Annamite Mountains



The Annamite Mountains (Vietnamese: Dãy Trường Sơn, Lao: ພູຫລວງ ‘Phu Luang’) is a mountain range in Southeast Asia. It is locted between Laos and Vietnam, and forms most of the border between the two countries. There is also a small section in Cambodia.

The mountains stretch from north-central Laos down to south central Vietnam. Its highest peak is Phou Bia in the north in Laos, at 2819m tall. The second highest peak is Ngọc Linh, which is also the highest peak in southern Vietnam, at 2598m tall.

Much of the mountains are covered in dense jungle, and is home to many species of plants and animals. The mountains are also home to numerous isolated or uncontacted tribes, especially on the Laotian side.

To the east of the mountains is the narrow Vietnamese coastal plain (the North Central Region and the South Central Region), and to the west is the Mekong Floodplain of southern Laos and north eastern Cambodia. The Central Highlands region of Vietnam is located mostly within the mountains.

The mountains have numerous mountain passes, the most notable of which is the Mụ Giạ Pass, but there is also a gap at Khe Sanh and a large lowland pass in Gia Lai Province of Vietnam.

Hang Sơn Đoòng, the world's largest known cave, is located under the mountains in the Phong Nha National Park.

Cities and major towns in the mountains
The mountains are sparesely populated, however, there are still some cities and major towns in the mountains. The southern mountains are more populated than the northern areas.

In Laos

 * Phonsavan in Xiangkhouang Province

In Vietnam

 * Khe Sanh
 * A Lưới, a hill station
 * Kon Tum
 * Buôn Ma Thuột
 * Gia Nghĩa
 * Đà Lạt, the largest city in the mountains.