Magway Division

Location: Magway Division is located in the central part of Myanmar. Its major part falls in the Dry Zone. Magway Division has a common boundary with Mandalay and Bago Divisions as well as Rakhine and Chin States. Sagaing Division is to its north; Mandalay Division, to its east; Bago Division, to its south, and Rakhine and Chin States, to its west. Magway Division has an area of 17,305 sq-miles and is situated between North Latitude 18° 50' and 22° 47' and East Longitude between 93° 47' and 95° 55'.

The western hilly region whose rainfall is slightly more than other parts of the Division, Bago Mountain Range and the southernmost part have the tropical Savannah Climate. As the majority part of Magway Division falls within the Dry Zone, it is very hot during the hot season and is relatively cold during the cold season. The average temperature of April, which is the hottest month of the year, is 90° Fahrenheit and the temperature of April, which is the hottest month of the year, is 90° Fahrenheit and the temperatures during daytime range between 100° - 110° Fahrenheit. The average temperature of January, which is the coolest month of the year, is 70° Fahrenheit and the temperature sometimes falls as low as 50° Fahrenheit.

Inhabitants, religions and Languages: The population of Magway Division is 4.218,699. The majority of the people are Bamars and there are also Chins, Rakhines, Kayins, Shans and others. A total of 98 percent of the people are Buddhists and the rest are Christians, Hindus. Muslims or Animists.

The population of Magway Division is 4.218,699. The majority of the people are Bamars and there are also Chins, Rakhines, Kayins, Shans and others. A total of 98 percent of the people are Buddhists and the rest are Christians, Hindus. Muslims or Animists.

The population of Magway Division is 4.218,699. The majority of the people are Bamars and there are also Chins, Rakhines, Kayins, Shans and others. A total of 98 percent of the people are Buddhists and the rest are Christians, Hindus. Muslims or Animists.

Organization of districts, townships and village-tracts: Magway Division occupies an area of 177305.32 square miles. It is made up of Magway, Minbu, Thayet, Pakokku and Gangaw Districts where there are 25 townships and 1,696 ward village-tracts. Magway is the divisional capital. Its population in 1994 was about 300.000. Other major towns of the Division are Pakokku and Minbu. Other well-known towns are Taungdwingyi, Thayet, Aunglan, Natmauk, Pwintbyu, Chauk, Yenangyaung, Pauk, Gangaw and Yesagyo.

Magway Division occupies an area of 177305.32 square miles. It is made up of Magway, Minbu, Thayet, Pakokku and Gangaw Districts where there are 25 townships and 1,696 ward village-tracts. Magway is the divisional capital. Its population in 1994 was about 300.000. Other major towns of the Division are Pakokku and Minbu. Other well-known towns are Taungdwingyi, Thayet, Aunglan, Natmauk, Pwintbyu, Chauk, Yenangyaung, Pauk, Gangaw and Yesagyo.

Magway Division occupies an area of 177305.32 square miles. It is made up of Magway, Minbu, Thayet, Pakokku and Gangaw Districts where there are 25 townships and 1,696 ward village-tracts. Magway is the divisional capital. Its population in 1994 was about 300.000. Other major towns of the Division are Pakokku and Minbu. Other well-known towns are Taungdwingyi, Thayet, Aunglan, Natmauk, Pwintbyu, Chauk, Yenangyaung, Pauk, Gangaw and Yesagyo.

Sown acreage and crops produced: Farmland occupies 1.6 million acres of about 2.5 million acres of total arable land in the Division. The rest are paddy land, silt land (Kaing-kyunmya), hill-side cultivated land (taungya-myay)and vegetable land. Multiple cropping is practised at paddy land and farmland. In Magway Division 500,000 acres is put under paddy. The major crop is sesamum and over one million acres is put under the crop. Other crops grown are millet. maize, common millet (lu), ltalian millet (Hsat), groundnut, sunflower, bean and pulses, Virginia tobacco, toddy. chili, onion, potato. etc. There are three water-pump stations, nine electric water-pump sites, and 32 diesel-powered water-pump sites. There are Thanakha (Limonia acidissima) plantations and the Shinmataung Thanaka variety is well-known in the country.

The famous product of Magway Division is Phangar (Chebulic myorobalan) fruit. Magway Division produces 694 million kyats worth of monsoon sesamum and 515 million kyats worth of monsoon groundnut each year.


Sin Bhyu Shin Bridge crossing Chindwin River between Sagaing and Magway Division.

Other products: The principal product is oil. Magway Division produces most of the oil of Myanmar. Mann, Yenangaung, Chauk. Kyauk-khwet, Letpando, and Ayadaw Oil fields produce 8,197 US barrels per-day. Natural gas is produced at Pay-ye, which is near the town of Thayet. The Thayet cement factory is powered by the natural gas from Pay-we. There are also cotton weaving, tobacco, iron and bronze industries. As Magway Division produces a large quantity of groundnut and sesamum edible oil, it is also known as the oil pot of Myanmar.

The principal product is oil. Magway Division produces most of the oil of Myanmar. Mann, Yenangaung, Chauk. Kyauk-khwet, Letpando, and Ayadaw Oil fields produce 8,197 US barrels per-day. Natural gas is produced at Pay-ye, which is near the town of Thayet. The Thayet cement factory is powered by the natural gas from Pay-we. There are also cotton weaving, tobacco, iron and bronze industries. As Magway Division produces a large quantity of groundnut and sesamum edible oil, it is also known as the oil pot of Myanmar.

Sites of historical interest: As the fossils of the earliest primates were excavated in Pondaung and Ponnya areas in Magway Division. It has become a place of historical interest. The findings are known as Pondaung fossils. The Beikthano ancient town in Taungdwingyi Township, Sandaku natha Kyaungdawya Pagoda in Pwintbyu Township, Sale-yokson Monastery in Chauk Township, Minhla Fort in Minhla Township and Pakhan Kyaungdawgyi in Yesagyo Township, among others, are also places of historical interest.

As the fossils of the earliest primates were excavated in Pondaung and Ponnya areas in Magway Division. It has become a place of historical interest. The findings are known as Pondaung fossils. The Beikthano ancient town in Taungdwingyi Township, Sandaku natha Kyaungdawya Pagoda in Pwintbyu Township, Sale-yokson Monastery in Chauk Township, Minhla Fort in Minhla Township and Pakhan Kyaungdawgyi in Yesagyo Township, among others, are also places of historical interest.

As the fossils of the earliest primates were excavated in Pondaung and Ponnya areas in Magway Division. It has become a place of historical interest. The findings are known as Pondaung fossils. The Beikthano ancient town in Taungdwingyi Township, Sandaku natha Kyaungdawya Pagoda in Pwintbyu Township, Sale-yokson Monastery in Chauk Township, Minhla Fort in Minhla Township and Pakhan Kyaungdawgyi in Yesagyo Township, among others, are also places of historical interest.

Traditional cultural and social festivals: The pagoda festivals, which are common in other parts of the country, arc also held in Magway Division. The festivals of Myathalun Pagoda in Magway and of Shwesettaw Pagoda in Minbu are very well-known throughout the country.

Radio & TV retransmission and microwave stations:
There is a TV retransmission station in Minbu. Magway Division. TV Myanmar programmes can be received in 13 townships of Magway Division. Myawady Television has a retransmission station at Gwecho Village, Chauk Township. There are 17 microwave stations in the Division.


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Prepared by THAN TUN WIN, Embassy of the Union of Myanmar , Brussels