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{{Asian capitals}}
{{Asian capitals}}


[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Burma]]
[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in the Mandalay Division]]
[[Category:Capitals in Asia]]
[[Category:Capitals in Asia]]
[[Category:Settlements established in the 2000s]]
[[Category:Settlements established in the 2000s]]

Revision as of 18:41, 9 January 2008

Naypyidaw
also spelled Nay Pyi Taw
Naypyidaw City Hall
Naypyidaw City Hall
CountryMyanmar (Burma)
Admin. divisionMandalay Division
Government
[1]
 • MayorColonel Thein Nyunt
Area
[2]
 • Total1,800 sq mi (4,600 km2)
Population
 • Ethnicities
Bamar Burmese Chinese Burmese Indians Kayin
 • Religions
Buddhism Christianity Islam

Naypyidaw (Burmese: , also spelled Nay Pyi Taw) is the national capital of Myanmar, located in Kyatpyae Village of Pyinmana Township of Mandalay Division. Naypyidaw means "Royal City", but is also translated as "abode of kings".[2] The administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a greenfield site 3 kilometres west of Pyinmana on 6 November 2005. Naypyidaw is approximately 320 kilometres north of Yangon. The capital's official name was announced on Armed Forces Day in March 2006.

History

During World War II Pyinmana was the base of the Burma Independence Army (later renamed and reorganized into the Burma Defence Army by the Japanese). It was in Pyinmana that the army and its officers were trained. Later the Burma Defence Army changed sides, aiding the Allies with guerrilla warfare, and the operations were seen as a victory by the Burmese. Pyinmana became an icon in the Burmese Army, as the place where 'superior invaders' were defeated by the Burmese.

Naypyidaw itself has a short history, having been founded in late 2005. The present military government began moving government ministries from Yangon to Naypyidaw on 6 November 2005 at the astrologically auspicious time of 6:37 a.m.[3]. Five days later, on 11 November (11/11), at 11 a.m., a second convoy of 1,100 military trucks carrying 11 military battalions and 11 government ministries left Yangon. The ministries were expected to be mostly in place by the end of February 2006; however, this hasty move led to a lack of schools and other amenities, which has separated the government employees from their families for the time being. Military headquarters were located in a separate compound from the government ministries, and civilians are banned from entering either. Vendors are restricted to a commercial zone near the government offices.[citation needed]Naypyidaw is more centrally, and strategically located than the old capital Yangon and it is also a transportation hub, located adjacent to the Shan, Chin and Karen states, and it is felt that a stronger military and governmental presence nearby might provide stability to those chronically turbulent regions. The official explanation is that Yangon had become too congested and crowded, with little room for future expansion of government offices.[2] The Indian journalist, Siddharth Varadarajan, who visited Naypyidaw in January 2007, described the vastness of the new capital as "the ultimate insurance against regime change, a masterpiece of urban planning designed to defeat any putative ‘colour revolution’ – not by tanks and water cannons, but by geometry and cartography".[4]

On 27 March 2006, more than 12,000 troops marched in the new capital in its first public event: a massive military parade to mark Armed Forces Day—which is the anniversary of Burma's 1945 uprising against Japanese occupation. Filming was restricted to the concrete parade ground, over which loomed three enormous sculptures—depictions of the Burmese kings Anawrahta, Bayinnaung and Alaungpaya U Aung Zeya, considered the three most important kings in Burmese history. The city was officially named Naypyidaw during the ceremonies.[5]

Transport

Rail

It takes nine hours by train to get from Yangon to Naypyidaw. Trains leave at 1200 and arrive at 2100 local time. [6]

Aviation

To serve the new capital, the existing airfield at Ela was upgraded to handle the larger planes. It lies Template:Mi to km southeast of Kyatpyae.

All the local airlines in Myanmar - Myanma Airways, Yangon Airways, Air Mandalay and the new Air Bagan - have included Naypyidaw as a destination and provide services between it and other cities and towns across Myanmar.

In mid-March 2006, Air Mandalay launched a service flying between Yangon and Naypyidaw. On 5 June 2006, Air Mandalay launched a service between Naypyidaw, and Thandwe (Sandoway) and Sittwe (Akyab) in Rakhine State, to give civil servants better access to western Myanmar. [7]

Entertainment

The Myanmar Academy Awards are held annually in Naypyidaw given to the achievers in the Cinema of Burma.

Footnotes

  1. ^ "News Briefs". The Myanmar Times. Myanmar Consolidated Media. 2006-03-20. Retrieved 2006-04-01. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ a b c Pedrosa, Veronica (2006-11-20). "Myanmar's 'seat of the kings'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2006-11-21.
  3. ^ "Moving Target". The Irrawaddy. 2005-11-09. Retrieved 2007-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Naypyitaw - Dictatorship by Cartography". Himal Southasian. February 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Burma's new capital stages parade". BBC News. BBC. 2006-03-27. Retrieved 2006-04-06. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Import, export licensing moving to Naypyidaw". The Myanmar Times. Myanmar Consolidated Media. 2006-05-29. Retrieved 2006-06-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "News Briefs (New air destinations)". The Myanmar Times. Myanmar Consolidated Media. 2006-06-12. Retrieved 2006-06-29. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

External links

Template:Geolinks-cityscale

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