The 2;170-km Irrawaddy River; or Ayeyarwady; flows from north to south through the heart of Burma and is considered the country's most important waterway. It originates in Kachin State at the confluence of the N'mai and Mali rivers; and flows downstream through central Burma; draining in the Irrawaddy delta and the Andaman Sea.

During British colonial rule; the Irrawaddy was the vital artery of trade and commerce; especially for teakwood. After Rudyard Kipling's poem; the river is sometimes still referred to as 'The Road to Mandalay'.

In 2007; Burma's military government signed an agreement for the construction of seven dams; yielding a total 13;360 KW; in the N'mai and Mali rivers; including the 3;600 KW Myitsone Dam at the confluence of both rivers. Environmental organisations have raised concerns about the ecological impacts on the river's biodiverse ecosystems. Animals potentially impacted include the threatened Irrawaddy Dolphin.