A major river in south eastern Asia, rising in eastern Tibet, flowing through Yunnan Province, China, forming the border between Myanmar (Burma) and Laos, and much of the border between Thailand and Laos, then flows across Cambodia and southern Vietnam, into the South China Sea. 

At its source 5,181 meters high on the Tibetan Plateau, it-s called the Dza Chu (Water of Stone). In Southwest China, it-s called the Lancang Jiang (Turbulent River). In Thailand and Laos, it-s called the Mae Nam Khong (Mother of Waters). In Cambodia, it-s called the Tonle Thom (Great Water). And in Vietnam, where it spills into the South China Sea (called the East Sea in Vietnam) after flowing 4,200 kilometers through six countries, it-s called the Cuu Long (River of Nine Dragons). For those not living on its shores, it is generally known as the Mekong River and it is the 12th longest river in the world and has a water basin of nearly 800,000 square kilometers. Since at least the middle of the 19th century, foreign entrepreneurs and explorers have been trying to tap the riches of the Mekong.

Measuring more than 4000 km in length, the Mekong is one of the longest rivers in the world, and one of the least spoiled. Its waters teem with an abundance of plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else and remain to be fully studied. For more than 5,000 years, the rich and diverse resources of the Mekong River Basin have sustained the people who live here. As the human population of the Basin continues to grow, the challenge will be to manage the Basin's precious resources wisely and ensure future growth.

To read more related issues , please visit The Water Page

News & Announcements more.. 07-Oct-2006 Mekong River Commission Reassessing Its Role Recent changes at the commission that is responsible for the management of Southeast Asia's ... 19-Oct-2005 Plan focuses on Mekong wetland ecosystems An integrated fire and water management plan for improved wetland ecosystem management is to ... 26-Sep-2005 World's Largest Fish Caught in Thailand A Mekong giant catfish believed to be the world's largest freshwater fish has been caught in ... 18-Aug-2005 Demonstration of Mekong wetlands biodiversity conservation in Viet Nam The Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap province and the Lang Sen Nature Reserve in Long ... 05-Jul-2005 Six Mekong River Countries Pledge Cooperation to Safeguard River

Documents more.. 01-Apr-2005 The Mekong Agreement: In light of International Principles Relating to Sustainable Use of Transboundary Watercourses A Masters thesis on legal aspects surrounding the Mekong River

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