Suchiate River

Suchiate River
Suchiate River from the border bridge between Ciudad Hidalgo and Ciudad Tecun Uman
Map of the Suchiate River
Location of mouth
Native name	Río Suchiate (Spanish)
Location
Countries	Guatemala and Mexico
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Guatemala (San Marcos)
• coordinates	15°09′47″N 91°57′22″W
• elevation	3,000 m (9,800 ft)
Mouth
• location	Pacific Ocean
• coordinates	14°31′53″N 92°13′41″W
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Length	161 km (100 mi)
Basin size	1,400 km2 (540 mi2)

The Suchiate River (Spanish: Río Suchiate, Spanish pronunciation: [suˈtʃjate]) is a river that marks the southwesternmost part of the border between Mexico (state of Chiapas) and Guatemala (department of San Marcos). From its sources on the southern slopes of the Tacaná volcano in the Sierra Madre range of Guatemala, the 161 km (100 mi) long river flows in a south-southwesterly direction to the border with Mexico at Unión Juárez (15.070549°N 92.059722°W / 15.070549; -92.059722 (Río Suchiate Source2)), past the border towns Talismán and El Carmen, and then Ciudad Tecún Umán and Ciudad Hidalgo (Chiapas) further downstream, where the Puente Rodolfo Robles and a railway bridge cross the river, and on to the Pacific Ocean. Its name comes from the Nahuatl name Xochiatl meaning "flower-water".

The pre-Columbian archaeological site of Izapa lies along the river.

References

• Atlas of Mexico. 1975. Retrieved July 17, 2021.
• The Prentice Hall American World Atlas, 1984.
• Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993.

See also

• Rail transport in Guatemala
• Rail transport in Mexico