Information AboutYangon |
Yangon (, Mandalay Division . As compared to other major cities in Southeast Asia , Yangon is relatively undeveloped. Construction is booming, mostly through the influx of foreign investment (from Singapore and China ). Many multi-storied residential and commercial buildings (''taik'') have been reconstructed or remodelled throughout Downtown and the Greater Yangon areas. Yangon has the largest number of colonial buildings in Southeast Asia today. Government offices inside colonial buildings (e.g. High Court, City Hall, Bogyoke Market and General Hospital) have been listed for renovation. New Towns (''myo-thit'') and other suburban areas, such as Thaketa Township continue to be impoverished. Yangon is a combination of the two words ''yan'' and ''koun'', which mean "enemies" and "run out of" respectively. HISTORY The village of Dagon Yangon was founded as Dagon in the 500s by the Mon , who had 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". 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 Yangon 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) paved in a chessboard fashion along the eastern banks of the Yangon River . In addition, the British introduced a westernised educational system in Burma, establishing major colleges, such as Rangoon College (modern-day Yangon University ) and the Theological College for Karens (modern-day Myanmar Institute Of Theology ). In addition, many religiously-affiliated boarding schools were built in order to teach English, Anglo-Burmese and Christian Karen children. During the colonial period, Rangoon's main industries were rice and timber, although other exports, such as raw cotton, precious stones, Cheroot s, 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. Before WWII, Indians formed the majority in Rangoon; however, after independence, the population became more Bamar . Because the colonial policies that encouraged Indian and Chinese immigration, as well as Caucasian intermixing with the local Bamar were dismantled, their presence has dwindled significantly. The English 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. On 6 November 2005 the Junta began its move for Yangon to the purpose built city of Naypyidaw , 320 km north. The motives for this were unclear, although it has been suggested that the regime moved further inland for a better position in the event of an Iraq-style invasion. Another theory is that it wanted a capital free from foreign telecommunications. 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 32 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. Administrative divisions Yangon Municipality's juridstictions are inclusive of 32 townships. ''Myo-thit'' (New Towns) are not within such juridstictions. Western District (Downtown)
Eastern District
Northern District
Southern District
CULTURE The vernacular language of Yangon is Burmese . English is widely spoken in the urban areas of the city, and is predominantly spoken among those of the elder generation and educated Burmese. 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 four Institutes of Medicine in Myanmar are located in Yangon. Cultural sites
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. TRANSPORTATION All international air travel arrives at the Yangon International Airport , which is located about 19 km (12 mi) from Downtown Yangon. Buses are cramped with daily commuters. An archaic railroad extends to upper Myanmar. Cars, although expensive, have become increasingly more common on Yangon's streets, and there is much traffic congestion. The government regularly places restrictions on car imports. As a result, the Black Market is the primary source of used and new cars (which primarily come from Thailand and China). In addition, because the government rations Petrol , the majority of cars utilise both government-supplied and black market-supplied gasoline. Within Yangon, it is illegal to drive Trishaws , bicycles, and motorcycles. MORE PHOTOS |
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