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98-448: Luang Prabang is the ancient capital of Lan Xang ('one million elephants') and is one of the oldest cities in Laos, founded approximately 1,200 years ago. It was previously known by two other names, Muang Sawa (or Muang Sua) and Xieng Dong Xieng Thong. It became the first capital of Laos in the 14th century when King Fa Ngum returned from Cambodia where he and his father were exiled by

196-789: A connection to the South China Sea. Although the hydraulic relationships between the Mekong and the Tonle Sap Great Lake systems during the Holocene are not well understood, it is clear that between 9,000 and 7,500 years ago the confluence of the Tonle Sap and the Mekong was in proximity to the South China Sea. The present river morphology of the Mekong Delta developed over the last 6,000 years. During this period,

294-476: A contracted form of Tai shortened to Mae Khong . In Thai and Lao, Mae Nam ("Mother of Water[s]") is used for large rivers and Khong is the proper name referred to as "River Khong". However, Khong is an archaic word meaning "river", loaned from Austroasiatic languages , such as Vietnamese sông (from * krong ) and Mon kruŋ "river", which led to Chinese 江 whose Old Chinese pronunciation has been reconstructed as /*kˤroŋ/ and which long served as

392-478: A high evaporation rate means it is classified as a semi-arid region. Consequently, although the Mun and Chi basins drain 15% of the entire Mekong basin, they only contribute 6% of the average annual flow. Sandy and saline soils are the most common soil types, which makes much of the land unsuitable for wet rice cultivation. In spite of poor fertility, however, agriculture is intensive. Glutinous rice, maize, and cassava are

490-521: A large, holy footprint. Wat Xieng Maen, founded in 1592, housed the Pha Bang for seven nights after decades in Thai hands. Wat Chomphet, established in 1888, is accessed via a stairway of 123 steps, and contains two pagodas. Wat Manorom contains a 6 metres (20 ft) tall, bronze, sitting Buddha . Wat Xieng Thong temple, in typical Laotian architecture, was built in the 16th century (1559–1560) during

588-468: A major distinction in the low-flow hydrology of the river. One fraction comes from melting snow in China and Tibet and the rest from over-season catchment storage in the lower basin. This has implications for the occurrence of drought conditions. For example, if runoff from melting snow in any given year is very low, then flows upstream of Vientiane - Nong Khai would be lower. In a large river system like

686-591: A maximum of about 4.5 m (15 ft) above present levels in the early Holocene about 8 ka. At this time the shoreline of the South China Sea almost reached Phnom Penh and cores recovered from near Angkor Borei contained sediments deposited under the influence of tides, and salt marsh and mangrove swamp deposits. Sediments deposited in the Tonle Sap Great Lake about this time (7.9–7.3 ka) also show indications of marine influence, suggesting

784-482: A nationalist group declared Laos once more independent, with Luang Prabang as its capital but on 7 April 1945 two battalions of Japanese troops occupied the city. The Japanese attempted to force Sisavang Vong (the King of Luang Prabang) to declare Laotian independence but on 8 April he instead simply declared an end to Laos' status as a French protectorate. The King then secretly sent Prince Kindavong to represent Laos to

882-1045: A shrine and an overlook of the city and the rivers. The 60,070 hectare Phou Louey Massif Important Bird Area (IBA) is in the Nam Et-Phou Louey National Biodiversity Conservation Area (NBCA). The IBA is in the provinces of Luang Prabang and Houaphanh . It sits at an elevation of 700–1,800 metres (2,300–5,900 ft). The habitat contains mixed deciduous forest , semi- evergreen forest , lower montane evergreen forest , upper montane evergreen forest , and secondary grassland . Notable avifauna include beautiful nuthatch Sitta formosa , Blyth's kingfisher Alcedo hercules , rufous-necked hornbill Aceros nipalensis , and yellow-vented warbler Phylloscopus cantator . The Phou Loei Protected Reserve (PLI) encompassing an area of 1,465 square kilometres (566 sq mi), lies in Luang Prabang and Houaphanh provinces. It

980-450: Is also an important transportation link. At Chiang Khong it is possible to hire a barge to cross the river. A trip from Huay Xai , across from Thailand, downstream to Luang Prabang takes two days by slow boat, typically with a stop at Pakbeng . Beginning December 2021, Luang Prabang is served by the high speed Vientiane–Boten railway . The railway parallels Route 13, and serve as Laos' first major north–south railway line, from Boten at

1078-477: Is flooded during the rainy season. The impact of road embankments and similar infrastructure developments on the movement of this flood water is an increasingly important consequence of development. Table 2 summarises the mean annual flows along the mainstream. The mean annual flow entering the lower Mekong from China is equivalent to a relatively modest 450 mm (18 in) depth of runoff. Downstream of Vientiane this increases to over 600 mm (24 in) as

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1176-592: Is heterogeneous and active, and is the major factor controlling the course of rivers and the landscapes they carve out. The elevation of the Tibetan Plateau during the Tertiary period was an important factor in the genesis of the south-west monsoon , which is the dominant climatic control influencing the hydrology of the Mekong Basin. Understanding the nature and timing of the elevation of Tibet (and

1274-531: Is little evidence from the last 45 years of data of any systematic changes in the hydrological regime of the Mekong. The internal drainage patterns of the Mekong are unusual among those of large rivers. Most large river systems that drain the interiors of continents, such as the Amazon , Congo , and Mississippi , have relatively simple dendritic tributary networks that resemble a branching tree. Typically, such patterns develop in basins with gentle slopes where

1372-632: Is the world's twelfth-longest river and the third-longest in Asia with an estimated length of 4,909 km (3,050 mi) and a drainage area of 795,000 km (307,000 sq mi), discharging 475 km (114 cu mi) of water annually. From its headwaters in the Tibetan Plateau , the river runs through Southwest China (where it is officially called the Lancang River ), Myanmar , Laos , Thailand , Cambodia , and southern Vietnam . The extreme seasonal variations in flow and

1470-734: The Allied forces and Sisavang Vatthana as representative to the Japanese. Following Japan's surrender to the Allies, Free French forces were sent to reoccupy Laos and entered Luang Prabang on 25 August, at which time the King assured the French that Laos remained a French colonial protectorate. In September the Chinese Nationalist forces arrived to receive the surrender of the remaining Japanese forces but also quickly set about buying up

1568-570: The Central Highlands of Vietnam) therefore helps explain the provenance of sediment reaching the delta and the Tonle Sap Great Lake today. Studies of the provenance of sediments in the Mekong delta reveal a major switch in the source of sediments about eight million years ago (Ma) . From 36 to 8 Ma the bulk (76%) of the sediments deposited in the delta came from erosion of the bedrock in the Three Rivers Area . From 8 Ma to

1666-515: The French colonial influences during the 19th and 20th centuries. The centre of the city consists of four main roads and is located on a peninsula at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong River . Luang Prabang is well known for its numerous Buddhist temples and monasteries. Every morning, hundreds of monks from the various monasteries walk through the streets collecting alms . One of

1764-597: The Kingdom of Laos , until the Pathet Lao takeover in 1975. The city is part of Luang Prabang District of Luang Prabang Province and is the capital and administrative centre of the province. It lies approximately 300 km (190 mi) north of the capital Vientiane . Currently, the population of the city as a whole is roughly 56,000 inhabitants with the UNESCO protected site being inhabited by around 24,000. By

1862-521: The Lancang River ( simplified Chinese : 澜沧江 ; traditional Chinese : 瀾滄 江 ; pinyin : Láncāng Jiāng , from the old name of Lao kingdom Lan Xang ; the characters may also be literally understood as "turbulent green river"). It originates in the " three rivers source area " on the Tibetan Plateau in the Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve . The reserve protects the headwaters of, from north to south,

1960-652: The Laotian Civil War of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, a secret American airbase was located at Luang Prabang and it was the scene of fighting. Luang Prabang remained the royal capital until 1975, when the Pathet Lao communist forces seized power with North Vietnamese support and dissolved the monarchy. Luang Prabang was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 for the recognition of its well-preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage. Luang Prabang has both natural and historical sites. Among

2058-591: The Nam Ngum , Nam Theun , Nam Hinboun, Se Bang Fai , Se Bang Hieng and Se Done Rivers. The Mun - Chi river system from the right bank in Thailand enters the mainstream within this reach. Reach 4: Pakse to Kratie . The main hydrological contributions to the mainstream in this reach come from the Se Kong , Se San , and Sre Pok catchments. Together, these rivers make up the largest hydrological sub-component of

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2156-465: The Richter magnitude scale and is unlikely to cause material damage. The difficulty of navigating the river has meant that it has divided, rather than united, the people who live near it. The earliest known settlements date to 210 BCE, with Ban Chiang being an excellent example of early Iron Age culture. The earliest recorded civilization was the 1st century Indianised -Khmer culture of Funan , in

2254-464: The South China Sea . From the point where it rises to its mouth, the most precipitous drop in the Mekong occurs in the upper Mekong basin, a stretch of some 2,200 km (1,400 mi). Here, it drops 4,500 m (14,800 ft) before it enters the lower basin where the borders of Thailand, Laos, China, and Myanmar come together in the Golden Triangle. Downstream from the Golden Triangle,

2352-469: The Wat Xieng Thong temple are among the best known historical sites. The town, particularly the main street, is dotted with many smaller wats such as Wat Hosian Voravihane . Every morning at sunrise, monks walk in a procession through the streets accepting alms offered by local residents, an event popular with tourists. Mountain biking is quite common, with people often biking around the town or to

2450-1065: The Yellow (Huang He), the Yangtze , and the Mekong Rivers. It flows through the Tibetan Autonomous Region and then southeast into Yunnan Province, and then the Three Parallel Rivers Area in the Hengduan Mountains , along with the Yangtze to its east and the Salween River (Nu Jiang in Chinese) to its west. Then the Mekong meets the China–Myanmar border and flows about 10 km (6 mi) along that border until it reaches

2548-633: The Yunnan component makes up almost 30% of the average dry season flow. A major concern is that the ongoing and planned expansion of dams and reservoirs on the Mekong mainstream in Yunnan could have a significant effect on the low-flow regime of the lower Mekong basin system. Reach 2: Chiang Saen to Vientiane and Nong Khai . This reach is almost entirely mountainous and covered with natural forest although there has been widespread slash and burn agriculture. Although this reach cannot be termed "unspoiled",

2646-563: The figurehead of the French Protectorate of Laos. When Laos achieved independence, the king of Luang Prabang, Sisavang Vong , became the head of state for the Kingdom of Laos . In 1941, following the Franco-Thai War , Thailand occupied part of the province, which was named Lan Chang province . On 9 March 1945, independence was declared for Laos, and Luang Prabang was the capital. Colonel Hans Imfeld, commissioner of

2744-480: The head of state of the Kingdom of Laos . The town was the scene of many events during and in the aftermath of World War II and it was occupied by several foreign countries during the war ( Vichy France , Thailand , Imperial Japan , Free France , and Nationalist China ). Initially the Vichy French controlled the city but lost it to Thai forces following the Franco-Thai War of 1940–1941. On 9 March 1945,

2842-642: The sim displays Dharmachakras , dharma wheels symbolising Buddhist law and the circle of reincarnation. The outer walls of the sim depict Lao legends, and the rear gable is decorated with a glass mosaic depicting the tree of life. The outer walls of the Sanctuary of the Reclining Buddha, also known as the Red Chapel, are decorated with mosaics. The Vun Pi Mai festival occurs in April to celebrate

2940-592: The tripoint of China, Myanmar and Laos . From there it flows southwest and forms the border of Myanmar and Laos for about 100 km (60 mi) until it arrives at the tripoint of Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand . This is also the point of confluence between the Ruak River (which follows the Thai–Myanmar border) and the Mekong. The area of this tripoint is sometimes termed the Golden Triangle , although

3038-547: The 1950s to around 50% in the mid-1990s. Agricultural expansion and population pressure are the major reasons for land use and landscape change. Both drought and flood are common hazards in the Delta, which many people believe is the most sensitive to upstream hydrological change. Table 1: Country share of Mekong River Basin (MRB) and water flows By taking into account hydrological regimes, physiography land use, and existing, planned and potential resource developments,

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3136-679: The 6th century in the Chao Phraya River Valley, Mon peoples had coalesced to create the Dvaravati kingdoms . In the north, Haripunjaya ( Lamphun ) emerged as a rival power to the Dvaravati . By the 8th century the Mon had pushed north to create city states, in Fa Daet (modern Kalasin , northeastern Thailand), Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) near modern Tha Khek , Laos, Muang Sua (Luang Prabang), and Chantaburi ( Vientiane ). In

3234-458: The 7th century. The territory experienced a brief period of Khmer suzerainty under Jayavarman VII from 1185 to 1191. After the town became the center of a localized kingdom in the 13th century, it became known by the Tai name Xieng Dong Xieng Thong, which in 1353 became the capital of Lan Xang. The capital was moved in 1560 by King Setthathirath I to Vientiane, at which time, Xieng Dong Xieng Thong

3332-448: The 8th century CE, Sri Gotapura (Sikhottabong) was the strongest of these early city states, and controlled trade throughout the middle Mekong region. The city states were loosely bound politically, but were culturally similar and introduced Therevada Buddhism from Sri Lankan missionaries throughout the region. Xieng Dong Xieng Thong experienced a brief period of Khmer suzerainty under Jayavarman VII from 1185 to 1191. By 1180

3430-506: The Chinese border in the north to Vientiane in the south. The complete journey takes less than three hours by train instead of three days by road. There is a French international school in the city, École francophone de Luang Prabang. Luang Prabang features a tropical wet and dry climate ( Aw ) under the Köppen climate classification . While the city is generally very warm throughout

3528-629: The French Republic, entered Luang Prabang on 25 August 1945 with a party of Franco-Laotian guerrillas and received assurances from the king that the protectorate was still in force. After the Washington Accord of 1946, the Thai government ceded the annexed territories of Luang Prabang and Sainyabuli provinces back to Laos. Luang Prabang province, one of the provinces of Laos, covers an area of 16,875 square kilometres (6,515 sq mi). The province borders Phongsaly province to

3626-841: The Great Lake via the Tonle Sap River . Phnom Penh also marks the beginning of the delta system of the Mekong River. Here the mainstream begins to break up into an increasing number of branches. In Cambodia, wet rice is the main crop and is grown on the flood plains of the Tonle Sap, Mekong, and Bassac (the Mekong delta distributary known as the Hậu in Vietnam) Rivers. More than half of Cambodia remains covered with mixed evergreen and deciduous broadleaf forest, but forest cover has decreased from 73% in 1973 to 63% in 1993. Here,

3724-734: The Kingdom of Thailand which is the mechanism for cooperation with regard to riverine trade on the upper stretches of the Mekong. The Mekong basin is one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. Only the Amazon boasts a higher level of bio-diversity. Biota estimates for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) include 20,000 plant species, 430 mammals, 1,200 birds, 800 reptiles and amphibians, and an estimated 850 freshwater fish species (excluding euryhaline species mainly found in salt or brackish water, as well as introduced species ). The most species rich orders among

3822-700: The Lao New Year. The celebration includes Tak Bat, monks' alms procession, which passes by the Wat Ho Siang. The Royal Lao Ballet performs at the Phrolak-Phralam Theatre on the Royal Palace Grounds in the provincial capital. Luang Prabang Luang Phabang , ( Lao : ຫລວງພະບາງ / ຫຼວງພະບາງ ) or Louangphabang (pronounced [lǔaŋ pʰāʔ.bàːŋ] ), commonly transliterated into Western languages from

3920-687: The Laotian opium crop. In April and May 1946, the French attempted to recapture Laos by using paratroops to retake Vientiane and Luang Prabang and drive Phetsarath and the Lao Issara ministers out of Laos and into Thailand and Vietnam. During the First Indochina War , the Viet Minh and Pathet Lao forces attempted to capture the city several times in 1953 and 1954, but were stopped before they could reach it by French forces. During

4018-438: The Luang Prabang's famous Jeow Bong . Luang Prabang is served by Luang Prabang International Airport with non-stop flights to adjoining countries. Luang Prabang is served by Route 13 , which connects to Vang Vieng and Vientiane to the south, and to Boten in the north. The road is paved, though the surface is in poor condition at places. Since 2014, a new road connects Kasi (close to Vang Vieng) to Luang Prabang, allowing

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4116-630: The Mekong delta. Excavations at Oc Eo , near modern An Giang , have found coins from as far away as the Roman Empire . This was succeeded by the Khmer culture Chenla state around the 5th century. The Khmer empire of Angkor was the last great Indianized state in the region. From around the time of the fall of the Khmer empire, the Mekong was the front line between the emergent states of Siam and Tonkin (North Vietnam), with Laos and Cambodia, then on

4214-780: The Mekong is called the Tiền River or Tiền Giang. In Vietnam, distributaries of the eastern (main, Mekong) branch include the Mỹ Tho River , the Ba Lai River , the Hàm Luông River , and the Cổ Chiên River . The Mekong Basin is frequently divided into two parts: the "upper Mekong basin" comprising those parts of the basin in Tibet , Yunnan and eastern Myanmar , and the "lower Mekong basin" from Yunnan downstream from China to

4312-467: The Mekong is divided into six distinct reaches : Reach 1: Lancang Jiang or Upper Mekong River in China . In this part of the river, the major source of water flowing into the river comes from melting snow on the Tibetan plateau . This volume of water is sometimes called the "Yunnan component" and plays an important role in the low-flow hydrology of the lower mainstream. Even as far downstream as Kratie,

4410-603: The Mekong, seasonal flows can be quite variable from year to year. Although the pattern of the annual hydrograph is fairly predictable, its magnitude is not. The average monthly flows along the mainstream are listed in Table 3, providing an indication of their range and variability from year to year. At Pakse , for example, flood season flows during August would exceed 20,000 m /s (5,300,000 US gal/s) nine years out of ten, but exceed 34,000 m /s (9,000,000 US gal/s) only one year in ten. Table 3: Mekong Mainstream monthly discharge, 1960–2004 (m /s). There

4508-412: The Sap River joins the Mekong by Phnom Penh, the Bassac River branches off the right (west) bank. The Bassac River is the first and main distributary of the Mekong. This is the beginning of the Mekong Delta. The two rivers, the Bassac to the west and the Mekong to the east, enter Vietnam shortly after this. In Vietnam, the Bassac is called the Hậu River (Sông Hậu or Hậu Giang); the main, eastern, branch of

4606-454: The Sipsong Panna had regained their independence from the Khmers , however, and in 1238 an internal uprising in the Khmer outpost of Sukhothai expelled the Khmer overlords. Xieng Dong Xieng Thong in 1353 became the capital of the Lan Xang kingdom. In 1359 the Khmer king from Angkor gave the Phra Bang to his son-in-law, the first Lang Xang monarch Fa Ngum (1353–1373); to provide Buddhist legitimacy both to Fa Ngum's rule and by extension to

4704-436: The capital of the Kingdom of Lan Xang, and the centre of Buddhism. The city developed with royal administrative complexes amidst temples and monasteries. The National Museum, built in 1904, has exhibits of royal religious artifacts in the entrance hall, as well as a rock from the Moon . Of particular importance is the 14th century gold Phra Bang which has rendered its name to the province. There are several landmark temples in

4802-433: The capital today. In 1707, Lan Xang fell apart because of a dynastic struggle and Luang Prabang became the capital of the independent Kingdom of Luang Phrabang . When France annexed Laos, the French recognised Luang Prabang as the royal residence of Laos. Eventually, the ruler of Luang Prabang became synonymous with the figurehead of Laos. When Laos achieved independence, the king of Luang Prabang, Sisavang Vong , became

4900-432: The city of Pakse . Thereafter, it turns and runs more or less directly south, crossing into Cambodia . At Phnom Penh the river is joined on the right bank by the river and lake system the Tonlé Sap . When the Mekong is low, the Tonle Sap is a tributary : water flows from the lake and river into the Mekong. When the Mekong floods, the flow reverses: the floodwaters of the Mekong flow up the Tonle Sap. Immediately after

4998-422: The city's major landmarks is Mount Phou Si ; a large steep hill which despite the constrained scale of the city, is 150 metres (490 ft) high; a steep staircase leads to Wat Chom Si shrine and an overlook of the city and the rivers. The city was formerly the capital of a kingdom of the same name. It had also been known by the ancient name of Xieng Thong . It was the royal capital and seat of government of

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5096-418: The city, and the Buddha image is on display at the museum. Nan-chao occupied Muang Sua in 709 and its princes or administrators replaced the Tai aristocracy. The occupation probably ended before the Khmer empire 's northward expansion under Indravarman I (r. 877–889). The Khmers founded an outpost at Xay Fong near Vientiane . The Champa expansion occurred in southern Laos through 1070. Chanthaphanit ,

5194-417: The coast, torn between their influence. The first European to encounter the Mekong was the Portuguese António de Faria in 1540. A European map of 1563 depicts the river, although even by then little was known of the river upstream of the delta. European interest was sporadic: the Spanish and Portuguese mounted some missionary and trade expeditions, while the Dutch Gerrit van Wuysthoff led an expedition up

5292-440: The delta advanced 200 km (120 mi) over the continental shelf of the South China Sea, covering an area of more than 62,500 km (24,100 sq mi). From 5.3 to 3.5 ka the delta advanced across a broad embayment formed between higher ground near the Cambodian border and uplands north of Ho Chi Minh City . During this phase of its development the delta was sheltered from the wave action of long-shore currents and

5390-452: The delta. For much of its length the Mekong flows through bedrock channels, i.e., channels that are confined or constrained by bedrock or old alluvium in the bed and riverbanks. Geomorphologic features normally associated with the alluvial stretches of mature rivers, such as meanders , oxbow lakes , cut-offs, and extensive floodplains are restricted to a short stretch of the mainstream around Vientiane and downstream of Kratie where

5488-405: The east but angles north just before the confluence of the two rivers. The tip of the peninsula is the site of a wat that was frequented by the royal family when it resided there, and is still a site of devotion for local Buddhists as well as tourists. In the center of the peninsula is a hill, Phousi , which despite the constrained scale of the city, is 150 metres (490 ft) high. Stairs lead to

5586-434: The ghost lost its way'. It then turns east into the interior of Laos, flowing first east and then south for some 400 km (250 mi) before meeting the border with Thailand again. Once more, it defines the Laos-Thailand border for some 850 km (530 mi) as it flows first east, passing the capital of Laos, Vientiane , then turns south. A second time, the river leaves the border and flows east into Laos soon passing

5684-528: The high rainfall areas of Laos. The second group are those on the right bank, mainly the Mun and Chi Rivers, that drain a large part of northeast Thailand. Laos lies almost entirely within the lower Mekong basin. Its climate, landscape and land use are the major factors shaping the hydrology of the river. The mountainous landscape means that only 16% of the country is farmed under lowland terrace or upland shifting cultivation . With upland shifting agriculture (slash and burn), soils recover within 10 to 20 years but

5782-529: The hydrological impacts of land cover changes induced by the Vietnam War were quantified in two sub-catchments of the lower Mekong River basin. Loss of forest cover in the Thai areas of the lower basin has been the highest of all the lower Mekong countries over the past 60 years. On the Khorat Plateau , which includes the Mun and Chi tributary systems, forest cover was reduced from 42% in 1961 to 13% in 1993. Although this part of northeast Thailand has an annual rainfall of more than 1,000 mm (40 in),

5880-437: The hydrological response is perhaps the most natural and undisturbed of all the lower basin. Many hydrological aspects of the lower basin start to change rapidly at the downstream boundary of this reach. On 19 July 2019 this reach of the river dropped to its lowest level in a century. Officials are particularly concerned as July is in the wet season, when mainstream flows are abundant historically. Locals are blaming low water on

5978-437: The lower basin from Yunnan make up about 15% of the wet season flow at Kratie . This rises to 40% during the dry season, even this far downstream. During the wet season, the proportion of average flow coming from Yunnan rapidly decreases downstream of Chiang Saen, from 70% to less than 20% at Kratie. The dry season contribution from Yunnan is much more significant. The major portion of the balance comes from Laos, which points to

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6076-411: The lower basin. Over 25% of the mean annual flow volume to the mainstream at Kratie comes from these three river basins. They are the key element in the hydrology of this part of the system, especially to the Tonle Sap flow reversal. Reach 5: Kratie to Phnom Penh . This reach includes the hydraulic complexities of the Cambodian floodplain, the Tonle Sap and the Great Lake. By this stage, over 95% of

6174-453: The natural tourism sites are the Kuang Si Falls , Tat Sae Waterfalls , and Pak Ou Caves . Elephant riding is offered at some sites. Phou Si , in the center of the town, has broad views of the town and river systems, and is a popular place to watch the sun setting over the Mekong River. At the end of the main street of Luang Prabang is a night market where stalls sell shirts, bracelets, and other souvenirs. The Haw Kham Royal Palace Museum and

6272-439: The newly constructed Xayaburi Dam , as it enters its test phase prior to the start of commercial operation in October 2019. Reach 3: Vientiane and Nong Khai to Pakse . The boundary between Reach 2 and 3 is where the Mekong hydrology starts to change. Reach 2 is dominated in both wet and dry seasons by the Yunnan Component. Reach 3 is increasingly influenced by contributions from the large left bank tributaries in Laos, namely

6370-422: The north, Vietnam to the northeast, Houaphanh province to the east, Xiangkhouang province to the southeast, Vientiane province to the south, Sainyabuli province to the southwest, and Oudomxay province to the west. The capital is on a narrow peninsula that bisects the conjunction of the Mekong River , flowing south along the west side of the city, and the Nam Khan, a tributary of the Mekong that flows from

6468-462: The pre-1975 Lao spelling ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ (ຣ = silent r ) as Luang Prabang , literally meaning " Royal Buddha Image ", is a city in north central Laos , consisting of 58 adjacent villages, of which 33 comprise the UNESCO Town of Luang Prabang World Heritage Site . It was listed in 1995 for unique and remarkably well preserved architectural, religious and cultural heritage, a blend of the rural and urban developments over several centuries, including

6566-406: The presence of rapids and waterfalls in the Mekong make navigation difficult. Even so, the river is a major trade route between Tibet and Southeast Asia. The construction of hydroelectric dams along the Mekong in the 2000s through the 2020s has caused serious problems for the river's ecosystem , including the exacerbation of drought . The Mekong was originally called Mae Nam Khong from

6664-534: The present, however, the contribution from the Three Rivers Area fell to 40%, while that from the Central Highlands rose from 11 to 51%. One of the most striking conclusions of provenance studies is the small contribution of sediment from the other parts of the Mekong basin, notably the Khorat Plateau, the uplands of northern Laos and northern Thailand, and the mountain ranges south of the Three Rivers area. The last glacial period came to an abrupt end about 19,000 years ago (19 ka ) when sea levels rose rapidly, reaching

6762-407: The previous king, Fa Ngum's grandfather. Fa Ngum had the support of the Khmer Kingdom centered at Siem Reap and brought with him thousands of soldiers to assist in establishing his own kingdom. Luang Prabang was known as Muang Sua around the 11th century, but the settlement's name was changed after Cambodia gave a gold image of the Buddha, the Phra Bang , as a gift. The Phra Bang became the symbol of

6860-436: The principal crops. Drought is by far the major hydrological hazard in this region. As the Mekong enters Cambodia, over 95% of its flows have already joined the river. From here on downstream the terrain is flat and water levels rather than flow volumes determine the movement of water across the landscape. The seasonal cycle of changing water levels at Phnom Penh results in the unique "flow reversal" of water into and out of

6958-580: The principal left bank tributaries enter the mainstream, mainly the Nam Ngum and Nam Theun. The flow level falls again, even with the right bank entry of the Mun-Chi system from Thailand. Although the Mun–Chi basin drains 20% of the lower system, average annual runoff is only 250 mm (10 in). Runoff in the mainstream increases again with the entry from the left bank of the Se Kong from southern Laos and Se San and Sre Pok from Vietnam and Cambodia. Table 2: Lower Mekong Mainstream annual flow (1960 to 2004) at selected sites. Flows at Chiang Saen entering

7056-462: The proper name of the Yangtze before becoming a generic word for major rivers. To the early European traders, the Mekong River was also known as Mekon River , May-Kiang River and Cambodia River . The local names for the river include: The Mekong rises as the Za Qu ( Tibetan : རྫ་ཆུ་ , Wylie : rDza chu , ZYPY : Za qu ; Chinese : 扎曲 ; pinyin : Zā Qū ) and soon becomes known as

7154-442: The provincial capital city. Wat Wisunarat has a watermelon-shaped stupa, while Wat Xieng Muan has a Buddhist art school. Wat Manorom, the 6 metres (20 ft) tall, bronze, sitting Buddha, built in 1382, was badly damaged in 1887, but was renovated in 1919 and in 1971. Wat That Luang, originally established in the 3rd century BC by Ashokan missionaries, is the traditional cremation place for Lao royalty. Steps from Wat Phabaht lead to

7252-491: The reign of King Saysetthathirath, at the confluence of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. Its notability within the country and in Asia is credited to its Buddhist art and architecture. An artifact of funerary nature kept in the temple complex is a richly carved and gilded funeral vehicle of the former king, and also the remains of King Sisavangvon. Royal ceremonies were held here until 1975. The wat has carved gilded, wooden doors which depict scenes from Buddha's life. The ceiling in

7350-495: The river as far as Vientiane in 1641–42. The French invaded the region in the mid-19th century, capturing Saigon in 1861, and establishing a protectorate over Cambodia in 1863. The first systematic European exploration began with the French Mekong Expedition led by Ernest Doudard de Lagrée and Francis Garnier , which ascended the river from its mouth to Yunnan between 1866 and 1868. Their chief finding

7448-448: The river develops alluvial channels that are free of control exerted by the underlying bedrock. The Mekong basin is not normally considered a seismically active area as much of the basin is underlain by the relatively stable continental block. Nonetheless, the parts of the basin in northern Laos , northern Thailand , Myanmar and China do experience frequent earthquakes and tremors. The magnitude of these earthquakes rarely exceeds 6.5 on

7546-480: The river flows for a further 2,600 km (1,600 mi) through Laos, Thailand, and Cambodia before entering the South China Sea via a complex delta system in Vietnam . The upper basin makes up 24% of the total area and contributes 15–20% of the water that flows into the Mekong River. The catchment here is steep and narrow with Soil erosion being a major problem and as a result of this, approximately 50% of

7644-464: The river landscape is flat. Small changes in water level determine the direction of water movement, including the large-scale reversal of flow into and out of the Tonle Sap basin from the Mekong River. The Mekong Delta in Vietnam is farmed intensively and has little natural vegetation left. Forest cover is less than 10%. In the Central Highlands of Vietnam, forest cover was reduced from over 95% in

7742-514: The roads leading to the reserve; the former from Phonsavan and the latter from Meuang Hiam , while its northern area has a seasonal road; access is also available from Luang Prabang. The province is made up of the following 12 districts: The population of the province as of the March 2015 census was 431,889. The self-financed OckPopTok weaving centre and textile gallery is based in Luang Prabang. It designs and produces textiles and handicrafts. It

7840-541: The ruler of Xay Fong, invaded Muang Sua and was accepted as ruler with the departure of the Nan-chao administrators. Though Chanthaphanit and his son had long reigns, the dynasty had troubles with several principalities, leading to Khun Chuang , who may have been a Kammu tribesman, extending his territory to Muang Sua and ruling from 1128 to 1170. The family of Khun Chuang reinstituted the Siamese administrative system of

7938-477: The sediment in the river comes from the upper basin. In Yunnan Province in China, the river and its tributaries are confined by narrow, deep gorges. The tributary river systems in this part of the basin are small. Only 14 have catchment areas that exceed 1,000 km (400 sq mi), yet the greatest amount of loss of forest cover in the entire river system per square kilometer has occurred in this region due to heavy unchecked demand for natural resources. In

8036-507: The south of Yunnan, in Simao and Xishuangbanna Prefectures, the river changes as the valley opens out, the floodplain becomes wider, and the river becomes wider and slower. Major tributary systems develop in the lower basin. These systems can be separated into two groups: tributaries that contribute to the major wet season flows, and tributaries that drain low relief regions of lower rainfall. The first group are left bank tributaries that drain

8134-527: The sovereignty of Laos and was used to spread Theravada Buddhism in the new kingdom. The capital name was changed to Luangphabang, where it was kept, named after the Buddha image. Luang Prabang was briefly occupied by the Vietnamese forces during Emperor Lê Thánh Tông 's 1478–1480 expedition against Lan Xang and Lanna . The capital was moved in 1560 by King Setthathirath I to Vientiane , which remains

8232-633: The support of the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement within the US State Department Bureau of Political-Military Affairs , to conduct underwater explosive removal. The many maps of the river basin produced throughout recorded history reflect the region's changing human geography and politics. In 1995, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam established the Mekong River Commission (MRC) to manage and coordinate

8330-415: The term also refers to the much larger area of those three countries that was notorious as a drug producing region. From the Golden Triangle tripoint, the Mekong turns southeast to briefly form the border of Laos with Thailand. Khon Pi Long is a series of rapids along a 1.6 km (1.0 mi) section of the Mekong River dividing Chiang Rai and Bokeo Province in Laos. The name of the rapids means 'where

8428-572: The total flow has entered the Mekong system. The focus turns from hydrology and water discharge to the assessment of water level, over- bank storage and flooding and the hydrodynamics that determine the timing, duration and volume of the seasonal flow reversal into and out of the Great Lake. Reach 6: Phnom Penh to the South China Sea . Here the mainstream divides into a complex and increasingly controlled and artificial system of branches and canals. Key features of flow behaviour are tidal influences and salt water intrusion. Every year, 35–50% of this reach

8526-491: The trip to be made in about 3 hours (compared to 5 hours via Route 13). Several daily buses run from Vientiane to Luang Prabang, taking 11–13 hours. The road from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang is poorly maintained, remote, unlit, unmarked and dangerous for the unfamiliar, particularly in the rainy season. Buses regularly travel the route for 14–16 hours. If coming from Vietnam, sleeper buses can be caught from Hanoi to either Luang Prabang or Vang Vieng . The Mekong River itself

8624-478: The underlying geological structure is fairly homogeneous and stable, exerting little or no control on river morphology . In marked contrast, the tributary networks of the Salween , Yangtze , and particularly the Mekong, are complex with different sub-basins often exhibiting different, and distinct, drainage patterns. These complex drainage systems have developed in a setting where the underlying geological structure

8722-687: The use and care of the Mekong. In 1996 China and Myanmar became "dialogue partners" of the MRC and the six countries now work together in a cooperative framework. In 2000, the governments of China, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar signed a Agreement on Commercial Navigation on Lancang-Mekong River among the Governments of the People's Republic of China, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Union of Myanmar and

8820-419: The vegetation does not. Shifting cultivation is common in the uplands of northern Laos and is reported to account for as much as 27% of the total land under rice cultivation. As elsewhere in the basin, forest cover has been steadily reduced during the last three decades by shifting agriculture and permanent agriculture. The cumulative impacts of these activities on the river regime have not been measured. However,

8918-521: The wars in Indochina in the 1970s, a significant quantity of explosives (sometimes, entire barges loaded with military ordnance ) sank in the Cambodian section of the Mekong (as well as in the country's other waterways). Besides being a danger for fishermen, unexploded ordnance also creates problems for bridge and irrigation systems construction. As of 2013, Cambodian volunteers are being trained, with

9016-605: The waterfalls for the day. Down the Mekong River, a 15-minute boat ride from the city centre, Ban Chan (the pottery village ) is another notable place. Luang Prabang received 'Best City' in the Wanderlust Travel Awards 2015. Luang Prabang has a rich artistic and culinary history and the city's cooks were hired by the king. Typical local dishes include: Or lam (O-lam, the favourite dish of Luang Prabang locals), Luang Prabang sausage, mokpa (steamed fish), and Kaipen made from Mekong River moss (served fried) with

9114-489: The year, it is noticeably cooler during December and January. Luang Prabang also experiences wet and dry seasons, with the wet season from April until October, and the dry season during the remaining five months. The city receives approximately 1,450 millimetres (57 in) of precipitation annually. Mekong River The Mekong or Mekong River is a trans-boundary river in East Asia and Southeast Asia . It

9212-481: Was constructed largely through fluvial and tidal processes. At this time the delta was advancing at a rate of 17 to 18 m (56 to 59 ft) per year. After 3.5 ka, however, the delta had built out beyond the embayment and became subject to wave action and marine currents. These deflected deposition south-eastwards in the direction of the Cà Mau Peninsula , which is one of the most recent features of

9310-483: Was established as a partner of the Lao Women's Union and other rural communities of artisans. OckPopTok provides jobs for almost 200 people. The capital city of Luang Prabang is the most notable landmark of the province and became a World Heritage Site in 1995. According to a legend, Buddha visited this place and predicted that it would become a rich and prosperous city. It was in the following centuries that it became

9408-573: Was established in 1993. Its topography is rugged highlands with elevations ranging between 500–2,257 metres (1,640–7,405 ft). It is drained by the Nam Khan and Nam Xuang Rivers, which flow primarily to the southwest. The reserve is 87% forested, mixed deciduous and evergreens with an abundance of bamboo and grasslands resulting from shifting cultivation . Fauna in the reserve are mainly clouded leopard , tiger , and leopard , and large cats which are endemic to Indochina. Route 7 and Route 1 are

9506-523: Was renamed Luang Prabang, meaning "City of the Lord (Buddha) of Fine Gold", in recognition of the Phra Bang gift received centuries earlier. After Lan Xang had troubles in 1707, Luang Prabang became the capital of the independent Luang Prabang Kingdom . When France annexed Laos, the French recognised Luang Prabang as the royal residence of Laos. Eventually, the ruler of Luang Prabang became synonymous with

9604-489: Was that the Mekong had too many falls and rapids to ever be useful for navigation . The river's source was found by Pyotr Kuzmich Kozlov in 1900. From 1893, the French extended their control of the river into Laos, establishing French Indochina by the first decade of the 20th century. This lasted until the First and Second Indochina Wars expelled French from its former colony and defeated US-supported governments. During

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