The Ayeyarwady River or Irrawaddy River () is a river that flows from North to South of 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).

The Ayeyarwaddy River starts in the North of Kachin State, at the confluence of the Mali Hka and N'Mai Hka rivers. The western Mali Hka branch arises from the end of the southern Himalayas, north of Putao, and (like the main river) is called Nam Kiu in the Shan language.

Built in 1934, the Ava Bridge near Sagaing, Burma, was the only bridge over the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River until 1998.

The Ayeyarwaddy River bisects the country from north to south and empties through a nine-armed Irrawaddy 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.

Etymology

The names Irrawaddy and Ayeyarwady are believed to have derived either from the Sanskrit name Iravati, a sacred river and minor goddess in Indian mythology, or from her son Airavata, the elephant mount of Indra.

The Irrawaddy gives its name to a dolphin, the Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris), which is found in the river. Though sometimes called the Irrawaddy River Dolphin, it is not a true river dolphin, since it is also found at sea.

Economy and Politics

Major Cities and Town

The origin towards the delta, it flows through the following cities;

• Putao
• Myitkyina
• Bhamo
• Mandalay and Sagaing
• Chauk, Bagan, Nyaung-U
• Magwe
• Pyay
• Hinthada and
• Pantanaw.

External links

• Pandaw Irrawaddy River Cruises
• NASA Earth Observatory

Ayeyarwady River from Sagaing Hill, Sagaing

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