Keywords: Mekong, Mekong River Commission, hydropower, fisheries, agriculture, runoff regulation, dams, interstate contradictions
The Mekong is the central waterway of all of Indochina, the tenth longest river in the world. In total, 60 million people in China's Yunnan Province, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam depend on this river for their well-being. The Mekong river fauna is very diverse and is second only to the Amazon in its richness. In the river basin, researchers are discovering new species of animals and plants.
Fishing is the main activity and means of feeding the inhabitants of coastal areas, and fish is almost the only source of animal protein for the majority of the population.
The main agricultural crop in the Mekong Valley is rice, the largest producer of which in the region is Vietnam, on the territory of which the river delta is located with its fertile soils.
Since the mid-20th century. The great river of Southeast Asia also has an energy function. The first hydroelectric power stations were built on its tributaries. Today, the issue of damming the main riverbed has also been raised. China, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos actively use Mekong water as an energy resource. If Vietnam is called the" rice bowl " of Indochina, Laos claims to be the "regional battery". 13 hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 3,200 MW have already been built on its territory. The main buyer of Lao electricity is economically more developed Thailand.
The energy component in the problem of using the resources of the Mekong River is gradually coming to the fore. By 2030, riparian countries plan to build a total of 88 dams in the river basin; to date, more than 30 have been built. However, the plans for their further construction have many opponents. After all, if all these projects are implemented, they will radically change the traditional way of life of the population, the river flow regime, will lead to changes in the habitat of representa ...
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