The Cesar River () is a river in northern

Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...

which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It flows through the Cesar-Ranchería Basin and separates the

Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta The Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (English: ''Snow-Covered Mountain Range of Saint Martha'') is an isolated mountain range in northern Colombia, separate from the Andes range that runs through the north of the country. Reaching an elevation of ...

from the mountain ranges of the

Serranía del Perijá The Serranía del Perijá, Cordillera de Perijá or Sierra de Perijá is a mountain range, an extension of the eastern Andean branch ( Cordillera Oriental), in northern South America, between Colombia and Venezuela, ending further north in the ...

, an extension of the Cordillera Oriental. It flows north to south, down from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the Guajira Department onto the

Cesar Department Cesar Department (), or simply Cesar, () is a departments of Colombia, department of Colombia located in the north of the country in the Caribbean Region of Colombia, Caribbean region, bordering to the north with the Department of La Guajira, to ...

and flowing into the Zapatosa Marsh where it turns to the southwest and discharges into the

Magdalena River The Magdalena River (, ; less commonly ) is the main river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, ...

after 280 kilometers.

Valledupar Valledupar () is a city and municipality in northeastern Colombia. It is the capital of Cesar Department. Its name, ''Valle de Upar'' (Valley of Upar), was established in honor of the Amerindian cacique who ruled the valley; ''Cacique Upar''. The ...

is the only major city on its route.

Tributaries

* Guatapuri RiverBealey, J. T. (1887) "Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta" ''Scottish Geographical Magazine'' 3: pp. 174-184, page 180 * Ariguani River * Badillo River * Villanueva River, in length out of the Cerro Pintao."Municipio Villanueva - Geografia (Villanueva Municipality - Geography)"
, accessed 8 December 2008 * Various streams of the Zapatosa Marshes including the ** Bartolazo wetlands; ** Pancuiche wetlands; ** Pancuichito wetlands; ** La Palma wetlands; ** Santo Domingo wetlands; and ** Tiojuancho wetlands.

Tributaries

References

Further reading