Getting to Know the Mekong Wetlands
Inle Lake, Myanmar
This vast and picturesque lake, 22 km long and 10 km wide, 900 meters above sea level in the hilly Shan State in eastern Myanmar, is one of the country's main tourist attractions. It is famous for its scenic beauty and the unique leg rowing of the Inthas, the native lake dwellers. Aquatic animals are highly endemic, to an unusual degree, in this relatively shallow lake. Some 150,000 people live on or around the lake, many on floating islands of vegetation.
The lake has been modified through land reclamation. Floating gardens built in many places have transformed the lake surface into a series of canals. Runoff of pesticides and fertilizer from the gardens, combined with sewage from surrounding communities and sedimentation from cattle grazing, poses a potential threat to this ecosystem.
| Inle Lake Facts |
| Designation |
WWF: Ecoregion 190 (Small Lakes) |
| Area |
155 km2
|
| Nearby Population |
150,000 |
| Biodiversity Value |
High: critical habitat for nine endemic fish species in three ende-mic genera; supports 20 species of gastropods, of which one third may be endemic |
| Tourism |
High: famous for leg-rowing fishers and floating markets and gardens |
| Environmental Issues |
Pollution of the lake because of pesticides, fertilizer, and sewage runoff and sedimentation from cattle grazing. The shallow areas of the lake are converted to cropland, which limits the habitat of freshwater organisms |
Satellite Photo
Sectors and Themes 
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