Rio San Juan

The department of San Juan River is located in the South region of the Atlantic of Nicaragua. Rio San Juan was discovered in 1525 by the conqueror Diaz, who failed in their attempt to explore it. He was not up to 14 years after Lime Alonso captain made the expedition, baptizing it like San Juan to have taken pocession from its territory 24 of June of 1539, day of San Juan Baptist.

The department of San Juan River lodges much history. Its privileged geographic position was worth repeated attempts to him of conquest by by the English that in three occasions managed cross a river to assault the city of Granada, reason for which it was decided to construct a fort (the Castle) in the torrents of the river, in a location that at the present time even reveals its strategic value. The Castle demonstrated its value in 1675, when it managed to contain the English invasion. The English, supported by the miskitos, again tried to occupy the zone in 1762 and 1780. In the first occasion they were defeated by the heroin Rafaela Herrera. In second, they managed to take the fort, but they were decimated by the epidemics, because of tropical diseases, which forced them to leave the fort and its intentions on the river.

During century XIX, the river was sailed by innumerable North American adventurers, who attracted by the fever of gold went towards California through our territory. This attracted the filibustero William Walker, that supported by the fragile political situation of the country seized of the same one until they were expelled by united troops from all itsmo Central American.

The San Juan river also attracted the attention when offering a natural route for the elaboration of an interoceanic channel, and although the works of dredged began in San Juan of the North, this project never took shape.

 

Capital	San Carlos
Location	South Atlantic Nicaragua
Bordering Departments	North - Chontales South - Costa Rica East - Region Autonoma Atlantico Sur West - Lago de Nicaragua, Rivas
Population	70,143
Area km2	7,473
Cities	San Carlos, Morrito, San Juan del Norte, San Miguelito, El Almendro, El Castillo. Tambien le pertenece el Archipielago de Solentiname.