Taunggyi
| တောင်ကြီး Taunggyi |
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| Coordinates | 20 ° 47 ' N , 97 ° 2' E | ||
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| Country | Myanmar | ||
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State |
Shan state | ||
| ISO 3166-2 | MM-17 | ||
| height | 1430 m | ||
| Residents | 264,804 (2014) | ||
 View over the city
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Taunggyi ( Burmese တောင်ကြီးမြို့ ; BGN / PCGN : taunggyimyo) is the largest city and capital of the Shan State of Myanmar . It is located in the Shan Highlands at an altitude of 1430 meters. According to the 2014 census, the population was 264,804.
geography
Taunggyi lies on a rock pedestal. To the west it goes relatively abruptly 600 meters down to a fertile plateau, to the east another 300 meters up to a rugged rock line.
history
During the time of the quasi-independent Shan states ( Mong ) they did not have a common capital, Taunggyi was an insignificant small town. During British colonial rule, it became the seat of the superintendent for the southern Shan states and, in independent Burma, finally the capital of the united Shan state. It was the fastest growing city in Burma in the 1970s and 80s. Between the 1973 and 1985 census, the population rose from 75,000 to 108,000.
economy
The flourishing trade with the neighboring states of China, Laos and Thailand contributed to the growth of the city. The main products were the traditional Burmese cigars (cheroots) and garlic. Taunggyi was also a center for smuggling and other illegal activities. The Myanmar armed forces stationed many troops in Taunggyi in order to keep separatists and opium-trafficked warlords in Shan State under control.
traffic
Taunggyi itself had no rail links until 1995. A branch of the Yangon-Mandalay line departing from Thazi ended in Shwenyaung, 19 kilometers away, which, however, is over 900 meters lower. There is now an extension to Taunggyi, but there is no passenger traffic on this. The nearest airport is in Heho, 40 kilometers away.
population
The city's population is multi-ethnic. Pa-O ("black Karen ") and Intha make up the core of the population . Due to its function as a capital and trading center, ethnic Chinese, Shan , Bamar , Indians and Panthay (Chinese Muslims) have also moved here.
religion
The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Taunggyi , the main church of which is St. Joseph's Cathedral. There are also Buddhist and Hindu temples and mosques.
education
Taunggyi University of Applied Sciences, founded in 1961, was promoted to university in 1992.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ http://www.populationdata.net/index2.php?option=pays&pid=28&nom=birmanie
- ↑ United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UN Habitat): Human Settlements Sector Review. Union of Myanmar. 1991, p. 90.
- ↑ a b United Nations Center for Human Settlements (UN Habitat): Human Settlements Sector Review. Union of Myanmar. 1991, p. 88.