Rivers are very important to the mainland nations in South and East Asia. Most of the major cities are located on either coasts or rivers. Rivers are used for both transportation and agriculture.
The longest river in South Asia is the Mekong. The Mekong River, 2,600 miles long, flows south from China through the Indochina Peninsula. It finally empties into the South China Sea. The capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, is located on the Mekong. Ho Chi Minh City, an important city in Vietnam, is also located near this river.
Another important river in Southeast Asia is the Irrawaddy. The Irrawaddy River flows for 1,337 miles through Myanmar (Burma). It empties into the Bay of Bengal. The capital of Myanmar, Rangoon, is located on the Irrawaddy.
Four major rivers flow through the Indian Subcontinent. Perhaps the most famous is the Ganges River, considered by Hindus to be the holiest river in the world. The Ganges flows for 1,560 miles through India. It empties into the Bay of Bengal.
In addition to the Ganges, three other major rivers flow through the Indian Subcontinent. The Indus River flows through Pakistan, the Brahmaputra River flows through Bangladesh, and the Kabul River flows through Afghanistan.
In Real LifeIn northern India, the city of Varanasi lies on the banks of the Ganges River. Varanasi is one of the seven holy cities of the Hindu faith. Along the city’s riverbanks, miles of steps rise from the water’s edge. These steps are used for religious bathing. There are also many shrines, temples, and palaces along the riverbanks. All practicing Hindus hope to visit Varanasi at least once in their lifetime. More than one million Hindus visit Varanasi each year.
China has three great rivers. They are the Huang, the Chang, and the Xi (pronounced “SHE ”). Use the map in the “Location” section to identify these rivers.
The Huang River flows 2,900 miles from western China to the Yellow Sea. The Huang is called the Yellow River in English. Most of the Huang is not navigable. That means that ships cannot pass through it. It is also unpredictable. The Huang often changes its course and floods its banks.
The Chang River, also called the Yangtze, is the most important river in China. The Chang flows 3,964 miles, from the highlands of Tibet to the East China Sea. More people live in the Chang River basin than in the whole United States. The city of Shanghai is at the mouth of the Chang. In 1992, the Chinese government began work on building a dam on the Chang. When it is finished, the Three Gorges Dam will create a huge reservoir. Hydroelectric power from the dam is expected to provide one ninth of China’s electric power. The dam is also expected to control flooding on the Chang. However, building the dam means moving more than one million people from their homes. Almost 400 square miles of fertile land will be flooded by the reservoir.
The third important river in China is the Xi River, in southern China. The Xi is 1,200 miles long. It is a navigable river and an important commercial route. At its mouth lies the city of Guangzhou, also known as Canton. This is where the Xi empties into the South China Sea.
Practice 5: Inland Waterways
Match each description with a river from the list below.
This river is an important commercial route in southern China. The city of Guangzhou is located on its banks.
Huang
Chang
Xi
Mekong
Ganges
This river is considered holy by Hindus. It flows through India.
Huang
Chang
Xi
Mekong
Ganges
The name for this river comes from the color of its water. Most of this river is not navigable.
Huang
Chang
Xi
Mekong
Ganges
This river is the longest river in South Asia. It flows through the Indochina Peninsula.
Huang
Chang
Xi
Mekong
Ganges
This river is the longest river in China. Shanghai is located on its banks.
Huang
Chang
Xi
Mekong
Ganges
1 answer
Here are the matches for each description with the corresponding river:
This river is an important commercial route in southern China. The city of Guangzhou is located on its banks.
Xi
This river is considered holy by Hindus. It flows through India.
Ganges
The name for this river comes from the color of its water. Most of this river is not navigable.
Huang
This river is the longest river in South Asia. It flows through the Indochina Peninsula.
Mekong
This river is the longest river in China. Shanghai is located on its banks.
1 answer