Kong River

river, Southeast Asia

Also known as: Tônlé Kŏng, Xe Kong

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Last updated

June 30, 2026

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The Mekong River is the longest river in Southeast Asia and the 7th longest in Asia, stretching approximately 2,700 miles (4,350 km). It originates in China's Qinghai province and flows through Tibet and Yunnan before forming borders between Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand. The river then continues through Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, emptying into the South China Sea. Major cities like Vientiane and Phnom Penh are situated on its banks. The Mekong's drainage area covers over 313,000 square miles, extending from the Plateau of Tibet to the South China Sea.12

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Mekong River
Physiography
…Bangfai, the Banghiang, and the Kong—which, with its affluent the San, drains a large area of southern Laos, central Vietnam, and eastern Cambodia. Forest degradation, which has resulted from lumbering, shifting cultivation, and grazing, is widespread in this region.
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…Bangfai, the Banghiang, and the Kong—which, with its affluent the San, drains a large area of southern Laos, central Vietnam, and eastern Cambodia. Forest degradation, which has resulted from lumbering, shifting cultivation, and grazing, is widespread in this region.
Read More