Previous Year Question
With reference to Mekong river, which of the following statement/s is/are correct?
Mekong rises in Tibetan Plateau.
Mekong delta is situated in Southern Cambodia.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is correct. The Mekong River has its source on the Tibetan Plateau in China. According to the Mekong River Commission, the river is approximately 4,900 km long and flows from China through Myanmar, Lao PDR, Thailand, Cambodia and Viet Nam.
In China, the Mekong is known as the Lancang River. Its upper basin includes the Tibetan Plateau, the Three Rivers Area and the Lancang Basin. The river then drains a vast region of Southeast Asia before reaching the South China Sea.
Statement 2 is not correct. Describing the Mekong Delta as being situated only in Southern Cambodia is not an accurate geographical description. According to the Mekong River Commission, the delta begins near Phnom Penh, where the Bassac River branches from the mainstream, but the vast deltaic plain extends mainly across southern Viet Nam. The broader Mekong Delta is a transboundary region involving both Cambodia and Viet Nam.