6.5 Mekong river

• Aardrijkskunde
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

6.5 The Mekong River

At the end of this lesson you will be able to:

- Describe the importance of the Mekong River to the people living along its banks

- Explain why environmentalists are not always thrilled about hydropower dams

High discharge

Low discharge

High gradient

Decreasing gradient

Large rocks

Gravel

Sand and clay

Name a difference between the upper course and the lower course (use language aims!)

Soil erosion due to deforestation in the upper course

Khone falls (boundary of Laos and Cambodia)

The widest falls (10 km wide)

Tonle Sap Lake

(Cambodia)

Two reasons for expansion:

- Rain falls directly into the lake

- More water flows from the Mekong River into the lake

In november the flow reverses. From lake to river.

Most biodiverse river in the world

Exercises 6.5

1 - 12

Questions

1. What is meant by LTA chart? 

2. What do you think river Mekong River Commission stands for?

3. Which 8 topics are discussed within the Mekong River Commission?

4. Why are China and Myanmar not involved?

www.mrcmekong.org