Khammouane Province

Khammouane Province

Khammouane or Khammouan (Lao: ຄໍາມ່ວນ) is a province of Laos, located in the center of the country. To the north it is bounded by Bolikhamxai; to the south, by Savannakhet. To the west is the Mekong and Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand; to the east, the Annamite Mountain Range separates Khammouan from Vietnam.

The vast forests of the Nakai-Nam Theun Biodiversity Conservation Area are an important watershed that feed many Mekong tributaries as well as form the catchment area for Nam Theun 2, the largest hydropower project in Laos. The Xebangfay, Hinboun and Nam Theun are the main rivers of the province.

The third Thai–Lao Friendship Bridge (Thai: สะพานมิตรภาพ ไทย-ลาว แห่งที่ 3, connecting Thakhek to Nakhon Phanom, has been opened for traffic on November 11, 2011.

Part of the aborted Thakhek - Tan Ap railway would have crossed the province to connect with the North-South Railway at Tan Ap Railway Station, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam through the Mu Gia Pass.