ABOUT THE MEKONG RIVER

12th longest river in the world

Estimated length at 4 350 km

The Mekong rises at Mount Guozongmucha (Tibetan Plateau) and crosses or runs along several countries including China, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam before spilling into the South China Sea.

The Mekong flood season usually takes place between July and October. It drains about 795 000 km²

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The Mekong has many names with many meanings

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The Chinese call it "Lancang Jiang" which means "Turbulent River".

Thais and Laos call it "Mae Nam Kong" which means "Mother Water".

The Vietnamese call it "Cuu Long" which means "New Dragons".

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About 60 million people live in the Mekong basin

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For thousands of years, the Mekong River has been an important transportation route between the many towns along its banks. The first known civilization along the Mekong dates back to the 1st century BC. The Europeans did not explore the river before 1540, when Antonio de Faria arrived from Portugal. He was the first European to see the Mekong.