The Mekong River Overview

The Mekong is the most controversial river in Southeast Asia, and increasingly the focus of international attention. It flows through 6 countries: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Viet Nam. The 4 downstream countries have formed the Mekong River Commission to promote sustainable development of the river, and many of their people depend on it for their subsistence.

Significance and Challenges

It has possibly the largest freshwater fishery in the world, and the Mekong waters support rice agriculture in the delta in Viet Nam (which produces about 40% of that country's food), as well as in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand. China is now building the first large mainstream dam on the river, with proposals for several more. These dams are likely to affect the downstream countries.

Several of the downstream countries also have plans for large-scale hydropower and irrigation development, which could impact the river further.

Book Content and Purpose

This book provides a solid overview of the biophysical environment of the Mekong, along with a discussion of the possible impacts—biophysical, economic, and social—of some development scenarios. It aims to offer a technical basis to inform the growing political and conservation debate about the future of the Mekong River and those who depend on it.

It is targeted at river ecologists, geographers, environmentalists, and development specialists both within the basin and outside, especially for those who find access to this material difficult.

Key Features

This book will be the first comprehensive treatment of the Mekong system, including:

• The first comprehensive overview of all aspects of the Mekong River system
• Coverage of a regionally critical ecosystem under threat
• The Mekong supports the world's largest freshwater fishery and underpins a major regional rice paddy system
• Presentation of the authoritative findings of the Mekong River Commission's research for a wider audience outside of limited distribution reports