Editing Brahmaputra River (section)

===Course===
====Tibet====
{{main|Yarlung Tsangpo}}

[[File:Yarlong Tsangpo.jpg|thumb|left|[[Yarlung Tsangpo River]] in Tibet]]

The upper reaches of the Brahmaputra River, known as the [[Yarlung Tsangpo]] from the Tibetan language, originates on the [[Angsi Glacier]], near Mount Kailash, located on the northern side of the [[Himalayas]] in [[Burang County]] of [[Tibet Autonomous Region|Tibet]]. The source of the river was earlier thought to be on the Chemayungdung glacier, which covers the slopes of the Himalayas about {{cvt|60|mi|km|abbr=on}} southeast of [[Lake Manasarovar]] in southwestern Tibet.

From its source, the river runs for nearly {{cvt|1,100|km|mi|abbr=on}} in a generally easterly direction between the main range of the Himalayas to the south and the [[Kailas Range]] to the north.
[[File:Brahmaputra from ganden3.jpg|thumb|[[Yarlung Tsangpo]]]]
In Tibet, the Tsangpo receives a number of tributaries. The most important left-bank tributaries are the Raka Zangbo (Raka Tsangpo), which joins the river west of [[Xigazê]] (Shigatse), and the [[Lhasa River|Lhasa]] (Kyi), which flows past the Tibetan capital of [[Lhasa]] and joins the Tsangpo at [[Qüxü]]. The [[Nyang River]] joins the Tsangpo from the north at Zela (Tsela Dzong). On the right bank, a second river called the Nyang Qu (Nyang Chu) meets the Tsangpo at Xigazê.

After passing Pi (Pe) in Tibet, the river turns suddenly to the north and northeast and cuts a course through a succession of great narrow gorges between the mountainous massifs of [[Gyala Peri]] and [[Namcha Barwa]] in a series of rapids and cascades. Thereafter, the river turns south and southwest and flows through a deep gorge (the "[[Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon]]") across the eastern extremity of the Himalayas with canyon walls that extend upward for {{cvt|5000|m|abbr=on}} and more on each side. During that stretch, the river crosses the China-India line of actual control to enter northern Arunachal Pradesh, where it is known as the Dihang (or Siang) River, and turns more southerly.

====Arunachal Pradesh====
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2023}}
[[File:Brahmaputra-river-basin.png|thumb|Brahmaputra basin in [[India]]]]

[[File:Sunset in Dibrugarh.jpg|right|160px|thumb|A view of sunset in the Brahmaputra from Dibrugarh]]
The Yarlung Tsangpo leaves the part of Tibet to enter Indian state of [[Arunachal Pradesh]], where the river is called Siang. It makes a very rapid descent from its original height in Tibet and finally appears in the plains, where it is called Dihang. It flows for about {{cvt|35|km|mi|abbr=on}} southward after which, it is joined by the [[Dibang River]] and the [[Lohit River]] at the head of the Assam Valley. Below the Lohit, the river is called Brahmaputra and Doima (mother of water) and Burlung-Buthur by native [[Bodo people|Bodo]] tribals, it then enters the state of [[Assam]], and becomes very wide—as wide as {{cvt|20|km|mi|abbr=on}} in parts of Assam.

The reason for such an unusual course and drastic change is that the river [[Antecedent drainage stream|is antecedent]] to the Himalayas, meaning that it had existed before them and has [[Entrenched river|entrenched itself]] since they started rising.

====Assam====
[[File:Bank of Brahmaputra river-Guwahati 2.jpg|alt=Bank of Brahmaputra River in Guwahati.|thumb|Bank of Brahmaputra River in Guwahati]]
The Dihang, winding out of the mountains, turns towards the southeast and descends into a low-lying basin as it enters northeastern Assam state. Just west of the town of Sadiya, the river again turns to the southwest and is joined by two mountain streams, the Lohit, and the Dibang. Below that confluence, about {{cvt|1,450|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the Bay of Bengal, the river becomes known conventionally as the Brahmaputra ("Son of Brahma"). In Assam, the river is mighty, even in the dry season, and during the rains, its banks are more than {{cvt|8|km|mi|abbr=on}} apart. As the river follows its braided {{cvt|700|km|mi|abbr=on}} course through the valley, it receives several rapidly flowing Himalayan streams, including the Subansiri, Kameng, Bhareli, Dhansiri, Manas, Champamati, Saralbhanga, and Sankosh Rivers. The main tributaries from the hills and from the plateau to the south are the Burhi Dihing, the Disang, the Dikhu, and the Kopili.

Between [[Dibrugarh district|Dibrugarh]] and [[Lakhimpur District]]s, the river divides into two channels—the northern Kherkutia channel and the southern Brahmaputra channel. The two channels join again about {{cvt|100|km|mi|abbr=on}} downstream, forming the [[Majuli]] island, which is the largest river island in the world.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Majuli|first1=River Island|title=Largest river island|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-river-island-|website=Guinness World Records|access-date=6 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160903033856/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-river-island-|archive-date=3 September 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> At [[Guwahati]], near the ancient pilgrimage centre of [[Hajo (India)|Hajo]], the Brahmaputra cuts through the rocks of the [[Shillong Plateau]], and is at its narrowest at {{convert|1|km|yd|abbr=on}} bank-to-bank. The terrain of this area made it logistically ideal for the [[Battle of Saraighat]], the military confrontation between the Mughal Empire and the Ahom Kingdom in March 1671. The first combined railroad/roadway bridge across the Brahmaputra was constructed at [[Saraighat]]. It was opened to traffic in April 1962.

The environment of the Brahmaputra [[floodplain]]s in Assam have been described as the [[Brahmaputra Valley semi-evergreen forests]] [[ecoregion]].

====Bangladesh====
[[File:Bangladesh LOC 1996 map.jpg|left|upright=1.3|thumb|Rivers of Bangladesh, including the Brahmaputra]]
In Bangladesh, the Brahmaputra is joined by the [[Teesta River]] (or Tista), one of its largest tributaries. Below the Tista, the Brahmaputra splits into two [[distributary]] branches. The western branch, which contains the majority of the river's flow, continues due south as the Jamuna ({{lang|bn-Latn|Jomuna}}) to merge with the lower Ganga, called the [[Padma River]] ({{lang|bn-Latn|Pôdma}}). The eastern branch, formerly the larger, but now much smaller, is called the lower or [[Old Brahmaputra]] ({{lang|bn-Latn|Brommoputro}}). It curves southeast to join the [[Meghna River]] near [[Dhaka]]. The Padma and Meghna converge near [[Chandpur District|Chandpur]] and flow out into the Bay of Bengal. This final part of the river is called Meghna.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Brahmaputra River – Map Tributaries Flow Bridges Tunnel |url=https://www.riversofindia.com/2022/03/brahmaputra-river-map-tributaries-flow.html |access-date=29 May 2022 |website=Rivers Of India – All About Rivers |language=en |archive-date=18 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518171658/https://www.riversofindia.com/2022/03/brahmaputra-river-map-tributaries-flow.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The Brahmaputra enters the plains of Bangladesh after turning south around the Garo Hills below Dhuburi, India. After flowing past Chilmari, Bangladesh, it is joined on its right bank by the Tista River and then follows a {{cvt|240|km|mi|abbr=on}} course due south as the Jamuna River. (South of Gaibanda, the Old Brahmaputra leaves the left bank of the mainstream and flows past Jamalpur and Mymensingh to join the Meghna River at Bhairab Bazar.) Before its confluence with the Ganga, the Jamuna receives the combined waters of the [[Baral River|Baral]], [[Atrai River|Atrai]], and [[Hurasagar River|Hurasagar]] Rivers on its right bank and becomes the point of departure of the large [[Dhaleswari River]] on its left bank. A tributary of the Dhaleswari, the Buriganga ("Old Ganga"), flows past Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, and joins the Meghna River above Munshiganj.<ref name=":0" />

The Jamuna joins with the Ganga north of Goalundo Ghat, below which, as the Padma, their combined waters flow to the southeast for a distance of about {{cvt|120|km|mi|abbr=on}}. After several smaller channels branch off to feed the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta to the south, the main body of the Padma reaches its confluence with the Meghna River near Chandpur and then enters the Bay of Bengal through the Meghna estuary and lesser channels flowing through the delta. The growth of the Ganga-Brahmaputra Delta is dominated by tidal processes.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Ganga Delta]], fed by the waters of numerous rivers, including the Ganga and Brahmaputra, is {{cvt|105,000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}, one of the largest [[river delta]]s in the world.<ref name="SinghSharma2004">{{cite book|last1=Singh|first1=Vijay P.|last2=Sharma|first2=Nayan|author3=C. Shekhar|author4=P. Ojha|title=The Brahmaputra Basin Water Resources|url=https://archive.org/details/springer_10.1007-978-94-017-0540-0|year=2004|publisher=Springer|isbn=978-1-4020-1737-7|page=[https://archive.org/details/springer_10.1007-978-94-017-0540-0/page/n125 113]|access-date=15 November 2015}}</ref>

[[File:Bangladesh tmo 2011313.jpg|thumb|upright=1.6|The Brahmaputra River from outer space]]