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Irrawaddy River

Also known as Ayeyarwadi River, Irawadi

river in Myanmar and China

AI overview

The Irrawaddy River is a major river that flows through Myanmar and originates in China, making it one of the most important waterways in Southeast Asia. It matters because it has historically served as a vital transportation route and water source for the millions of people living in Myanmar who depend on it for agriculture, fishing, and daily life.

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Wikidata facts

Image: Sagaing, Myanmar.jpg
Length: 2170

Show 5 more facts

Commons category: Ayeyarwady River
Commons gallery: Ayeyarwady River
watershed area: 411000
discharge: 13000
native label: ဧရာဝတီ

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Article

The Irrawaddy River (Burmese: ဧရာဝတီမြစ်, pronounced [ʔèjàwədì mjɪʔ], official romanisation: Ayeyarwady) is the principal river of Myanmar, running through the centre of the country. Myanmar's most important commercial waterway, it is about 1,350 mi (2,170 km) long. Originating from the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers, it flows from north to south before emptying through the Irrawaddy Delta in the Ayeyarwady Region into the Andaman Sea. Its drainage basin of about 156,000 mi (400,000 km) covers 61% of the land area of Burma, and contains five of its largest cities.

As early as the sixth century, the river was used for trade and transport, and an extensive network of irrigation canals was developed to support agriculture. The river is still of great importance as the largest commercial waterway of Myanmar. It also provides important ecosystem services to different communities and economic sectors, including agriculture, fisheries, and tourism.