river in north central Guyana. Its headstreams arise in the Pakaraima Mountains of western Guyana and flow generally northward. Descending from the Guiana Highlands, the river turns southeastward as far as Issano and then curves northeastward to Bartica, where it is joined by the Cuyuni River, just upstream from its confluence with the Essequibo. Although the Mazaruni is approximately 350 miles (560 km) long, only short stretches are navigable, the rest being marked by intermittent rapids. It flows through sparsely inhabited, dense tropical rain forests. It is economically significant, however, because it is Guyana's main source of alluvial diamonds.