Of all the countries in the Lower Mekong Basin of Southeast Asia, Myanmar is the most unknown to the rest of the world. As the country emerges from a state of isolation after nearly half a century of military rule, it confronts numerous environmental challenges in the face of impending development. With a land area nearly the size of Texas, Myanmar is the largest of the Lower Mekong Basin nations and is rich in natural resources, from forests and minerals, to rivers and an extensive coastline. In some cases, the country's isolation has helped protect its biodiversity, in contrast to the rapid development occurring in neighboring countries. However, resource overexploitation and habitat destruction are not unknown to Myanmar. For example, the area of mangroves in the delta of the Ayeyarwady (or Irrawaddy) River has declined by nearly two thirds over the last thirty years, and such environmental threats will likely continue to grow (Webb et al. 2013).

FISHBIO staff recently paid a visit to Myanmar, in part to build connections to help the country's researchers and organizations become part of the Mekong Fish Network. The Mekong makes just a brief appearance in Myanmar along the bit of border it shares with Lao PDR, and Myanmar hosts only 3 percent of the Mekong River Basin catchment. Nevertheless, we believe it is important to include Myanmar as part of the Mekong Fish Network, and some of the Network's resources can readily be applied to the study of the country's major rivers, which include the Ayeyarwaddy, the Sittaung (or Sittang), and the Thanlwin (or Salween). The Salween is notable as the longest free-flowing river in mainland Southeast Asia, although numerous dams have been proposed along its length. Myanmar is also home to Indawgyi Lake, one of the largest lakes in Southeast Asia, which is home to at least 64 species of fish, including some endemics found nowhere else.