-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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 EGDkmawZNBWt2sO8wnwtCA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000743368-05-000026.txt : 20050202
<SEC-HEADER>0000743368-05-000026.hdr.sgml : 20050202
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20050202151140
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000743368-05-000026
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20050131
FILED AS OF DATE:		20050202
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20050202

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			FULLER ARTHUR D
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001192245

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08712
		FILM NUMBER:		05569089

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BOWATER INC
		STREET 2:		55 E CAMPERDOWN WAY
		CITY:			GREENVILLE
		STATE:			SC
		ZIP:			29601
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8642717733

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BOWATER INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000743368
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PAPER MILLS [2621]
		IRS NUMBER:				620721803
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		55 EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 1028
		CITY:			GREENVILLE
		STATE:			SC
		ZIP:			29601
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8642717733

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		55 EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY
		STREET 2:		P O BOX 1028
		CITY:			GREENVILLE
		STATE:			SC
		ZIP:			29602
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-01-31</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001192245</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>FULLER ARTHUR D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 EAST CAMPERDOWN WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>SC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>29601</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>ExecVP &amp; Pres-Newsprint Div.</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-01-31</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>721</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>38.475</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>23589</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>6141.1804</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401 (K) Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares included in column 5 that represent an increase from the last report filed by the reporting person and are not otherwise accounted for by a transaction on this form were allocated under the Company's Salaried Employees' Savings Plan as of the plan statement dated 12/31/2004.  Additional securities may have accrued to the reporting person's account since that date.  The account is subject to revision in order to comply with requirements respecting nondiscrimination standards and limitations on contributions under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>William A. McCormick, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-02-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>poa020722fuller.htm
<DESCRIPTION>07/22/2002 POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
<HTML><BODY><PRE>

                            LIMITED POWER OF ATTORNEY



         I, Arthur D. Fuller, hereby constitute and appoint each of David G.

Maffucci, Harry F. Geair and William A. McCormick, signing singly, as my true

and lawful attorney-in-fact to (1) sign on my behalf, in my capacity as an

officer of Bowater Incorporated (the "Company"), and any affiliate of the

Company required to file any Form (as defined below), any document necessary to

complete the execution of any form required under Section 16 of the Securities

Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules thereunder ("Section 16"),

including without limitation Forms 3, 4 and 5 (each, a "Form"), (2) do and

perform any and all acts for and on my behalf that may be necessary or desirable

to complete and execute any Form and arrange for the filing of the Form with the

United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any required stock

exchanges in a timely manner and (3) take any other action of any type

whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such

attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally

required by me in connection with Section 16, it being understood that the

documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on my behalf pursuant to this

Limited Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and

conditions as such attorney-in-fact shall approve in his reasonable discretion.

I hereby revoke any and all prior limited powers of attorney granted with

respect to Section 16.



         The authority granted in this power of attorney of each of Mr.

Maffucci, Mr. Geair, or Mr. McCormick as my duly authorized representative to

sign on my behalf is limited to the signing and filing of the Forms. I

acknowledge that neither Mr. Maffucci, Mr. Geair nor Mr. McCormick is assuming,

nor is the Company or any affiliate of the Company assuming, any of my

responsibilities to comply with Section 16.



         I hereby grant to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority

to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary,

or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers granted in

this power of attorney, as fully to all intents and purposes as I might or could

do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby

ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such

attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be

done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein

granted.



         This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until I am

no longer required to file any Form with respect to my holdings of and

transactions in securities issued by the Company or any affiliate of the

Company, unless earlier revoked by me in a signed writing delivered to Mr.

Maffucci, Mr. Geair, Mr. McCormick or the Company.



         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have executed this Power of Attorney as of July

22, 2002.





                                                    /s/ Arthur D. Fuller

                                                    --------------------

                                                     Arthur D. Fuller





</PRE></BODY></HTML>

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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