## Mekong River (Lancang Jiang), South China

The upper Mekong flows in a strikingly dissected valley through South China before entering Myanmar and Laos. The geological structure of the region has given rise to straight river courses, deep gorges, and parallel mountain chains and valleys. Natural vegetation (shown in dark red) is seen on the upper slopes. The lower slopes have generally been cleared or are under cultivation (light red or bluish grey). The Mekong is carrying a large amount of sediment.
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