The River Ganges originates in the western Himalayas and flows in a south-easterly direction through the fertile Ganges Basin, one of the most densely inhabited areas of the world, to the Bay of Bengal. The river plays an important role in the cultural and religious life of the region, however its use as source of drinking water is threatened by massive pollution problems. The landscape depicted in the satellite image shows a region in the northern part of the Ganges River Delta, where the Ganges merges with the Jamuna river, a branch of the Brahmaputra.

For a more detailed description of the image click "View".