Salween River

The Salween is a major river system in Southeast Asia. It flows from the high Tibetan Plateau south into the Andaman Sea. The river travels through southwest China and eastern Myanmar. A small section of the river also forms the border between Myanmar and Thailand.

The river is known by different names in different places. In China, it is called the Nu Jiang or Nu River. In Myanmar, it is officially known as the Thanlwin.

The name "Salween" comes from an English spelling of a Burmese name. This spelling appeared on British maps during the 19th century.

The river's journey begins in the Tanggula Mountains. The headwaters are near Dengka Peak on the central Tibetan Plateau. The highest source is the Jiangmeiergang Galou glacier. These mountain streams flow into Cona Lake. In the Tibetan section, the river is called Gyalmo Nagqu, which means "black river."

From the lake, the river flows south and then turns east. It passes through high mountain valleys and deep canyons. In China, the river flows for about 2,400 kilometers. By the time it leaves China, it has descended many thousands of meters.

In Yunnan, China, the river forms part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas. This is a World Heritage Site. The river flows parallel to the Mekong and Yangtze rivers. These rivers are separated by the high Hengduan Mountains. In this region, the river cuts through canyons up to 2,000 meters deep. Some people call this area the "Grand Canyon of the East." The river eventually crosses the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. It then enters Myanmar through Longling County.

As the Salween enters Myanmar, it flows through the Shan Hills. This region has a complex landscape of mountains, plateaus, and cliffs. The river cuts many gorges through these hills. It moves from temperate climates into subtropical and tropical zones.

In Shan State, the river is sometimes called Nam Khone. The river is joined by many tributaries like the Nanding and Hka rivers. Further south, it enters Karen State. Here, the river forms the border between Myanmar and Thailand for about 120 kilometers.

Much of this border area is part of Salawin National Park.

The Salween basin is one of the most ecologically diverse places on Earth. It contains about 25 percent of the world's terrestrial animal species. It also supports thousands of plant species. The basin covers a massive area. About 48 percent of the basin is in China. About 44 percent is in Myanmar. The remaining 8 percent is in Thailand.

The river provides water for agriculture and supports many fisheries. This is especially true in the delta region near Mawlamyine. The delta receives about 180 million tonnes of sediment every year.

Many different ethnic groups live within the Salween basin. About 24 million people live in the entire basin. About 10 million people live very close to the river itself. In China, groups include the Lisu, Tibetan, and Nu people. In Myanmar, groups include the Shan, Karen, and Mon people.

History shows that people migrated south along the river 5,000 years ago. They established small kingdoms and city-states. For centuries, the river was a frontier between the Burmese empires, the Kingdom of Siam, and Imperial China. In the 19th century, the British Empire invaded Burma. Mawlamyine became a colonial capital for many decades.

The river has great potential for hydropower. It falls a very long distance from its source to the sea. Currently, the Salween is one of the least fragmented large rivers in Asia. There are only a few small dams on the main river and its tributaries.

Since the 1970s, governments in Myanmar and Thailand have wanted to build large dams. China also planned to dam the upper river. However, China dropped those plans in 2016. They decided to create a national park instead. The future of large dam projects in the region remains uncertain.