Arakan Mountains

The Arakan Mountains run along western Burma, separating the Bay of Bengal coast from the Irrawaddy basin. Forested ridges and deep valleys form a long barrier, broken by a few passes such as the routes at Ann and Taungup. Monsoon rains fall heavily on the western slopes, feeding rivers that run towards Arakan's coastal plain. To the east the mountains descend towards the drier interior, creating a sharp change in landscape across the range.