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Maroni River

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description Maroni River Overview

The Maroni River is a major waterway in South America that forms the entire natural border between Suriname and French Guiana. Extending for about 520 kilometers, it originates in the Tumuk Humak mountains and flows northward into the Atlantic Ocean. The river basin is historically and culturally significant as the home of various Maroon communities, whose ancestors were enslaved Africans that escaped colonial plantations and established autonomous settlements inland. It remains a vital transportation route in a region largely devoid of roads.

help Maroni River FAQ

Which countries does the Maroni River separate?

The Maroni forms the natural border between Suriname and French Guiana, which is an overseas department of France. Important riverside towns include Albina in Suriname and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni in French Guiana.

Is the Maroni River also called the Marowijne or Lawa?

Yes. Marowijne is the Dutch name, while the upper course is commonly called the Lawa and the headwater section is known as the Litani or Itany.

Where does the Maroni River begin and end?

The river system begins in the Tumuk Humak Mountains and flows north into the Atlantic Ocean. The commonly cited border section is about 520 kilometers long, although measurements of the full Litani-Lawa-Maroni system can differ.

Why is the southern border along the Maroni still disputed?

The disagreement concerns which upper branch of the Lawa should define the border: the Litani, claimed by France, or the Marouini, claimed by Suriname. The downstream Maroni itself is not the main point of the dispute.

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