The Mekong Region: Incorporating the Views of Regional Civil Society
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132
IL Asia by Country and Region
1.
Introduction: The Environment and Development Across Boundaries
The length of the Mekong River could be 4,400 or 4,800 km, depending on where its source is placed. Either way, in length and flow rate it is one of the world's largest rivers, and the largest in Southeast Asia, with a basin covering 795,000 square km, or more than twice the land area of Japan. Arising on the Tibetan Plateau, which is also the source of the Yangtze and Salween rivers, the Mekong flows through China's Yunnan Province, Burma (Myanmar), Lao PDR (hereafter, Laos),Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam on its way to the South China Sea. "Mekong Region" has two definitions. One is the natural geographic region bound by the river's basin. It has a population of 60 million, many of whom live in rural areas and whose livelihoods are directly connected to the riverine environment. The other is the six countries (in China, only Yunnan Province is counted) through which the Mekong flows. While this definition includes a population of over 230 million, many of them have nothing to do with the river. Nevertheless, from the perspective of Mekong River development that is closely associated with the basin environment and the people's livelihoods, we must also include the governments of the six Mekong countries. This chapter therefore explores the interrelationships among what are called the "Mekong countries," or the broadly defined Mekong region seen in terms of politics and economics, while at the same time paying close attention to the Mekong River basin, or the narrowly defined Mekong region. Mekong countries have a variety of environmental problems, and previous volumes of this book have described a few in terms of individual countries. This chapter discusses these problems, especially those affecting multiple countries, from the viewpoint of the Mekong as an international river. Specifically, it will give detailed treatment to dams on the main channel of the upper reaches of the river in China, to dredging for river navigation in China and Burma with the participation of Thailand and Laos, and to the environmental and social impacts in Cambodia caused by dams in Vietnam. Also, this chapter will explore how six countries with different political, economic, and social circumstances can conserve the Mekong River's natural resources with primary consideration for the livelihoods of basin inhabitants.
2.
The [\/lekong/Lancang River
The Mekong has different names according to country and region. In China it is the Lancang Jiang, and in Thailand and Laos it is Mae Nam Khong (Mother of Waters), while downstream it is called Tonle Thom (Great Water) in Cambodia and Cuu Long (Nine Dragons) in Vietnam. This section deals with the environmental and social impacts of main-channel development in China (Lancang) and the upper-Mekong countries.
2. The Mekong Region: Incorporating the Views of Regional Civil Society
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Mekong Upper-Reaches Dredging
Freer Commercial Navigation in the Four Upper-Mekong Countries The
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