Annamese Range

The Annamites form one of mainland Southeast Asia's major mountain systems, following the Vietnamese coast in a gentle curve. In the country east of the middle Mekong, the range is a watershed between rivers feeding the Mekong and numerous short streams that reach the South China Sea. The western flank descends through substantial plateaus before nearing the Mekong; the eastern flank rises abruptly above the coastal plain. From north to south, the Phouane, Nakai and Bolaven plateaus give the chain three broad upland stages rather than a single high wall. The Nape and Mụ Giạ passes are important routes through a mountain system that otherwise forms a continuous barrier.