<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0000743368-04-000040
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040128
<FILING-DATE>20040130
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BOWATER INC
<CIK>0000743368
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2621
<IRS-NUMBER>620721803
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>55 EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY
<STREET2>P O BOX 1028
<CITY>GREENVILLE
<STATE>SC
<ZIP>29601
<PHONE>8642717733
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>55 EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY
<STREET2>P O BOX 1028
<CITY>GREENVILLE
<STATE>SC
<ZIP>29602
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>PERTZ DOUGLAS A
<CIK>0001065425
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08712
<FILM-NUMBER>04556414
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>581 CRABTREE LANE
<CITY>LAKE FORREST
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60045
<PHONE>8476159191
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>581 CRABTREE LANE
<CITY>LAKE FOREST
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>60045
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>c0001065425d20040130f4f.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-01-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000743368</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOWATER INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BOW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001065425</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>PERTZ DOUGLAS A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>POST OFFICE BOX 1028</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>SC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>29602-1028</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable></nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option   (right to buy)</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>44.355</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-01-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-01-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2014-01-28</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">These options were granted under the Company's 2002 Stock Option Plan.  The Plan sets forth certain earlier expiration dates upon the option holder's termination of employment or cessation of Board service, as the case may be.  In addition, the exercisability of outstanding options may be accelerated as approved by the committee administering the Plan, and will be accelerated upon the occurrence of certain specified &quot;change in control&quot; events, in which case the options will be automatically purchased by the Company at a defined acceleration price.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">One half of the options are exercisable on the noted date and the remaining half are exercisable one year later unless the exercisability is accelerated by the committee administering the Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Douglas A Pertz</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-01-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
