Mekong River
major river in Southeast Asia From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Mekong River is a river in southeast Asia. It flows through many countries: China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and finally Vietnam. The Mekong begins in the Lasagongma Spring which is in the plateaus of Tibet, and flows about 2,703 miles (4,350 km) south-east to the South China Sea. Its watershed covers 307,000 square miles (797,000 square kilometers).[1]
| Mekong River 湄公河 (Méigōng Hé) / 澜沧江 (Láncāng Jiāng) မဲခေါင်မြစ် (Megaung Myit) ແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງ (Maenam Khong) แม่น้ำโขง (Maenam Khong) ទន្លេមេគង្គ (Tônlé Mékôngk) Sông Mê Kông / Sông Cửu Long (九龍) | |
|---|---|
 Mekong River, Luang Prabang, Laos | |
 Mekong River watershed | |
| Location | |
| Country | China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Lasaigongma (拉赛贡玛) Spring |
| - location | Mt. Guozongmucha (果宗木查), Zadoi, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai, China |
| - coordinates | 33°42.5′N 94°41.7′E |
| - elevation | 5,224 m (17,139 ft) |
| Mouth | Mekong Delta |
| - location | Vietnam |
| - coordinates | 10.189°N 106.749°E, 10.261291334222218°N 106.75297696603432°E |
| - elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 4,350 km (2,700 mi) |
| Basin size | 795,000 km2 (307,000 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| - location | Mekong Delta, South China Sea |
| - average | 16,000 m3/s (570,000 cu ft/s) |
| - minimum | 1,400 m3/s (49,000 cu ft/s) |
| - maximum | 39,000 m3/s (1,400,000 cu ft/s) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Srepok, Nam Khan, Tha, Nam Ou |
| - right | Mun, Tonlé Sap, Kok, Ruak |
Its name comes from the Khmer language "Mother Ganga". Me means Mother[2] and Kong means Ganga (Ganges).[3]
The Mekong is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world, with hundreds of types of fish, as well as river dolphins, crocodiles, and otters. Fishing is a very important activity on the river.[4] However, the Mekong River is also used extensively for navigation.
"Cambodia's plan to build a canal from the Mekong River basin to the Cambodian coast", has support (2024) from Vietnam's authorities, according to media.[5]
Dams
The river has dams:
- Guoduo Dam[6]
- Miaowei
- Gongguoqiao
- Xiaowan
- Manwan
- Dachaoshan
- Nuozhadu
- Jinghong
Dams that are being built in China, are:
- Gushui
- Wunonglong
- Huangdeng
- Dahuaqiao
Dams that are being built in Laos, are:
- Xayaburi
- Don Sahong
Dams that are planned (as of 2017), include:
- Pak Beng Dam (planned finished in 2022)
- Latsua (planned finished in 2023)
- Sanakham (planned finished in 2024)
Related pages
References
Other websites
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