Boats and small ferries between Bagan and Mandalay along the Irrawaddy river (Ayeyarwady river), Burma, Myanmar, South Asia
The Irrawaddy River or Ayeyarwady River is a river that flows from north to south through Myanmar. It is the country's largest river and most important commercial waterway. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows relatively straight North-South before emptying through the Irrawaddy Delta into the Andaman Sea. After Rudyard Kipling's poem, it is sometimes referred to as 'The Road to Mandalay'. As early as the sixth century the river was used for trade and transport. Having developed an extensive network of irrigation canals, the river became important to the British Empire after it had colonized Burma. The river is still as vital today, as a considerable amount of (export) goods and traffic moves by river. Rice is produced in the Irrawaddy Delta, irrigated by water from the river. In 2007, Myanmar's military dictatorship signed an agreement for the construction of seven hydroelectric dams. Environmental organisations have raised concerns about the ecological impacts on the river's biodiverse ecosystems. Animals potentially impacted include the threatened Irrawaddy dolphin and the Irrawaddy river shark, an endangered species.
Size: 4020px × 2680px
Location: Irrawaddy river, Mandalay, Bagan, Burma, Myanmar, South Asia
Photo credit: © Thibaut PETIT-BARA / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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