Mekong River shore lined with young palms and sandbags at Mytho

The Mekong River shore is lined with young palms and sandbags at Mytho. Sandbags have been placed at the river's edge to protect against flooding. The waterways of the Mekong are the region's primary conduit for local trade and transportation.The Mekong River flows approximately 2,800 miles from the high plateaus of Tibet to the fertile delta regions now within southern Vietnam and Cambodia. The rich river delta soils allow up to three crops of rice per year and form the major food-producing regions of both countries. Almost 2/3 of Vietnam's food supply is grown in the Mekong delta area southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.