Mekong

The Mekong or Mekong River is a very long river in East Asia and Southeast Asia. It is one of the longest rivers in the world. The river is about 4,909 kilometers (3,050 miles) long.

The Mekong starts in the Tibetan Plateau and flows through several countries. These include Southwest China (where it is called the Lancang River), Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and southern Vietnam. Along its path, the river has fast-moving water called rapids and waterfalls. These make it hard to travel by boat.

The Mekong is an important trade route, connecting different parts of Asia. However, building hydroelectric dams along the river has caused problems for plants, animals, and people. This has also made drought worse.

Names

The name Mekong comes from the words Me and Kongkea. Me means "Mother" in the Khmer language. Kongkea is a word from Sanskrit for the sacred Ganges River in India.

Over time, the name changed from Me-Kongkea to Me-Kôngk. Western cartographers later called it Mekong. In Thai and Lao, the river is called Mae Nam Khong. The word Khong is an old word for "river" from Austroasiatic languages.

The Mekong has many names in different languages. For example:

• From Thai: แม่น้ำโขง, mɛ̂ɛ-náam-kǒong, or just แม่โขง, mɛ̂ɛ-kǒong.
• From Lao: ແມ່ນ້ຳຂອງ, mǣ nam khǭng, or just ນ້ຳຂອງ, nam khǭng.
• From Vietnamese: Sông Mê Kông or Sông Cửu Long (Nine Dragons River).
• From Mandarin Chinese: 湄公河, Méigōng Hé.
• From Burmese: မဲခေါင်မြစ်, mai:hkaungmrac.
• From Khmer: ទន្លេធំ Tônlé Thum ("Big River") or មេគង្គ Mékôngk.
• From Khmuic: [ŏ̞m̥ kʰrɔːŋ̊], which means 'canal river'.

Course

The Mekong River starts as a small stream called the Za Qu in the Tibetan Plateau. It is called the Lancang River in China. The river flows through Southwest China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and into southern Vietnam.

As it flows, the Mekong passes through many places and countries. It sometimes forms borders between nations and goes near big cities. Near Phnom Penh in Cambodia, it meets the Tonlé Sap lake. The lake can send water into the river or receive water from it during floods. After Phnom Penh, the river splits into branches and creates a wide delta area in Vietnam.

Drainage basin

The Mekong Basin has two parts: the upper basin and the lower basin. The upper basin is in Tibet, Yunnan, and eastern Myanmar. The lower basin starts from Yunnan and flows to the South China Sea. The river drops 4,500 meters in the upper basin before it reaches the lower basin.

The upper basin is small but sends a lot of sediment to the river. In Yunnan, the river runs through deep gorges and has lost some forests. The lower basin has many tributaries, especially in Laos and Thailand. The land changes a lot, which affects the river’s flow. In Cambodia, the river spreads out and forms a delta in Vietnam.

The Mekong River’s flow changes along its path. In China, called the Lancang Jiang, snowmelt from the Tibetan Plateau feeds the river. Further down, the river gets water from many tributaries, especially in Laos and Thailand. The river’s flow is important for the countries it passes through, and changes in one area can affect others.

Geology

The Mekong River has unusual water patterns compared to other large rivers. Most big rivers have simple branching patterns, but the Mekong's pattern is more complex. This is because of the varied geological structure in its area.

The rise of the Tibetan Plateau millions of years ago helped create the monsoon rains that affect the Mekong. The Mekong Delta formed over the last 6,000 years, growing out into the South China Sea. For much of its path, the Mekong flows through rocky channels, with wider floodplains only near Vientiane and Kratie. While the Mekong basin is generally stable, parts in northern Laos, northern Thailand, Myanmar, and China experience small earthquakes.

History

The Mekong River has been important for people living near it. It sometimes divided people instead of bringing them together. Early settlements along the river go back to 210 BCE. Places like Ban Chiang show an advanced Iron Age culture. One of the earliest known civilizations was the Indianised-Khmer culture of Funan in the Mekong delta.

The first European to see the Mekong was the Portuguese António de Faria in 1540. Later, the French explored and controlled parts of the region in the 19th century. In the 1970s, during wars, explosives sank into the river and made the water dangerous. Today, countries along the Mekong work together to manage and protect the river through groups like the Mekong River Commission.

Natural history

The Mekong basin is a very rich place for plants and animals. Only the Amazon has more. Scientists have found many different kinds of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish there. New species are still being discovered.

The Mekong River is special because it is home to some very large fish, like the giant freshwater stingray and the Mekong giant catfish. Sadly, many of these big fish are now rare because of dams, flood control, and overfishing. The river also used to have freshwater dolphins, but there are very few left.

Fisheries

The Mekong River has rich water life, with many kinds of fish and other animals. It is home to very large fish like the giant freshwater stingray and the Mekong giant catfish.

Many people near the Mekong rely on fishing for food and jobs. Fish are important for eating, especially in Laos and Cambodia. Fishing also helps people make money when farming is hard.

Dams

Main article: Hydropower in the Mekong River Basin

Dams in the Mekong River are built to make electricity, help farms grow crops, and provide water. As of February 2024, many dams are along the river.

More dams are also being built. In February 2024, one dam was being built in Cambodia, three in the TAR, and fourteen in Laos.

Fifteen of these dams are on the main path of the Mekong River. Thirteen of these are in China, and two are in Laos. One more dam on the main river is being built in Laos, and another in China.

Navigation

The Mekong River has been an important path for people and goods for thousands of years. Small boats have connected communities along the river, and today the Mekong is becoming a key route for trade. It links the six countries it flows through to each other and the rest of the world.

The river can be divided into an upper and lower section. The upper Mekong, north of the Khone Falls in Laos, has narrower and more turbulent waters, making travel difficult. Seasonal changes in water levels affect trade, with less cargo moving during low water seasons. The Mekong is an important trade route between Kunming and Bangkok. Trade is expected to grow, and new port facilities are being built to support this. In Laos, smaller boats carry goods like timber and farm products, while Thailand imports many items from China and exports things like dried longan and rubber.

In Vietnam and Cambodia, trade along the lower Mekong has grown. A new deep-water port in Vietnam has helped boost trade again, allowing large ships to travel directly to Europe and the United States. Several agreements between the countries that share the Mekong help ensure smooth trade and travel along the river. Plans to improve the river for bigger ships have been discussed, but some local groups have concerns.

Bridges

See also: List of crossings of the Mekong River

Construction of the Myanmar–Laos Friendship Bridge began in 2013. When finished, it will be long with a road for cars.

The First Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge links Nong Khai in Thailand to Vientiane in Laos. This bridge opened in 1994 and has two lanes for cars plus a railway.

The Second Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge connects Mukdahan in Thailand to Savannakhet in Laos. It opened in 2007 and is long with two lanes for cars.

The Third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge opened in 2011, linking Nakhon Phanom Province in Thailand with Thakhek in Laos. It is part of a major road network called Asian Highway 3.

The Fourth Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge opened in 2013, connecting Chiang Rai Province in Thailand with Ban Houayxay in Laos.

Laos has one bridge that is not a border crossing. It is located at Pakse in Champasak Province and was finished in 2000. The bridge is long.

The Kizuna Bridge is in Cambodia, in the city of Kampong Cham. It opened in 2001 and helps connect Phnom Penh to farther areas.

The Prek Tamak Bridge opened in 2010, located north of Phnom Penh.

Phnom Penh does not yet have a bridge being built, but two new bridges opened recently on another river.

Another new bridge was completed at Neak Leung on the road to Ho Chi Minh City in 2015.

In Vietnam, the Mỹ Thuận Bridge opened in 2000, crossing near Vĩnh Long. Since 2008, the Rạch Miễu Bridge has crossed the river near Mỹ Tho.

Cần Thơ Bridge opened in 2010 and is the longest main span cable-stayed bridge in Southeast Asia. It crosses another channel of the Mekong called the Bassac (Song Hau).

Environmental issues

Climate change and big dams are harming the Mekong River. Scientists do not fully understand how dams change the way floodwaters move.

Water in towns and cities, like Vientiane in Laos, is not always cleaned before it goes back into the river. This pollution hurts plants and animals in the water.

A lot of plastic ends up in the world’s oceans. The Mekong River carries plastic into the sea.

Some scientists and groups want world leaders and the Mekong River Commission to use less power from dams. They suggest using solar power and other clean energy instead.

Sand mining along the Mekong in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam changes how the river flows. This can make riverbanks unstable and disturb plants and animals.

Mining for tin and rare-earth materials is also polluting the Mekong River area.