Catatumbo River
| Catatumbo River | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Countries | |
| Department (CO) | Norte de Santander |
| State (VE) | Zulia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • elevation | 2,000 m (6,600 ft) |
| Mouth | Maracaibo Basin |
| Length | 500 km (310 mi) |
| Basin size | 22,317 km2 (8,617 sq mi) |
The Catatumbo River (Spanish: Río Catatumbo) is a river rising in northern Colombia, flowing into Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. The Catatumbo River is approximately 340 kilometres (210 mi) long. It forms a part of the international boundary between the two countries.
The river flows through the Catatumbo moist forests ecoregion. It then flows through the Maracaibo dry forests ecoregion before emptying into Lake Maracaibo. Prior to emptying into Maracaibo, the Catatumbo River also merges with the Zulia River.
Together with the nearby Escalante River, Catatumbo is a producing area for cocoa beans of the Criollo cultivar.