Burma

January 26, 1984 to

February 2. 1984

The Ayeyarwady River or Irrawaddy River is a river that flows through Burma

(Myanmar). It is the country's largest river (about 1350 miles or 2170 km long) and

its most important commercial waterway, with a drainage area of about 158,700

square miles (411,000 km²).

Irrawaddy River at Mandalay

lumber raft

The Ayeyarwaddy River bisects the country from north to south and empties through

a nine-armed delta into the Indian Ocean. In colonial times, before railways and

automobiles, the river was known as the "Road to Mandalay". Although navigable by

large vessels to Myitkyina for a distance over 1600 km from the ocean, the river is

also full of sandbanks and islands, making such navigation difficult. For many years,

the only bridge built to cross the Ayeyarwady River was the Inwa Bridge.

 dissembling the lumber raft

More Photos of the Irrawaddy River

On to the Markets