Rivers / Mekong
The Mekong river
The Mekong is the located in East and Southeast Asia. It flows from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Its total length is estimated to 4,350 km (2,700 mi), which make it the third longest river of Asia.
The extreme seasonal variations in flow and the presence of rapids and waterfalls make its navigation difficult, but even so it is a major trade route between western China and southeast Asia.
Mekong River map
Key features
| Location | |
| Countries | China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam |
| Cities | Can Tho, Phnom Penh, Vientiane, Baoshan |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Sources | |
| Lasaigongma Spring | |
| Location | Mt. Guozongmucha (China) |
| Elevation | 5,224 m (17,139 ft) |
| Mouth | |
| Location | Mekong Delta Vietnam |
| Elevation | Sea level |
| Length | 4,350 km (2,700 mi) |
| Basin size | 795,000 km² (307,000 sq mi) |
| Discharge | |
| Location | 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) |