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Monywa (Burmese: မုံရွာမြို့; MLCTS: muṃ rwa mrui.; pronounced [mòʊɰ̃jwà mjo̰]) is the largest city in Sagaing Region, Myanmar, located 136 kilometres (85 mi) north-west of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin. Monywa is one of the largest economic cities in Myanmar. It is also known as 'Neem City' because many of the city's streets are lined with neem trees.[citation needed]
Monywa
မုံရွာမြို့ | |
|---|---|
Capital Town | |
 Monywa | |
  Monywa Location in Burma | |
| Coordinates: 22°6′30″N 95°8′30″E / 22.10833°N 95.14167°E | |
| Country |  Myanmar |
| Region |  Sagaing Region |
| District | Monywa District |
| Township | Monywa Township |
| Population (2014 Census)[1] | |
• Capital Town | 372,095 |
| • Urban | 207,489 |
| • Rural | 164,606 |
| • Religions | Buddhism |
| Time zone | UTC+6.30 (MST) |
| Area code | 71[2] |
Climate
editMonywa and neighbouring parts of the “Dry Valley” are the only places in Southeast Asia where the hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) occurs.[3][4] The city misses the tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) classification due to the very high temperatures and resultant high evaporation levels, alongside a long dry season. The semi-aridity has to do with the “Dry Valley” being located in the rain shadow of the Arakan Mountains. Temperatures are very high throughout the year, although the winter months from December to February are significantly milder at around 21 °C or 69.8 °F in January. The early monsoon months from April to July are especially hot, with average high temperatures reaching 38.4 °C (101.1 °F) in April.
Monywa received 139 millimetres or 5.47 inches of rainfall on 19 October 2011. This was a new record for rainfall within 24 hours in October in Monywa for the last 47 years. The previous record was 135 millimetres or 5.31 inches on 24 October 1967.[5]
| Climate data for Monywa (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.6 (94.3) |
39.3 (102.7) |
43.5 (110.3) |
44.8 (112.6) |
45.7 (114.3) |
43.5 (110.3) |
43.0 (109.4) |
41.0 (105.8) |
38.9 (102.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
37.4 (99.3) |
34.0 (93.2) |
45.7 (114.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 29.2 (84.6) |
33.0 (91.4) |
37.0 (98.6) |
39.4 (102.9) |
38.1 (100.6) |
36.4 (97.5) |
36.2 (97.2) |
35.0 (95.0) |
34.1 (93.4) |
32.9 (91.2) |
31.3 (88.3) |
28.9 (84.0) |
34.3 (93.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.5 (70.7) |
24.4 (75.9) |
28.2 (82.8) |
31.4 (88.5) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.1 (88.0) |
31.1 (88.0) |
30.3 (86.5) |
29.5 (85.1) |
28.2 (82.8) |
25.4 (77.7) |
22.1 (71.8) |
27.9 (82.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 13.9 (57.0) |
15.8 (60.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
23.5 (74.3) |
25.4 (77.7) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.5 (77.9) |
24.9 (76.8) |
23.5 (74.3) |
19.5 (67.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
21.5 (70.7) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) |
11.0 (51.8) |
11.8 (53.2) |
17.1 (62.8) |
17.2 (63.0) |
20.2 (68.4) |
22.8 (73.0) |
21.0 (69.8) |
20.4 (68.7) |
17.6 (63.7) |
12.0 (53.6) |
8.3 (46.9) |
7.2 (45.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2.9 (0.11) |
1.3 (0.05) |
7.0 (0.28) |
31.5 (1.24) |
97.5 (3.84) |
80.6 (3.17) |
62.4 (2.46) |
121.6 (4.79) |
172.3 (6.78) |
135.8 (5.35) |
23.3 (0.92) |
3.6 (0.14) |
739.8 (29.13) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 8.5 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 9.3 | 10.3 | 8.8 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 57.5 |
| Source 1: World Meteorological Organization[6] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Norwegian Meteorological Institute (extremes),[7] Meteomanz(record)[8] | |||||||||||||
Culture
editMonywa is a national hub for poets, and is often described as the centre of poetry in Upper Myanmar. The town has served as home to many contemporary poets, including Min Swe Hnit, K Za Win, Kyi Zaw Aye, and Khat Thi.
Transport
edit
Monywa is served by the Mandalay-Budalin branch railway line, but is best reached by bus as the road from Mandalay is in reasonably good shape. Monywa is linked by road to Budalin, Dabayin, Ye-U and Kin-U, and by rail to Sagaing and the Mandalay - Myitkyina line.[9] River transport on the Chindwin has always been important as it is navigable for 640 km (400 mi) to Hkamti during the monsoon season, and most of the year to Homalin.[10] Monywa Airport also serves the area.[11]
Economy
edit
Monywa is a major centre for trade and commerce and for agricultural produce from the surrounding Chindwin valley, especially beans, orange, pulses and jaggery (palm sugar). In addition, the local industry includes mills for the production of cotton, flour, noodles, and edible oil. Sausages from Alon called wet udaunk are quite popular, and Budalin longyi (sarong) is known for the strength of the fabric and its checked patterns. Monywa's rough cotton blankets are famous throughout Myanmar (with Monywa providing 80% of the country's blankets for a century),[12] and some can even be found sewn up into knapsacks sold to unsuspecting tourists in Bangkok. Other regional crafts include bamboo and reed products, bullock carts and agricultural implements. The village of Kyaukka is well known for its lacquerware utensils for everyday use.
Black market goods from India, especially saris and bicycle parts, pass through Monywa on their way to other parts of Myanmar.
Attractions
edit
The major tourist attraction in Monywa is Thambuddhe Pagoda , a Buddhist temple with a huge stupa resembling Indonesia's Borobudur. It dates from 1303, although it was reconstructed in 1939. It is said to contain over 500,000 images of Buddha. Close by is the Maha Bodhi Tahtaung Laykyun Sekkya standing Buddha statue, the 3rd tallest statue in the world, at 115.82 metres (a total of 129.23 metres, including the pedestal). This is the focal point of a sprawling site filled with Buddha statues, bodhi trees, and pagodas, established by the Maha Bodhi Ta Htaung Sayadaw in the 1960s. It includes also a 95-metre long reclining Buddha statue.[13]
Another attraction is the Phowintaung cave complex across the Chindwin River, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Monywa.
Nyaung-gan Bronze Age cemetery, dated to between 1,500 BCE and 500 BCE, in Budalin with bronze tools, ceramics and stone artifacts is 60 minutes travel on a narrow road north of Monywa.[14]
Very few tourists visit Monywa as its facilities are limited.
Education
edit
The city is home to several higher education institutions:
Healthcare
editMonywa has two public hospitals:
- Monywa General Hospital
- Monywa Women and Children Hospital
Politics
editThe insurgent Burmese Communist Party (BCP) was centred in the Monywa area (west of the Chindwin River) for many years. The Myanmar military presence in Monywa remains heavy.[17]
Notable residents
editGallery
edit-
Giant reclining Buddha at Bodhi Tahtaung -
Giant standing Buddha (under construction in the first picture) -
Shwezigon-Paya -
Aung Setkya Paya
Notes
edit- ^ The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census The Union Report Census Report Volume 2. Department of Population, Ministry of Immigration and Population. May 2015. p. 52. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2018-09-06.
- ^ "Myanmar Area Codes". Archived from the original on 2009-12-01. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ^ Brzezina, Jachym. "Meteotemplate". Meteotemplate.
- ^ "Myanmar climate: Average Temperature, weather by month, Myanmar weather averages – Climate-Data.org". en.climate-data.org.
- ^ http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/newpaper/2110newsm.pdf[permanent dead link] Page 19 Col 2
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020". World Meteorological Organization. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
- ^ "Myanmar Climate Report" (PDF). Norwegian Meteorological Institute. pp. 23–36. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
- ^ "NAJAF - Weather data by month". meteomanz. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "Sr Gen Than Shwe urges officials to collectively strive for turning Sagaing Division into granary of Upper Myanmar Assistance assured to upgrade Monywa-Budalin-Dabayin-YeU-KhinU Road". The New Light of Myanmar, December 3, 2002. Archived from the original on 2009-02-28. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "Chindwin River". Encyclopædia Britannica online. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ^ "Monywa Airport Profile | CAPA". centreforaviation.com.
- ^ Sandar Lwin (21 March 2011). "In Monywa, 'market economy' leaves some businesses behind". Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 16 September 2011. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ "Nev World Wonders". Archived from the original on 2015-09-18. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ Once feted by Myanmar's junta, Bronze Age cemetery site returns to the spotlight, Forntier Myanmar.
- ^ "Ministry of Science and Technology". MOST, February 2009. Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ "Ministry of Science and Technology". MOST, February 2009. Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ^ Red dawn: Myanmar’s reborn communist army Frontier Myanmar December 11, 2023 Archived January 28, 2024, at the Wayback Machine
External links
edit
- City of Monywa Archived 2011-01-17 at the Wayback Machine
- Burman photograph album 1897 Old photos of Monywa
- Chindwin River - lifeblood of upper Sagaing Myanmar Times, January 16–22, 2006