As the Mekong River approaches Vietnam’s East Sea (South China Sea), the river channel becomes less steep, the river waters lose their carrying capac- ity, and sediments are deposited to form the Mekong Delta.
Why is it called Mekong Delta?
As a product of Khmer, Vietnamese, Chinese, and French settlement in the region, the delta and its waterways have numerous names, including the Khmer term Bassac to refer to the lower basin and the largest river branch flowing through it.
What type of delta is the Mekong?
The Mekong Delta is generally regarded as beginning at Phnom Penh in Cambodja, where the Mekong river meets the Tonle Sap river, and the Bassac River branches. The Mekong subsequently divides into six main channels and the Bassac into three to form the nine “dragons” of the outer delta in Vietnam.
Where does the Mekong come from?
The Mekong River originates high in the Tibetan plateau and passes through six countries: China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Estimated by the Mekong River Commission at just under 4909 kilometers long, it is the seventh longest river in Asia and the 10th longest in the world.
Why is the Mekong River so important?
From its source in the Tibetan Plateau to its end in Vietnam, the Mekong River is a critical source of drinking water for the millions of people who live in its watershed.
Does the Mekong River have crocodiles?
The Mekong, its floodplains and tributaries support huge collections of unique flora and fauna including, critically endangered freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins, the world’s largest freshwater fish – the Giant freshwater stingray – giant turtles, Mekong giant catfish, waterbirds, and Siamese crocodiles.
Which is the longest river in Asia?
Yangtze River, Chinese (Pinyin) Chang Jiang or (Wade-Giles romanization) Ch’ang Chiang, longest river in both China and Asia and third longest river in the world, with a length of 3,915 miles (6,300 km).
What problems does the Mekong River face today?
impacts, such as diminished river-bank agricultural and fishing opportunities. High exposure to severe storms, large populations living in low-lying areas, and relatively low adaptive capacity of institutions make Greater Mekong countries extremely vulnerable to climate change.
What is Mekong Delta Vietnam War?
In the Vietnam War, the Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) (after May 1967), initially designated Mekong Delta Mobile Afloat Force, and later the Riverines, were a joint US Army and US Navy force that comprised a substantial part of the brown-water navy.
Is the Mekong river polluted?
The Mekong is one of the most polluted rivers in the world, transporting an estimated 40 thousand tonnes of plastic into the world’s oceans each year.
What animals live in the Mekong River?
Species
- Saola.
- Irrawaddy Dolphin.
- Asian Elephant.
- Saola.
- Irrawaddy Dolphin.
- Asian Elephant.
What does Mekong mean in English?
• MEKONG (noun) Meaning: An Asian river; flows through a large delta in southern Vietnam into the South China Sea.
How many countries does the Mekong go through?
The Mekong River is one of the world’s great rivers. Covering a distance of nearly 5,000 km from its source on the Tibetan Plateau in China to the Mekong Delta, the river flows through six countries: China, Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Viet Nam.
What is the main industry in the Mekong River?
Hydropower and mining now contribute 20 percent of total revenues; in the past 3 years, mining and hydropower have contributed 2.5 percent of the country’s 7 percent economic growth. Several questions remain regarding the impact of continued growth of hydropower and mining on the Mekong Basin.
What country is the Mekong River most important to?
The Mekong River is an important resource for millions of people in Asia as it runs through China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
What are the potential impacts of damming the Mekong River?
“Many are concerned that the Xayaburi Hydropower Dam in Laos, could cause irreversible and long-term ecological damage to a river that feeds millions of people, force the resettlement of 2,100, directly affect 202,000 people who use the Mekong bottomlands to produce food, and may push endangered fish, such as Mekong …