Cem originates in Kelmend, Malësi e Madhe, Albania and flows through the region of Malësia.
The river has two tributaries: Cem of Vukël (Cemi i Vuklit) and Cem of Selcë (Cemi i Selcës), which join at the confluence of Tamarë.
Cem of Vukël – the more important of the two in terms of water volume – rises at 900 m and flows for 17.9 km.
It passes through a narrow canyon, a terrain which widens only near Kozhnja, where deposition has formed a small limestone valley.
A creek called Cem of Nikç (Cem i Nikçit) also contributes to its flow volume in the rainy period.
As Cem i Nikçit passes through Kozhnja, a small hydropower project has been developed.

Cem of Selcë rises at 1,250 m on Mt. Bordolec near Lëpushë and flows for 22.5 km mostly through narrow limestone terrain until the valley of Tamarë.
In its course it passes through Gropat e Selcës karstic caves, the canyon of Gerrlla, 900 m long and 25 m deep, and the 30-meter high waterfall of Sllapi before Dobrinjë.

After confluence, Cem flows generally southwest for 26.5 kilometres (16.5 mi) and crosses into Montenegro, near Grabom.
A border crossing is also located after this village.
Then the river flows through the villages of Tuzi municipality for 32.3 kilometres (20.1 mi) before flowing into the Morača just south of Podgorica near Mitrovići and Mojanovići.
The river and its terrain in Montenegro are divided into two parts.
It firstly forms a steep canyon and then slowly crosses into the Zeta plain, part of it called Ćemovsko polje after the river.
In the field, Špiro Mugoša Airport stands between Cem and Ribnica and further west the Podgorica Airport is found.
In this part, land occupation becomes more urbanized and industrialized.

The Cem canyon (Kanjon Cijevne/Kanioni i Cemit) is 12 km long and has a depth of 903 m. It is the natural habitat of many animal, insect and plant species.
The canyon starts at the Albania-Montenegro border and forms a distinct geomorphological formation that crosses into Ćemovsko polje roughly before Dinosha near Gurrec.
Cem originates in Kelmend, Malësi e Madhe, Albania and flows through the region of Malësia. The river has two tributaries: Cem of Vukël (Cemi i Vuklit) and Cem of Selcë (Cemi i Selcës), which join at the confluence of Tamarë. Cem of Vukël – the more important of the two in terms of water volume – rises at 900 m and flows for 17.9 km. It passes through a narrow canyon, a terrain which widens only near Kozhnja, where deposition has formed a small limestone valley. A creek called Cem of Nikç (Cem i Nikçit) also contributes to its flow volume in the rainy period. As Cem i Nikçit passes through Kozhnja, a small hydropower project has been developed.
Cem of Selcë rises at 1,250 m on Mt. Bordolec near Lëpushë and flows for 22.5 km mostly through narrow limestone terrain until the valley of Tamarë. In its course it passes through Gropat e Selcës karstic caves, the canyon of Gerrlla, 900 m long and 25 m deep, and the 30-meter high waterfall of Sllapi before Dobrinjë.
After confluence, Cem flows generally southwest for 26.5 kilometres (16.5 mi) and crosses into Montenegro, near Grabom. A border crossing is also located after this village. Then the river flows through the villages of Tuzi municipality for 32.3 kilometres (20.1 mi) before flowing into the Morača just south of Podgorica near Mitrovići and Mojanovići. The river and its terrain in Montenegro are divided into two parts. It firstly forms a steep canyon and then slowly crosses into the Zeta plain, part of it called Ćemovsko polje after the river. In the field, Špiro Mugoša Airport stands between Cem and Ribnica and further west the Podgorica Airport is found. In this part, land occupation becomes more urbanized and industrialized.
The Cem canyon (Kanjon Cijevne/Kanioni i Cemit) is 12 km long and has a depth of 903 m. It is the natural habitat of many animal, insect and plant species. The canyon starts at the Albania-Montenegro border and forms a distinct geomorphological formation that crosses into Ćemovsko polje roughly before Dinosha near Gurrec.
Cem (river)