Yangon
From Freepedia
- Note: You may need a Burmese Unicode Font to see the characters on this page.
Yangon
Image:Yangoncitydistrictsmap.png Yangon (Burmese: ရန္ကုန္, population 1,034,768, formerly Rangoon), is the capital and largest city of Myanmar (formerly Burma). The city is located on the delta of the Yangon River, about 30 km (19 mi) away from the Gulf of Martaban. Yangon has a population of 4,504,000 (2001), and is located at 16°48' North, 96°9' East (16.8, 96.15).
As compared to other major cities in Southeast Asia, Yangon is relatively undeveloped; as a result, greener. Construction is booming, mostly through the influx of foreign investment (from Singapore and China). Many multi-storey residential buildings (tai) have been reconstructed or remodelled, although the extent of modernisation is only present in Downtown and Shwedagon areas. Suburban areas to the south, such as Thaketa Township, continue to be impoverished. The city has strived to maintain the remaining colonial architecture. Yangon was redesigned, in a chessboard fashion when the British incorporated Burma into its empire in the 1800's.
Contents |
History
The village of Dagon
Yangon was founded as Dagon in the 500's by the Mon, who dominated the lower portions of present-day Myanmar at the time. Dagon was a small fishing village centered around the Shwedagon Pagoda. In 1753, King Alaungpaya conquered Lower Burma, and renamed Dagon, "Yangon", which derives from the words yan, which means enemies, and koun, which means end. The city was destroyed by a fire in 1841, and suffered extensive damage in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852.
British Rangoon
The British Empire seized Dagon in 1852, and transformed it into the commercial and political hub of Burma. As lower Burma became integrated into British India, the city's present boundaries were established, with the Cantonment's streets (downtown area) paved in a chessboard fashion along the eastern banks of the Hlaing River. In addition, the British introduced a Westernised educational system in Burma, establishing major colleges, such as Rangoon College (now Yangon University) and the Theological College for Karens (now Myanmar Institute of Theology). In addition, many religiously-affiliated boarding schools were built in order to teach the privileged English. During the colonial period, Rangoon's main industries were rice and timber, although other exports, such as raw cotton, precious stones, cheroots, and ivory were also exported.
Contemporary Yangon
Rangoon was heavily damaged by an earthquake and tsunami in 1930, and again during World War II. After the war, it retained its position as capital of Myanmar. The name of Rangoon was officially changed in 1989 to Yangon. This is controversial, however, because the military junta that changed the name is not officially recognized as legitimate by some governments. For example, the United States government still maintains the usage of Rangoon, as well as Burma.
Administration
Yangon is administered by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). The city is divided into four districts. The districts combined have a total of 33 townships. The mayor of Yangon currently is Brigadier General Aung Thein Lynn. Each township is administered by a committee of township leaders, who make decisions regarding city beautification and infrastructure.
Culture
- Shwedagon Pagoda
- Sule Pagoda
- Saint Mary's Cathedral
- University of Yangon
- Allied War Memorial
- Chauh Hta Kyi Paya (Six-storied Buddha)
- Kandawgyi Lake (formerly Great Lakes)
- Inya Lake (formerly Victoria Lakes)
- Yangon Zoological Gardens
Economy
Yangon is the economic centre of Myanmar. The majority of imports and exports come through Yangon, mostly through the Yangon River (Hlaing River), which merges with the Ayeyarwady River, the main river of Myanmar.
Yangon is home to the oldest university in Myanmar. A former affiliated college of the University of Calcutta, Yangon University was officially founded as a separate institute of higher learning in 1920. Two of the three Institutes of Medicine in Myanmar are located in Yangon.
Transportation
All international air travel arrives at the Mingaladon International Airport, which is located about 20 minutes from downtown Yangon. Yangon's buses are often cramped with daily commuters. An archaic railroad extends to upper Myanmar. Cars are increasingly more common, and traffic congestion occurs regularly. As a result, the government regularly places car import restrictions.
External links
References
- The Popular Encyclopedia or Conversation Lexicon. Blackie & Son, 1890.
