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Where Is Tonle Sap?

GeographyEcology

Quick Answer

Tonle Sap is in central Cambodia, Southeast Asia — it is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, connected to the Mekong River by the Tonle Sap River, which famously reverses flow direction twice a year.

The Full Story

Tonle Sap ("Great Lake" in Khmer) is a remarkable hydrological system. During the dry season (November-May), the lake shrinks to about 2,500 square kilometres with a depth of about 1 metre. During the monsoon wet season (June-October), the swollen Mekong River reverses the flow of the Tonle Sap River, flooding the lake to about 16,000 square kilometres with depths up to 9 metres — a six-fold expansion that is the largest such seasonal variation of any lake in the world. This flood pulse creates extraordinarily productive fisheries and flooded forests. Tonle Sap provides about 60% of Cambodia protein intake through its fisheries, one of the world most productive freshwater fisheries (about 500,000 tonnes per year). About 1.2 million people live around and on the lake in floating and stilted villages. However, upstream Mekong dam construction is reducing the seasonal flood pulse, threatening the entire ecosystem.

Key Facts

1.Tonle Sap expands from about 2,500 square kilometres in the dry season to about 16,000 square kilometres in the wet season — a six-fold increase.
2.The Tonle Sap River reverses its flow direction twice a year — one of the only rivers in the world to regularly reverse course, driven by the Mekong monsoon pulse.
3.Tonle Sap fisheries produce about 500,000 tonnes of fish per year, providing approximately 60% of Cambodian protein intake.

YouTube Angle

Suggested video title for this topic:

"Tonle Sap — The Lake That Breathes with the Monsoon"