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Black River (Asia)

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The Black River is a major waterway in Asia. Its name comes from the Tai language word "Da." This word means "dark-brown."

Sông Đà
Sông Đà

In China, the upstream part of the river is known as the Lixian River. This river is a vital part of the regional geography. It flows through both China and northwestern Vietnam. It serves as a primary tributary to the Red River. A tributary is a smaller river that flows into a larger one. The Black River is considered the most important tributary of the Red River.

The river follows a long course through different territories. It has a total length of 910 km. Approximately 427 km of this length is located in China. The remaining 527 km is located in Vietnam.

Sông Đà
Sông Đà

The river begins at its source in Yunnan province in China. From China, the water flows into the Vietnamese provinces of Lai Châu, Sơn La, and Hòa Bình. In Lai Châu, the river helps form a border with Điện Biên province. It also acts as a border between Phú Thọ province and Hanoi. This border previously separated Phú Thọ from Hà Tây province.

The Black River eventually reaches its destination at the Red River. This junction occurs in the Tam Nông district. The meeting point is near Việt Trì in the Phú Thọ province.

Sông Đà
Sông Đà

The Red River itself rises in southwestern China. It flows for a total of 1,200 km, or 750 miles. The Black River is one of two major tributaries for the Red River. The other major tributary is the Clear River, also known as the Song Lo. The Clear River joins the Red River on the left bank.

Humans use the river to generate hydroelectric power. Hydroelectric power is electricity made from moving water.

Sông Đà
Sông Đà

In China, there is a plan for seven dams along the river. Six of these dams are already completed. These are the Yayangshan Dam, Shimenkan Dam, Longma Dam, Jufudu Dam, Gelantan Dam, and Tukahe Dam. One dam, the Xinpingzhai Dam, is still in the planning stage. The total installed power capacity for these Chinese dams is about 1,300 megawatts.

Vietnam also utilizes the Black River for significant power production. There are three large hydroelectric plants located in Vietnam. The Hòa Bình Dam was finished in 1994. The Sơn La Dam was completed in 2012. This specific dam is notable because it became the largest hydroelectric producer in Southeast Asia.

Sông Đà
Sông Đà

The third major plant is the Lai Châu Dam. This dam is located in the Mường Tè district of Lai Châu province. It was inaugurated on December 20, 2016.

The scale of power production in Vietnam is very large. The three Vietnamese dams have a combined installed power capacity of 5,520 megawatts. This is much higher than the capacity of the dams in China.

Sông Đà
Sông Đà

These structures allow the river to provide energy to many people. The river's ability to produce power is a key part of its modern role. It moves from a natural waterway to a source of industrial energy.

The Black River connects different political and physical landscapes. It links the Yunnan province in China to several provinces in Vietnam. It also connects the Red River system to the wider regional geography. By flowing through borders, it defines the edges of many different provinces. The river remains a central feature of the environment in both China and Vietnam.

Sông Đà
Sông Đà
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