Sediment plumes from the mouths of the Irrawaddy River can be seen in this west-looking view. The Irrawaddy is the principal river of Myanmar (Burma) and rises in the folded ranges of northern Myanmar and flows generally south for 1300 miles (2100 km). The river branches into several distributary channels that form an extensive delta as it empties into the Andaman Sea (left half of the image). The Irrawaddy River Delta is one of the major rice growing regions in the world. The delta’s fine alluvial soils also produce sugarcane, beans, and an assortment of vegetables. The darker areas seen in this view are the remains of mangrove swamps. Monsoon rains blanket the delta from mid-June through the end of September. Tropical cyclones are rare in the region.