Sagaing Division |
Location:
Sagaing Division
is situated in the north-western part of Myanmar between latitude
21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east. It shares border with
India in the north Kachin State, Shan State and Mandalay Division
in the east Mandalay and Magway Divisions in the south and Chin
State and India in the west and has 36,535 sq-miles.
Temperatures fall to freezing pOil1t in winter on Pakkoi and Naga
mountain ranges where coldness remains in summer. Winter
temperatures fall as low as 40 Degrees Fahrenheit (4.4 Degrees
Celsius) in northern lowlands. The southern region which lies in
the dry zone has an extremely hot climate. In Monywa, temperatures
rise as high as 110. Degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Degrees Celsius) in
summer and falls to 50 Degrees Fahrenheit (10 Degrees Celsius) in
the cold season.
The northern regions get annual rain fall ranging from 80 to 100
inches and the southern region gets 40 inches. Average annual rain
fall in Monywa is 31 inches, Sagaing 34 inches and Shwebo 36
inches. Sometimes the region gets a small amount of rain in winter
due to cyclones that enter it from the west.
Population, inhabitants, languages and religion:
The estimated
population of Sagaing Division in 1996 was over five million.
Average density of the division is 139 persons per square mile.
Population is dense in the lower regions of Chindwin and Mu rivers
where there are many plains and sparse in mountail1ous north-west
regions. Bamars are the majority of inhabitants in the dry
regions, Katha Township and the regions along Mandalay-Myitkyina
Railroad. Shans live in upper Chindwin valley, Kawlin, Wuntho and
Pinlebu townships. Nagas reside in the north of north-west
mountain ranges and Chins in the south. Kadu and Ganang national
races can be found at upper Mu River valley and Meza River Valley.
The estimated population of Sagaing Division in 1996 was over
five million. Average density of the division is 139 persons per
square mile. Population is dense in the lower regions of Chindwin
and Mu rivers where there are many plains and sparse in
mountail1ous north-west regions. Bamars are the majority of
inhabitants in the dry regions, Katha Township and the regions
along Mandalay-Myitkyina Railroad. Shans live in upper Chindwin
valley, Kawlin, Wuntho and Pinlebu townships. Nagas reside in the
north of north-west mountain ranges and Chins in the south. Kadu
and Ganang national races can be found at upper Mu River valley
and Meza River Valley.
Formation of districts, townships and villages:
Sagaing Division is
formed with 198 wards and village-tracts, 38 townships and eight
districts-Sagaing, Shwebo, Monywa, Katha, Kale, Tamu, Mawlaik and
Hkamti. Sagaing is the capital of the division.
Sown acreage and agricultural produce: Major crops of the division are rice, wheat, corn. maize? edible oil crops such as sesame, groundnut and sunflower, cotton. sugarcane and beans and pulses. Over one million acres are being put under paddy in the Division annually. Eighty percent of the nation's wheat comes from Sagaing Division. Tobacco, tomato, toddy palm, and vegetables are also grown in the Division. Small amount of land is put under green tea at mountain regions in the north.
Sagaing Division has a total cultivated area of over three million
acres. Paddy is cultivated on 1.4 million acres and other crops on
1.5 million acres. Others are alluvial-land cultivation, garden
-farms and hillside cultivation. Water is supplied from canals,
lakes, tube-wells and pumped-water stations.
Kabo Dam irrigates over three million acres in Shwebo plain. Mu
River Valley Project is being implemented at present and when
completed the project will help extend cultivated areas and
multiple cropping in the Division. Livestock breeding is carried
out jointly with agriculture.
Sagaing Bridge, Sagaing Division
Other products: The Division produces teak and hardwood from its forests. Monywa and Katha are important timber depots. Thanakha, eaglewood, honey, catechu, rattan and bamboo are extracted from forests.
Important minerals of the Division are gold mined at Kyaukpahto region, Kawlin Township, coal mined at Kalewa (Thitchauk) region and Monywa. A small amount of oil is found at Pantha and Inndaw regions at Chindwin River valley. Salt is produced in Wetlet and Sagaing township.
Heavy industries in the Division are the Textile Mill at
Ywathitgyi and the Diesel Engine Workshop at Ywahtaung. A copper
refinery is located in Salingyi and a gold smelting plant at
Kyaukpahto region in Kawlin. The Division has many rice mills,
edible oil mills, saw mills, cotton mills, gram crushing mills and
weaving factories. Large mechanized weaving mills can be found in
Monywa. Earthen pots are produced in Kyaukmyaung and Sagaing.
silverware is made in Ywahtaung, bronze-wares and iron-wares are
produced in Monywaekyemon and lacquer-ware in Kyaukka.
Traditions and culture:
The traditional rice
donation ceremony was held on a grand-scale at Padamya Pagoda
annually. The traditional rice donation ceremony was held
on a grand-scale at Padamya Pagoda annually.
Historical
sites and places of interest:
Ancient palace site
of King Alaungmintaya is being excavated in Shwebo Township.
Twindaung in Budalin Township is a rare and significant place in
the world. Twindaung yields blue green algae from which Pluvimin
is produced.
TV re-transmission stations: TV retransmission stations, which cover 41 townships in Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway Divisions, were installed in 15 townships--Sagaing, Monywa, Hkamti, Tamu, Katha, Htigyaint. Inndaw, Kawlin, Wuntho, Mintha, Leshi, Homalin, Nangyun, Lahe and Kantbalu in Sagaing Division.
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Prepared by THAN TUN WIN, Embassy of
the Union of