Mekong River Commission State of the Basin Report 2003 Meeting the needs, keeping the balance Mekong River Commission State of the Basin Report 2003 The Mekong River Commission June 2003 Published in Phnom Penh in June 2003 by the Mekong River Commission This document should be cited as MRC. 2003. State of the Basin Report: 2003. Mekong River Commission, Phnom Penh, 316 pages. ISSN: 1728:3248 © Mekong River Commission P.O. Box 1112, 364 Monivong Boulevard, Phnom Penh, Cambodia email: [email protected] Coordination and Editing: Ann Bishop Design and Layout: Boonruang Song-ngam Advisors: Christopher Barlow; Ian Campbell; Stephen Carson; Robyn Johnston; Muanpong Juntopas; Ann Lund; Solieng Mak; Sein Mya; Somsanith Nhoybouakong; Susan Novak; Claus Aagaard Pedersen The opinions and interpretations expressed within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Mekong River Commission. The designation employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Mekong River Commission concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area, or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Table of contents Preface ............................................................................................................................................xi Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... xiii Acronyms and abbreviations.......................................................................................................... xv 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 2. Physical landforms of the Mekong Basin......................................................................7 1. Lancang River Basin .......................................................................................................... 9 2. Northern Highlands ........................................................................................................... 10 3. Korat Plateau .................................................................................................................... 10 4. Eastern Highlands .............................................................................................................10 5. Lowlands .......................................................................................................................... 10 6. Southern Uplands ............................................................................................................... 11 3. Water in the Mekong Basin ............................................................................................... 13 1. Climate .............................................................................................................................. 13 2. Annual runoff .................................................................................................................... 16 3. Seasonal runoff patterns ................................................................................................... 17 4. Water quality ..................................................................................................................... 23 5. Trends in water quality ..................................................................................................... 24 4. Biota of the Lower Mekong Basin .................................................................................... 29 1. Vegetation ......................................................................................................................... 29 2. Vertebrate fauna ............................................................................................................... 30 3. Invertebrates ..................................................................................................................... 33 5. Peoples of the Mekong ....................................................................................................... 39 1. Demographics in the Lower Mekong Basin ..................................................................... 40 1.1 Where people live....................................................................................................... 40 1.2 Ethnic diversity in the Mekong Region ....................................................................... 43 1.3 Individual and household characteristics of people in the LMB ................................. 44 1.4 People’s movements in the basin ............................................................................... 46 1.5 Population dynamics and growth ................................................................................ 47 2. Social development in the Mekong Region ....................................................................... 48 2.1 Indices of human development ................................................................................... 49 2.2 People’s health ........................................................................................................... 50 2.3 Literacy and educational achievement ....................................................................... 54 2.4 Access to water, sanitation and electricity ................................................................. 57 3. Livelihoods, income and poverty in the Mekong Region .................................................. 59 3.1 Rural livelihoods ......................................................................................................... 59 3.2 Employment and incomes........................................................................................... 61 3.3 Dimensions of poverty in the Mekong Region ........................................................... 65 4. Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 70 iii 6. Macroeconomic trends in the Lower Mekong Basin .................................................... 85 1. Economic overview of the four riparian countries ............................................................ 86 1.1 Differences in levels of development ......................................................................... 86 1.2 Cambodia ................................................................................................................... 87 1.3 Lao PDR .................................................................................................................... 88 1.4 Viet Nam .................................................................................................................... 89 1.5 Thailand ...................................................................................................................... 91 1.6 Common economic characteristics of the LMB ........................................................ 92 2. Economic development and trends ................................................................................... 93 2.1 Trade and diversification ............................................................................................. 94 2.2 Investing in the future ................................................................................................. 95 3. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 96 7. Fisheries ...............................................................................................................................101 1. The importance of varied habitat and migrations .............................................................102 2. Capture fisheries ..............................................................................................................105 2.1 Biodiversity ................................................................................................................105 2.2 Numbers of people involved in the fishery ................................................................106 2.3 Consumption and fisheries yield ................................................................................106 2.4 Size and value of the fishery in the Lower Mekong Basin. ......................................107 2.5 Nutritional value ........................................................................................................109 2.6 Economic value ......................................................................................................... 110 2.7 Factors impacting on fisheries resources .................................................................. 112 3. Aquaculture ..................................................................................................................... 119 3.1 Importance of aquaculture ........................................................................................ 119 3.2 Factors impacting the sector .....................................................................................123 4. Aquatic products from wetlands ......................................................................................126 4.1. Aquatic animals for food ...........................................................................................126 4.2. Aquatic plants as food ...............................................................................................129