and Caribbean oceans, allowing large cargo ships to pass through Nicaragua instead of sailing all the way around South America. This project is still being thought about.

Nicaragua has many rivers that are important for travel, trade, and nature. The Río Grande and its smaller rivers (called tributaries) form the largest river system in the country. The Río Escondido is a key waterway for moving goods between the Pacific and Caribbean sides of Nicaragua. The Río Coco, also known as the Wanks River, runs along the border with Honduras and is the longest river in all of Central America! Another important river is the Río Tipitapa, which links Lake Cocibolca to Lake Managua.

Important Rivers in Nicaragua

Here is a list of some of the main rivers you can find in Nicaragua:

• Río Amaka
• Río Carepicha
• Río Bambana
• Río Bocay
• Río Coco – This river is also called the Wanks. It runs along the border with Honduras and is the longest river in Central America.
• Río Escondido
• Río Grande de Matagalpa
• Río San Juan – This river forms part of the border with Costa Rica.
• Río Kukalaya
• Río Kurinwás
• Río Mi
• Río Siquia
• Río Tipitapa
• Río Tuma
• Río Wawa
• River NÖamani

Rivers by Where They Flow

Rivers flow into larger bodies of water, like oceans or big lakes. The area of land where all the rain and water eventually drains into a specific river, lake, or ocean is called a drainage basin. Nicaragua's rivers flow into two main oceans: the Atlantic and the Pacific.

Rivers Flowing to the Atlantic Ocean

Most of Nicaragua's rivers flow eastward into the Atlantic Ocean (specifically the Caribbean Sea). Here are some of them:

• Coco River (also called Segovia River or Wanki River)
  • Waspuk River
  • Lakus River
  • Bocay River
    • Amaka River
  • El Jicaro River
  • Estili River
• Ulang River
• Wawa River (Huahua River)
  • Likus River
• Kukalaya River
• Layasiksa River
• Prinzapolka River
  • Bambana River
  • Yaoya River
  • Uli River
  • Wani River
• Río Grande de Matagalpa
  • Tuma River
    • Iyás River
    • Yaosca River
  • Murra River
  • Olama River
• Kurinwás River
• Wawasang River
• Escondido River
  • Kama River
  • Mahogany River
  • Rama River
    • Plata River
  • Mico River
  • Siquia River
• Kukra River
• Punta Gorda River
• Maíz River
• Indio River
• San Juan River
  • Sábalos River
  • Lake Nicaragua (also known as Lake Cocibolca)
    • Tule River
    • Canastro River
    • Tepenaguasapa River
    • Oyate River
    • Ojocuapa River
      • Acoyapa River
    • Mayales River
      • Cuisalá River
    • Malacatoya River
    • Tipitapa River
      • Lake Managua

* Viejo River (Grande River) * Sinecapa River

• • • Ochomogo River
    • Sapoá River
    • Niño River (Pizote River)
    • Papaturro River
    • Zapote River
    • Frío River

Rivers Flowing to the Pacific Ocean

A smaller number of rivers in Nicaragua flow westward into the Pacific Ocean.

• Rio Brito
• Río Negro
• Estero Real River
  • Tecomapa River
• Tamarindo River
• Tecolapa River
• Casares River
• Escalante River

See also

In Spanish: Anexo:Ríos de Nicaragua para niños