Rivers, International

in international law, rivers crossing several countries. Among the largest international rivers are the Danube and Rhine in Europe, the Congo and Niger in Africa, the Colorado and Rio Grande in North America, and the Amazon and Rio de la Plata in South America.

Riparian states have jurisdiction over the parts of international rivers that flow through their territory. This means that all foreign vessels sailing on international rivers must observe the rules of navigation established by the countries through whose waters they are traveling. The laws governing the use of the most important international rivers are established by agreements between all the riparian states. In these instances, the interested countries create special commissions to regulate navigation on the international river. Commissions are also formed to resolve problems relating to the economic use of the rivers, fishing, and pollution control. The USSR has concluded such agreements with Norway, Finland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Turkey, Iran, and other countries.