An aerial view of the Salween River (fig.), that for a distance forms the border between Myanmar and Thailand, where it is known as the Thanlwin River and Salawin River, respectively.

It is 2,815 km long, rises in Tibet and also runs through China's Yunnan province, where it is known as the Nù Jiāng (怒江), meaning the ‘Indignant River’, which possibly refers to its raging torrents as it passes through deep gorges.