river in northwestern Trinidad, in the country of Trinidad and Tobago in the southern Caribbean Sea. It rises near Valencia on the southern edge of the Northern Range uplands and flows roughly west to empty via the saline mangrove channels of the Caroni Swamp into the Gulf of Paria (Paria, Gulf of), between Trinidad and Venezuela, a mile or so south of Port of Spain. It drains the area between the Northern and Central ranges. Its length is about 25 miles (40 km), and it is partly navigable by flat-bottomed boats. In 1592 St. Joseph, near the Caroni's banks, became the first Spanish settlement. The Caroni Swamp is a bird sanctuary famous for its population of flamingos and scarlet ibis, the numbers of which have declined since the late 20th century because of illegal hunting and pollution.