Water Resources eAtlas
 

AS19 Mekong
Watersheds of Asia and Oceania
     

 

 

 

Land Cover and Use Variables
  
Percent Forest Cover: 41.5
Percent Grassland, Savanna and Shrubland: 17.2
Percent Wetlands: 8.7
Percent Cropland: 37.8
Percent Irrigated Cropland: 2.9
Percent Dryland Area: 0.8
Percent Urban and Industrial Area: 2.1
Percent Loss of Original Forest Cover: 69.2

 
 
 

Basin Indicators
  
Basin Area (sq. km.): 805,604
Average Population Density (people per sq. km.): 71
Number of Large Cities (>100,000 people): 9
Water Supply per Person (1995) (m3/person/year): 8,934
Degree of river fragmentation: Medium
Number of Dams (>15m high) in Basin: 4
Number of Dams (>150m high) in Basin: 0
Number of Dams (>60m high) under Construction: 3
Number of Dams (>15m high) on Main Stem of River: 4
Number of Dams (>150m high) on Main Stem of River: 0

 
 
 

Biodiversity Information and Indicators
  
Number of Fish Species:

1200-1700
Number of Fish Endemics: 62
Number of Amphibian Species: 162
Number of Ramsar Sites: 4
Number of Wetland-Dependent IBAs: -
Number of Endemic Bird Areas: 7
Percent Protected Area: 5.4

This basin is home to one of the 5 species of freshwater cetaceans, the Irrawaddy River dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris). The status of the species in the basin is not well known. IUCN classified it as 'data deficient' in 1996. Only the conservation status of the subpopulation found in the Mahakan River basin has since been assessed.

Mekong River Commission: http://www.mrcmekong.org

 
 

 

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