The Irrawaddy River, or locally the Ayeyarwady, flows north to south through the central heartland of the nation. Myanmar’s most important social and commercial waterway, meanders for some 1,350 miles (2,200 kms). Its name is believed to derive from the Sanskrit term airavati, meaning ‘Elephant River’.

The Irrawaddy is formed by the confluence of the Nmai and Mali rivers. Both sources are in the remote mountains in northern Myanmar, around longitude 28° N. The eastern branch is the Nmai River, which flows from the Languela glacier on the border with Tibet. This river has the greatest volume of water, but is virtually unnavigable due to strong currents. The Mali River forms the western branch and despite a series of white water rapids, has some navigable sections.

Bhamo, about 150 miles (240kms) south of the confluence, is the northern limit for year-round navigation. Between the confluence and Bhamo, the width of the river during the low-water season varies between 400m to 800m. The depth of the main channel averages about 30 feet (9m).

Read More