Erhu

Friday, June 6, 2008

About 90 million people rely on the river. The area they live in, known as the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), comprises Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces in China, Burma, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The main livelihood of the people of the GMS is rice production. A huge number of rice varieties are grown along the Mekong river.

Rice plantation in Luang Prebang (Laos) at Mekong River

Source: http://www.threeland.com/images/lao/luang-prabang_mekong.jpg

In the background are rubber plantations and shifting cultivation

Source: www.natureproducts.net/Ecotourism/Mekong.html

Poverty stricken Cambodia is an example of one nation that is completely dependent on the river for food and the vast majority of its fledgling economy.

Dai ladies gleaning the shallow waters of the Mekong for shells

Source: http://natureproducts.net/Ecotourism/Dai_gleaning400.jpg

The annual floods provide much needed water for crops of the otherwise dry dusty land, and to refresh Tonle Sap, a combined lake and river system of huge importance to Cambodia.

A satellite image of Tonle Sap

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonle_Sap

Flooding at a village near Tonle Sap

Source: http://www.scienceclarified.com/landforms/images/ueol_02_img0058.jpg

Dams have been built across Mekong River to use its water to generate hydroelectricity.

Pak Mun dam at Thailand

Source: http://www.prachatai.com/english/upload/pictitle/20070619132619_18_065256_47.jpg

Unidentified 10:45 AM