Irrawaddy << `ihr` uh WAH dee >> River, also spelled Irawadi, is the chief river of Myanmar. It flows about 1,300 miles (2,100 kilometers) south through some of the most colorful scenery in the country. The Irrawaddy rises in a high region of evergreen forests in northern Myanmar. It flows through a thickly populated area to the broad rice fields of the coast. There, the Irrawaddy enters the Bay of Bengal through many mouths that form a delta of rich farmland.
The banks of the Irrawaddy River have been diked for about 100 miles (160 kilometers) inland to protect the countryside from floods. The city of Yangon lies near the Irrawaddy River. Small steamers can sail up the river as far as Bhamo, some 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) inland.
