What are the main characteristics of the mighty river Brahmaputra?

What are the main characteristics of the mighty river Brahmaputra?
Answer:

  • The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of Mansarovar Lake, very close to the sources of the Indus and the Satluj.
  • It is slightly longer than the Indus and most of its course lies outside India.
  • In Tibet, the river carries a smaller volume of water and less silt as it is a cold and a dry area.
  • In India, it passes through a region of high rainfall. Here the river carries a large volume of water and considerable amount of silt.
  • The Brahmaputra has a braided channel in its entire length in Assam and forms many riverine islands.
  • Every year during the rainy season, the river overflows its banks causing widespread devastation due to floods in Assam and Bangladesh.
  • Unlike other north Indian rivers, the Brahmaputra is marked by huge deposits of silt on its bed causing the river bed to rise. The river also shifts its channel frequently.