Laos: A view of Keng Sao and the mountains near Luang Prabang on the Mekong River, illustrated by French expeditioner Louis Delaporte in April 1867.

The River Mekong is the world's 12th-longest river. From its Himalayan source on the Tibetan plateau, it flows some 4,350 km (2,703 miles) through China's Yunnan province, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, finally draining in the South China Sea. The recent construction of hydroelectric dams on the river and its tributaries has reduced the water flow dramatically during the dry season in Southeast Asia. This illustration was one of dozens produced by Louis Delaporte during a two-year venture (1866-68) with the Mekong Exploration Commission, which was sponsored by the French Ministry of the Navy, the intention of which was to lay the groundwork for the expansion of French colonies in Indochina.

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