Artibonite River

Artibonite
Artibonite
	Pedro Santana, Bánica, Mirebalais
Physical characteristics
Mouth
• coordinates	19°15′00″N 72°47′00″W / 19.25°N 72.783333°W
Length	321 km (199 mi)
Basin size	9,013 km2 (3,480 sq mi)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Vallecito, Joca, Tocino, Macasía, Rivière de Fer à Cheval, Gascogne, Guayamouc, La Thème, La Tombe
• right	Rivière Blanche, Libón, Victorine, Thomonde, Boucan Carré, Rivière l'Estère, Rivière Lociane

The Artibonite River (Spanish: Río Artibonito; Haitian Creole: Latibonit) is the longest river in Haiti, and the longest on the island of Hispaniola. It is also the second-longest river in the Caribbean, behind the Cauto River in Cuba. Forming part of the international border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic, the river's sources are in the Cordillera Central in the Dominican Republic (68 km); however, most of its length lies in Haiti (253 km).^[1]

Etymology

The name is derived from the Taíno name of the river, Hatibonico.^[2]

Course

The

La Grand Saline. It flows into the Gulf of Gonâve

.

The river is the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti for several

Pedro Santana

to the point where it is joined by the River Macasía, and then turns west into Haiti.

Its

Pedro Santana

.

Tributaries

The Artibonite has several tributaries, most of them in Haiti. The most important tributaries are the Libón and Macasía in the Dominican Republic, and the Rivière de Fer à Cheval in Haiti.

Environment

Etang Saumâtre

).

Uses

The water of the river is used for

Peligre Hydroelectric Dam

situated on it produces Haiti's supply of hydroelectricity.

Health

In October 2010, following a fatal

outbreak (the first in generations) in the Haitian headwaters of the river, locals were alerted that drinking untreated water from this river may spread the disease.^[4]

References

^ De la Fuente, Santiago (1976). Geografía Dominicana. Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: Editora Colegial Quisqueyana. p. 144.
^ Las Casas, Bartolomé de (1967). Apología Histórica Sumaria, Chapter V (in Spanish). Mexico: UNAM.
^ de Saint-Méry, M.L.E. Moreau (1797–1798). Description topographique, physique, civile, politique et historique de la partie française de l'isle Saint-Domingue (in French). Philadelphia, Paris, Hamburg.
^ The Australian Staff (October 29, 2010). "UN base focus of Haiti cholera epidemic". News Limited. Retrieved October 28, 2010.