62-435: (Redirected from Burma Historical Commission ) Research organization Myanmar Historical Commission Formation 1955 ; 69 years ago ( 1955 ) Type Historical research Headquarters Yangon , Myanmar Location Yangon , Myanmar The Myanmar Historical Commission ( Burmese : မြန်မာနိုင်ငံ သမိုင်း ကော်မရှင် ; formerly,
124-469: A hollow rural hinterland. There were only four districts in Yangon Region. On 30 April 2022, these districts were expanded to 14 districts by the provisional government. Of the 45, the city of Yangon now encompasses 33 townships. Yangon Region Government Yangon Region Hluttaw Yangon Region High Court The ethnic Burmese makes up the majority of the population. The division is also home to
186-449: A large number of South Asians (mainly Indians ) and Burmese Chinese . According to 2014 census report, the population of Yangon region is 7.36 million. Burmese is the primary language used by Burmese of all ethnic backgrounds. English is the main second language among the urban elite of Yangon. Religion in Yangon Region (2014) According to the 2014 Myanmar Census , Buddhists make up 91% of Yangon Region's population, forming
248-913: Is Myanmar's most populous city and its most important commercial centre. Yangon boasts the largest number of colonial-era buildings in Southeast Asia, and has a unique colonial-era urban core that is remarkably intact. The colonial-era commercial core is centered around the Sule Pagoda , which is reputed to be over 2,000 years old. The city is also home to the gilded Shwedagon Pagoda – Myanmar's most sacred and famous Buddhist pagoda. Yangon suffers from deeply inadequate infrastructure , especially compared to other major cities in Southeast Asia , such as Jakarta , Bangkok or Hanoi . Though many historic residential and commercial buildings have been renovated throughout central Yangon, most satellite towns that ring
310-538: Is UTC/GMT +6:30 hours. 23 meters above sea level. Due to its location on the Irrawaddy Delta, intertidal flat ecosystems occur adjacent to the city. Yangon has a tropical monsoon climate (Am) under the Köppen climate classification system. The city features a lengthy wet season from May through October where a substantial amount of rainfall is received; and a dry season from November through April, where little rainfall
372-828: Is a member of the Asian Network of Major Cities 21 . Yangon is Burma's main domestic and international hub for air, rail, and ground transportation. Yangon International Airport , located 12 miles (19 km) from the center, is the country's main gateway for domestic and international air travel. The airport has three terminals, known as T1, T2 and T3 which is also known as Domestic. It has direct flights to major cities in Asia, such as Tokyo , Shanghai , Seoul , Singapore , Hong Kong , Kuala Lumpur , Kolkata , and Dubai . Although domestic airlines offer service to about forty domestic locations, most flights are to tourist destinations such as Bagan , Mandalay , Heho and Ngapali , and to
434-558: Is a proposed rapid transit system, due to begin construction in 2022 and be complete by 2027. Yangon has a 4,456-kilometre (2,769 mi) road network of all types (tar, concrete and dirt) in March 2011. Many of the roads are in poor condition and not wide enough to accommodate an increasing number of cars. The vast majority of Yangon residents cannot afford a car and rely on an extensive network of buses to get around. Over 300 public and private bus lines operate about 6,300 crowded buses around
496-697: Is administered by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). YCDC also coordinates urban planning . The city is made up of 33 townships and is part of Yangon Region . Yangon Region is divided into four districts, which overlap with the city's jurisdiction. The current mayor of Yangon is Maung Maung Soe . Each township is administered by a Township Development Committee, alongside local leaders who make decisions regarding city beautification and infrastructure. Myo-thit (lit. "New Towns", or satellite towns ) are not within such jurisdictions. List of Yangon City Townships by District: Yangon
558-510: Is different from Wikidata Articles containing Burmese-language text Yangon Yangon , formerly romanized as Rangoon , is the capital of the Yangon Region and the largest city of Myanmar . Yangon served as the capital of Myanmar until 2006, when the military government relocated the administrative functions to the purpose-built capital city of Naypyidaw in north central Myanmar. With over five million people, Yangon
620-730: Is due to rule that no building should be more than 75% the height above sea level of Shwedagon Pagoda , which rises about 160 metres (520 ft). For instance, in 2015, a luxury housing project was cancelled due to its proximity to Shwedagon Pagoda. Critics of the project claimed that the project could cause structural damage to the pagoda. Aside from a few high-rise hotels and office towers, most high-rise buildings (usually 10 stories and up) are "condos" scattered across prosperous neighborhoods north of downtown such as Bahan , Dagon , Kamayut and Mayangon . Older satellite towns such as Thaketa , North Okkalapa , and South Okkalapa are lined mostly with one to two-story detached houses with access to
682-563: Is heavily used by the local populace, selling about 150,000 tickets daily. The popularity of the commuter line has jumped since the government reduced petrol subsidies in August 2007. In 2017 the government of Japan provided more than US$ 200 million in finance to assist with a range of works including developing and maintaining the Yangon circular railway line, purchasing new carriages and upgrading signalling. The Yangon Urban Mass Rapid Transit
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#1733084755587744-512: Is highly expensive for most of its citizens. As the government allows only a few thousand cars to be imported each year in a country with over 50 million people, car prices in Yangon (and in Burma) are among the highest in the world. In July 2008, the two most popular cars in Yangon, 1986/87 Nissan Sunny Super Saloon and 1988 Toyota Corolla SE Limited, cost the equivalent of about US$ 20,000 and US$ 29,000 respectively. A sports utility vehicle, imported for
806-600: Is highly expensive for most people, buses are the main mode of transportation within the division or regions nearby. In January 2008, Yangon Region had nearly 182,000 motor vehicles, 17.7% of the country's total. Although the city of Yangon has the best education facilities in the country, the educational facilities and opportunities available in the rest of Yangon Region are extremely poor. Many students in rural and poor districts do not finish middle school. According to official statistics, only about 23% of primary school students make it to high school. Most students are enrolled in
868-414: Is illegal to drive trishaws , bicycles, and motorcycles. Since February 2010, pick-up truck bus lines have been forbidden to run in six townships of central Yangon, namely Latha , Lanmadaw , Pabedan , Kyauktada , Botahtaung and Pazundaung Townships . In May 2003, a ban on using car horns was implemented in six townships of Downtown Yangon to reduce noise pollution . In April 2004, the car horn ban
930-617: Is known for its leafy avenues and fin-de-siècle architecture. The former British colonial capital has the highest number of colonial period buildings in south-east Asia. Downtown Yangon is still mainly made up of decaying colonial buildings. The former High Court , the former Secretariat buildings , the former St. Paul's English High School and the Strand Hotel are excellent examples of the bygone era. Most downtown buildings from this era are four-story mix-use (residential and commercial) buildings with 14-foot (4.3 m) ceilings, allowing for
992-425: Is seen. It is primarily due to the heavy rainfall received during the rainy season that makes Yangon fall under the tropical monsoon climate category. During the course of year 1961 to 1990s, average temperatures show little variance, with average highs ranging from 29 to 36 °C (84 to 97 °F) and average lows ranging from 18 to 25 °C (64 to 77 °F). Yangon is prone to tropical cyclones every time of
1054-493: Is the eight-story apartment building . (In Yangon parlance, a building with no elevators (lifts) is called an apartment building and one with elevators is called a condominium . Condos which have to invest in a local power generator to ensure 24-hour electricity for the elevators are beyond the reach of most Yangonites.) Found throughout the city, eight-story apartment buildings provide inexpensive housing for many Yangonites. The apartments are usually eight stories high (including
1116-1979: The Burma Historical Commission ) is an academic research organization focused on Burma studies . The commission was founded in 1955 by the Burmese government to produce an official version of national history. It regularly publishes the Bulletin of the Myanmar Historical Commission, and holds conferences in the country. As of 2009, the Commission had published six volumes of modern Burmese history from 1947 onward. See also [ edit ] Burma Research Society Royal Historical Commission of Burma References [ edit ] ^ Ni Ni Myint 2003: 136 ^ "Myanmar Historical Commission Holds Golden Jubilee International Conference" . 12–14 January 2005 . Retrieved 2013-05-19 . ^ Khin Maung Nyunt 2009 Bibliography [ edit ] Ni Ni Myint (2003). "Myanmar Historiography Since 1945". In Abu (Talib Ahmad.), Liok Ee Tan (ed.). New terrains in Southeast Asian history . Ohio University Press. ISBN 9780896802285 . Khin Maung Nyunt (2009). "The Myanmar Historical Commission" . Retrieved 2013-05-19 . Authority control databases [REDACTED] International VIAF National United States 2 Other IdRef Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Myanmar_Historical_Commission&oldid=1255563377 " Categories : Historiography of Myanmar Burma studies Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
1178-604: The Indian Rebellion of 1857 , the British sent Bahadur Shah II , the last Mughal emperor, to Yangon to live in exile. Colonial Yangon, with its spacious parks and lakes and mix of modern buildings and traditional wooden architecture, was known as "the garden city of the East." By the early 20th century, Yangon had public services and infrastructure on par with London. Before World War II , about 55% of Yangon's population of 500,000
1240-479: The Mon . Politically, the area was controlled by Mon kingdoms prior to 1057, and after 1057, with few exceptions, by Burman kingdoms from the north. The control of the region reverted to Pegu -based Mon kingdoms in the 13th to 16th centuries (1287–1539) and briefly in the 18th century (1740–57). The Portuguese were in control of Thanlyin (Syriam) and the surrounding area from 1599 to 1613. For centuries, Thanlyin
1302-564: The Thudhamma Nikaya (81.2%), followed by Shwegyin Nikaya (13.6%), with the remainder of monks belonging to other small monastic orders . 16,960 thilashin were registered in Yangon Region, comprising 28.1% of Myanmar's total thilashin community, the largest in Myanmar. Yangon Region is the most developed region in the country. According to the government's official statistics for FY 2010–2011,
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#17330847555871364-655: The 100-foot (30 m) Lanmadaw Road is followed by 30-foot (9.1 m)-wide 17th and 18th streets then the medium 50-foot (15 m) Sint-Oh-Dan Road, the 30-foot 19th and 20th streets, followed by another 100-foot (30 m) wide Latha Road, followed again by the two numbered small roads 21st and 22nd streets, and so on. The roads running parallel west to east were the Strand Road, Merchant Road, Maha Bandula (née Dalhousie) Road, Anawrahta (Fraser) Road, and Bogyoke Aung San (Montgomerie) Road. The largest and best maintained parks in Yangon are located around Shwedagon Pagoda . To
1426-422: The 1980s. Today, Greater Yangon encompasses an area covering nearly 600 square kilometres (230 sq mi). During Ne Win 's isolationist rule (1962–88), Yangon's infrastructure deteriorated through poor maintenance and did not keep up with its increasing population. In the 1990s, the military government's more open market policies attracted domestic and foreign investment, bringing a modicum of modernity to
1488-609: The Burmese nationalist movement. Many future Burmese political figures such as Aung San , U Nu , U Thant and Ne Win were all one-time Rangoon University students. Yangon Region was under Japanese occupation between April 1942 and May 1945. After Myanmar gained independence from the United Kingdom in January 1948, the Hanthawaddy Province was renamed Pegu (Bago) Division, with Yangon as its capital. In 1964, Rangoon Division
1550-534: The capital Naypyidaw . Yangon Central Railway Station is the main terminus of Myanmar Railways ' 5,403-kilometre (3,357 mi) rail network whose reach covers Upper Myanmar ( Naypyidaw , Mandalay , Shwebo ), upcountry ( Myitkyina ), Shan hills ( Taunggyi , Lashio ) and the Taninthayi coast ( Mawlamyine , Dawei ). Yangon Circular Railway operates a 45.9-kilometre (28.5 mi) 39-station commuter rail network that connects Yangon's satellite towns. The system
1612-482: The capital of all British-ruled Burma after the British had captured Upper Burma in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885. By the 1890s Yangon's increasing population and commerce gave birth to prosperous residential suburbs to the north of Royal Lake (Kandawgyi) and Inya Lake . The British also established hospitals including Rangoon General Hospital and colleges including Rangoon University . After
1674-702: The city continue to be profoundly impoverished and lack basic infrastructure. The name Yangon ( ရန်ကုန် ) is derived from the combination of the Burmese words yan ( ရန် ) and koun ( ကုန် ), which mean 'enemies' and 'run out of', respectively. This word combination can be translated as 'End of Strife'. The name is pronounced / ˌ j æ ŋ ˈ ɡ ɒ n / yang- GON in British English and / ˌ j ɑː n ˈ ɡ oʊ n / yahn- GOHN in American English. The former romanization, Rangoon ,
1736-407: The city had few human casualties, three-quarters of Yangon's industrial infrastructure was destroyed or damaged, with losses estimated at US$ 800 million. In November 2005, the military government designated Naypyidaw , 320 kilometres (199 mi) north of Yangon, as the new administrative capital, and moved much of the government to the newly developed city. Yangon remains the largest city and
1798-558: The city to its industrial back country. Still, much of Yangon remains without basic municipal services such as 24-hour electricity and regular garbage collection. Yangon has become much more indigenous Burmese in its ethnic make-up since independence. After independence, many South Asians and Anglo-Burmese left. Many more South Asians were forced to leave during the 1960s by Ne Win's xenophobic government. Nevertheless, sizeable South Asian and Chinese communities still exist in Yangon. The Anglo-Burmese have effectively disappeared, having left
1860-484: The city's electricity grid. Newer satellite towns such as North Dagon and South Dagon are in a grid layout. The satellite towns—old or new—receive little or no municipal services. Downtown Yangon 's road layout follows a grid pattern, based on four types of roads: The east–west grid of central was laid out by British military engineers Fraser and Montgomerie after the Second Anglo-Burmese War . The city
1922-503: The city's infrastructure. Some inner city residents were forcibly relocated to new satellite towns. Many colonial-period buildings were demolished to make way for high-rise hotels, office buildings, and shopping malls, leading the city government to place about 200 notable colonial-period buildings under the Yangon City Heritage List in 1996. Major building programs have resulted in six new bridges and five new highways linking
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1984-422: The city, carrying over 4.4 million passengers a day. All buses and 80% of the taxis in Yangon run on compressed natural gas (CNG), following the 2005 government decree to save money on imported petroleum. Highway buses to other cities depart from Dagon Ayeyar Highway Bus Terminal for Irrawaddy delta region and Aung Mingala Highway Bus Terminal for other parts of the country. Motor transportation in Yangon
2046-513: The commercial and political hub of British Burma . After the war, the British moved the capital of British Burma from Moulmein (present-day Mawlamyine ) to Yangon. Based on the design by army engineer Lt. Alexander Fraser, the British constructed a new city on a grid plan on delta land, bounded to the east by the Pazundaung Creek and to the south and west by the Yangon River . Yangon became
2108-454: The commercial and political hub of British Burma. Yangon was the capital of British Burma and Hanthawaddy Province, which covered today's Yangon and Bago divisions. The British brought in many Indians to serve as workers and civil servants. By the 1930s, the Indians made up half of Yangon city, and only one-third was Burmese . Between World War I and World War II , Yangon was the center of
2170-721: The construction of mezzanines . Despite their less-than-perfect conditions, the buildings remain highly sought after and most expensive in the city's property market. In 1996, the Yangon City Development Committee created a Yangon City Heritage List of old buildings and structures in the city that cannot be modified or torn down without approval. In 2012, the city of Yangon imposed a 50-year moratorium on demolition of buildings older than 50 years. The Yangon Heritage Trust , an NGO started by Thant Myint-U , aims to create heritage areas in Downtown, and attract investors to renovate buildings for commercial use. A latter-day hallmark of Yangon
2232-465: The country or intermarried with other Burmese groups. Yangon was the centre of major anti-government protests in 1974 , 1988 and 2007 . In particular, the 8888 Uprising resulted in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands of Burmese civilians, many of them in Yangoon where hundreds of thousands of people flooded into the streets of the former capital city. The Saffron Revolution saw mass shootings and
2294-594: The enlarged town "Yangon". In the 1790s, the East India Company opened a factory in Yangon. The estimated population of Yangon in 1823 was about 30,000. The British captured Yangon during the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26), but returned the city to Burmese rule after the war. The city was destroyed by a fire in 1841. The British captured Yangon and all of Lower Burma in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852, and subsequently transformed Yangon into
2356-468: The equivalent of around US$ 50,000, goes for US$ 250,000. Illegally imported unregistered cars are cheaper – typically about half the price of registered cars. Nonetheless, car usage in Yangon is on the rise, a sign of rising incomes for some, and already causes much traffic congestion in highway-less Yangon's streets. In 2011, Yangon had about 300,000 registered motor vehicles in addition to an unknown number of unregistered ones. Within Yangon city limits, it
2418-418: The former parading ground on important national days when Yangon was the capital. A few miles north of the pagoda lies the 37-acre (15-ha) Inya Lake Park – a favourite hangout place of Yangon University students, and a well-known place of romance in Burmese popular culture. Hlawga National Park and Allied War Memorial at the outskirts of the city are popular day-trip destinations with tourists. Yangon
2480-567: The ground floor) mainly because city regulations, until February 2008, required that all buildings higher than 75 feet (23 m) or eight stories to install lifts. The code calls for elevators in buildings higher than 62 feet (19 m) or six stories, likely ushering in the era of the six-story apartment building. Although most apartment buildings were built only within the last 20 years, they look much older and rundown due to shoddy construction and lack of proper maintenance. Unlike other major Asian cities, Yangon does not have any skyscrapers. This
2542-515: The junta unfit to make such changes, nor by many publications and news bureaus, including, most notably, the BBC and foreign nations including the United Kingdom and the United States.) Since independence, Yangon has expanded outwards. Successive governments have built satellite towns such as Thaketa , North Okkalapa and South Okkalapa in the 1950s to Hlaingthaya , Shwepyitha and South Dagon in
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2604-453: The largest and busiest port in Myanmar. At least 14 light industrial zones ring Yangon, employing thousands of workers. Outside Greater Yangon, rice farming remains predominant. Other important crops include jute, pulses, rubber, sugarcane, and groundnut. Yangon Region has the best transportation infrastructure in the country. All transport to and from the rest of the country (and the world) goes through Yangon. Five "highways" link Yangon to
2666-665: The largest religious community there. Minority religious communities include Christians (3.2%), Muslims (4.7%), and Hindus (1%) who collectively comprise the remainder of Yangon Region's population. 0.1% of the population listed no religion, other religions, or were otherwise not enumerated. According to the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee ’s 2016 statistics, 88,442 Buddhist monks were registered in Yangon Region, comprising 16.5% of Myanmar's total Sangha membership, which includes both novice samanera and fully-ordained bhikkhu. The majority of monks belong to
2728-593: The late 1980s, however, the city began a rapid spread north to where Yangon International Airport now stands. But the result is a stretching tail on the city, with the downtown area well removed from its geographic centre. The city's area has steadily increased from 72.52 square kilometres (28.00 sq mi) in 1901 to 86.2 square kilometres (33.3 sq mi) in 1940 to 208.51 square kilometres (80.51 sq mi) in 1974, to 346.13 square kilometres (133.64 sq mi) in 1985, and to 598.75 square kilometres (231.18 sq mi) in 2008. Downtown Yangon
2790-510: The most important commercial, economic and cultural center of Myanmar. On 7 May 2005, a series of coordinated bombings occurred in the city of Yangon, Myanmar. Eleven people were killed in the attack, and one of the 162 people that were injured was a member of the LCMS mission team to Myanmar. In the 2020s, life in Yangon was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 coup d'état . The city
2852-565: The most selective universities in Myanmar. The University of West Yangon in Htantabin and the Officers Training School in Hmawbi are two major institutions of higher education outside Greater Yangon. The general state of health care in Myanmar is poor. The military government spends anywhere from 0.5% to 3% of the country's GDP on health care, consistently ranking among the lowest in
2914-782: The public school system. Private schools, which cost at least $ 8,000 a year in tuition per student, are strictly the preserve of the elite. Nearly all of the division's universities are in Greater Yangon. Dagon University in North Dagon and the University of East Yangon in Thanlyin are among the largest undergraduate universities in the country. Yangon's University of Medicine 1, Yangon , University of Medicine 2, Yangon , Yangon Technological University , University of Computer Studies, Yangon and Thanlyin's Myanmar Maritime University are among
2976-460: The rest of the country. (To be sure, the definition of highway is loosely used. Most highways are no more than two lane roads.) Yangon International Airport is the main international gateway of the country. Yangon Central Railway Station is a major hub of the 5,068-kilometre (3,149 mi) Myanmar Railways system. Twante Canal , which links Yangon to Ayeyarwady Region, is also widely used for both transport and commerce. As motor transportation
3038-441: The size of the economy of Yangon Region was 8.93 trillion kyat, or 23% of the national GDP . Greater Yangon is Lower Myanmar's main trading hub for all kinds of merchandise – from basic food stuffs to used cars. Bayinnaung Market is the largest wholesale center in the country for rice , beans and pulses , and other agricultural commodities . Much of the country's legal imports and exports go through Thanlyin's Thilawa port ,
3100-425: The south, and Ayeyarwady Region to the west. Yangon Region is dominated by its capital city of Yangon , the former national capital and the largest city in the country. Other important cities are Thanlyin and Twante . The division is the most developed region of the country and the main international gateway. The division measures 10,170 km (3,930 sq mi). The region was historically populated by
3162-430: The south-east of the gilded stupa is the most popular recreational area in the city – Kandawgyi Lake . The 150-acre (61-ha) lake is surrounded by the 110-acre (45-ha) Kandawgyi Nature Park , and the 69.25-acre (28-ha) Yangon Zoological Gardens , which consists of a zoo, an aquarium and an amusement park. West of the pagoda towards the former Hluttaw (Parliament) complex is the 130-acre (53-ha) People's Square and Park ,
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#17330847555873224-568: The town from 1364 to 1392, and her grandniece, Shin Saw Pu , who later became the only female queen regnant in Burmese history . Queen Saw Pu built a palace next to the Shwedagon Pagoda in the town in 1460 and spent her semi-retired life at that palace until her death in 1471. In 1755, King Alaungpaya , the founder of the Konbaung dynasty captured Dagon, added settlements around it, and called
3286-480: The use of crematoria in Yangoon by the Burmese government to erase evidence of their crimes against monks, unarmed protesters, journalists and students. The city's streets saw bloodshed each time as protesters were gunned down by the government, most notably during the 1988 , 2007 , and the 2021 mass protests, all of which were started in Yangon itself, signifying its importance as the cultural centre of Burma . In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis hit Yangon. While
3348-530: The year. In 2008, Cyclone Nargis made landfall as a Category 4 cyclone, making it the worst cyclone on the country's record. Until the mid-1990s, Yangon remained largely constrained to its traditional peninsula setting between the Bago , Yangon, and Hlaing Rivers . People moved in, but little of the city moved out. Maps from 1944 show little development north of Inya Lake and areas that are now layered in cement and stacked with houses were then virtual backwaters. Since
3410-484: Was Indian or South Asian , and only about a third was Bamar (Burman). Karens , Chinese , Anglo-Burmese and others made up the rest. After World War I , Yangon became the center of the Burmese independence movement, with leftist Rangoon University students leading the way. Three nationwide strikes against British rule in 1920, 1936, and 1938 all began in Yangon. Yangon was under Japanese occupation (1942–45), and incurred heavy damage during World War II. The city
3472-604: Was based on the Rakhine dialect , and pronounced / r æ ŋ ˈ ɡ uː n / rang- GOON in English. Yangon was founded as Dagon in the early 11th century ( c. 1028–1043 ) by the Mon people , who inhabited Lower Burma at that time. Dagon became an important pilgrimage pagoda town, starting in the 14th century, during the Hanthawaddy Kingdom . Notable governors of Dagon included Princess Maha Dewi , who ruled
3534-468: Was expanded to cover the entire city. Yangon Region Yangon Region ( Burmese : ရန်ကုန်တိုင်းဒေသကြီး ; MLCTS : rankun tuing desa. kri: , pronounced [jàɰ̃ɡòʊɰ̃ táɪɰ̃ dèθa̰ dʑí] ; formerly Rangoon Division and Yangon Division ) is an administrative region of Myanmar . Located in central Myanmar, the region is bordered by Bago Region to the north and east, the Gulf of Martaban to
3596-495: Was later developed by the Public Works Department and Bengal Corps of Engineers. The pattern of south to north roads is as follows: one broad 100-foot (30 m) wide broad road, two narrow streets, one mid-size street, two more narrow streets, and then another 100-foot (30 m) wide broad road. This order is repeated from west to east. The narrow streets are numbered; the medium and broad roads are named. For example,
3658-658: Was retaken by the Allies in May 1945. Yangon became the capital of the Union of Burma on 4 January 1948 when the country gained independence from British rule. Soon after Burma's independence in 1948, many colonial-era names of streets and parks were changed to more nationalistic Burmese names. In 1989, the military junta changed the city's English name to "Yangon", along with many other changes in English transliteration of Burmese names. (The changes have not been accepted by many Burmese who consider
3720-405: Was split from Pegu Division. The capital of Pegu Division was changed from Rangoon to Pegu . In June 1974, Hanthawaddy (Hongsavatoi) and Hmawbi townships were transferred from Pegu Division to Rangoon Division. Post-war Yangon grew tremendously. Successive Burmese governments built satellite towns near Yangon. Today, Yangon Region is essentially the Greater Yangon metropolitan area surrounded by
3782-526: Was the location of mass protests in response to the coup. The pandemic and protests prompted authorities to enforce numerous lockdowns and curfews . The city's economy subsequently slowed. Yangon is located in Lower Burma (Myanmar) at the convergence of the Yangon and Bago Rivers about 30 km (19 mi) away from the Gulf of Martaban at 16°48' North, 96°09' East (16.8, 96.15). Its standard time zone
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#17330847555873844-524: Was the most important port city in Lower Myanmar until the mid-18th century when King Alaungpaya chose to enlarge a small village across the river near the great Shwedagon Pagoda named Dagon. The British first captured Yangon in the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26) but returned it to Burmese administration after the war. The British seized Yangon and all of Lower Burma in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852, and subsequently transformed Yangon into
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