Salween River, also spelled Salwin, is an important river of Myanmar. It rises in eastern Tibet, and flows through eastern Myanmar to the Andaman Sea. It empties into the sea through the Gulf of Martaban near Moulmein. The river, 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometers) long, drains eastern Myanmar and western Thailand. It has little value as a commercial waterway, because much of it flows through a gorge. In its lower course, the river is important for crop irrigation.
The Salween Delta is one of the most fertile sections in Myanmar. During flood season, the upper Salween River rises nearly 100 feet (30 meters) above its low water level and becomes a raging torrent.
