Cities and Places

(population in [1000])

Location

linking Sagaing Division in the north, Shan State in the east, Bago Division and Kayin State in the south and Sagaing and Magway Divisions in the west, Mandalay Division is situated between latitudes 19° 20´ north and 23° 45´ north and longitudes 94° 45´ east and 97° 00´ east in the central Myanmar. The area is 14295 sq.miles.

Topography and Climate

Mountains or high plateaus can be found in the eastern border of the division and Bago Yoma region in the south-west. The eastern plateau is the highest region in the Division, elevating up from 6,000 to 7,000 feet in some places. The 4,981 foot Mount Popa, an extinct volcano, is famous.

Various kinds of climates can be found in Mandalay Division. The eastern plateau has a warm wet temperature climate. Average temperatures of the region is between 70° F (21°C) and 75° F (24°C) in April. The average temperature in the coldest months is 60° F (15.6°C ). The lowest temperature sometimes reaches the freezing point.

The southernmost part has a Savannah climate and the remaining regions have arid-like climate. Average temperature of the plains is 88°F (31°C) and the highest day-time temperature is 110°F (43.3°C). In the winter , the average temperature is 70°F (21°C) and lowest temperature is 50°F (18°C).

Rainfall is high in the eastern plateau and low in the plains. Average annual rainfall is over 100 inches in Mogok and over 60 inches in Pyin Oo Lwin. Average annual rainfall in Pyinmana at the southernmost part of the Division is 56 inches and Mandalay, Kyaukse and Meiktila in the central region is from 32 to 34 inches. Myingyan with the least rainfall has received and average annual rainfall of only 27 inches. Due to the elevation, Mount Popa gets over 40 inches of average annual rainfall.

Population, inhabitant, languages and religion

Mandalay Division which is the second most populous State/Division in Myanmar has 6,313,938 inhabitants. The average population density is 424 persons per square mile.

Majority of the population is Bamar. There are also a small number of shans, Danus, Lisus and Palaungs residing on the eastern plateau. Leway and Pyinmanar have a few population of Plain Chinus (Asho Chins). National races such as Kachin, Kayin and Chin are also living in the division. Majority of the people are buddhists. There are also hindus, Muslims and Christans. Myanmar language is mainly spoken.

Formation of districts, townships and villages

Mandalay Division is formed with seven districts, 30 townships and 2,320 wards and village-tracts. Mandalay with a population of over 650,000 is the capital city of the division.

Forest

Mountain forests grow in regions of the eastern plateau with elevations more than 3,000 feet. Tropical forests grow inareas with less than 3,000 feet in height and along the Bago Yoma. Indaing forests can be found in Pyinmana township. The remaining parts have only bush forests. Catcus-like plants growin arid areas of Ayeyawady River Bank. The division has 94 forest reserves (over 2.4 million acres) and 800,000 acres of preserved forests outside the reserve areas.

Sown acreage and produce

Paddy cultivation areas and seasonal land are the majority of farms in Mandalay Division. There are over 5000,000 acres of irrigated farm lands. The division annually put over one million acres under edible corps, nearly 900,000 acres under beans and pulses, over 300,000 acres under cotton and over 5000,000 acres under paddy.

The main corps cultivated in the division are paddy, wheat, millet, corn, sesame, groundnut, sunflower, beans, cotton, sugarcane, tobacco, chilli and onion. Other corps are garlic, tea, coffee, vegetables, flowers, banana, mango, plum, grape, betel nut, toddy palm and betel leaf.

Agriculture and farming is jointly conducted in areas of cultivated land. Cattle, sheep, goat, pig, and chicken are raised in the division.

Other products

Teak and hard-wood are produced in the eastern plateau and Bago Yoma. Dry regions produce Thanakha, catechu and htanoung wood. Iron is mined at kyadwinyay region near Pyin Oo Lwin and transported to steel plant at Anisakhan. Brite is  mined in Dattawtaung in the east of kyaukse. Alabaster is minded in Madaya Township, ruby and sapphire in Mogok Township, tungsten in Pyinmana Township, barite in Pyin Oo Lwin and Kyaukse townships, gold in Thabeikkyin Township and crude oil and gypsum in the western regions.

Historical sites and interesting places

Maha Muni Buddha Image and Mandalay Hill are sacred places for Buddhists as well as ancient cultural heritage. Many pagodas, which are also the ancient cultural heritage, can be seen in Bagan-Nyaung U. Tagaung old city in Thabeikkyin Township, Myinsaing old town near kyaukse, Mongmaw old town near Kume, Innwa, Pinya and Amarapura old towns in Tada U Township and Mandalay Palace are famous historical sites. Mandalay has many ancient pagodas and monasteries. Popa Mountain with temperature climate in Kyaukpadaung Township and Pyin Oo Lwin which is a hill station are also popular resorts. The Botanical Gardens, Pwekauk Falls, Peikchin Myaung Cave, Anisakhan Falls and Maha Arnthtoo Khantha Pagoda are interesting places.

Traditional festivals

Festivals such as Taungpyone Festival, Yadanagu Festival and kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival are famous in the Division.

Radio and TV retransmission stations and microwave stations

Three TV retransmission stations in Pyin Oo Lwin, Mogok and Popa are transmitting to eight townships in the division. Fourteen microwave stations are located in Mandalay, Singaing, Myittha, Wundwin, Meiktila, Thazi, Yamethin, Tatkon and Pyinmana.