The San Juan River (Spanish: Río San Juan) is a 192.06km (119.7mi) river that flows east out of Lake Nicaragua into the Caribbean Sea. It was part, with the lake, of a proposed route for a Nicaragua Canal in the 19th century. The idea of the project has been revived in the last decade, including the possibility of other routes within the country. The Ecocanal project has obtained a Concession from the National Assembly of Nicaragua to re-open the San Juan River to commercial barge traffic.
Prior to the Panama Canal, the San Juan river was frequently used to get from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, many people, including African slaves, were transported through this means. During the California Gold Rush many people from all over the world traveled to California to mine for gold, tens of thousands of which took a steamboat that was operated by the Accessory Company of Transit and was directed by commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. The boat then took the path through the river. As a result of these transportation means many afro-Nicaraguans (Nicaraguans with African descent; particularly Jaimaicans) are a result of slaves who escaped. Also, what is thought to be the first presence of the Chinese on the American continent.
The San Juan River is home to freshwater bull sharks that also go into Lake Nicaragua. Along with being a home to many different types of marine life, the San Juan River is abundant in biodiversity.
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Last updated on Friday June 20, 2008 at 14:22:24 PDT (GMT -0700)
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