Monywa
| Monywa မုံရွာမြို့ | |
|---|---|
|
Monywa | |
  Monywa Location in Burma | |
| Coordinates: 22°6′30″N 95°8′30″E / 22.10833°N 95.14167°ECoordinates: 22°6′30″N 95°8′30″E / 22.10833°N 95.14167°E | |
| Country |
 Burma |
| Region | Sagaing Region |
| District | Monywa District |
| Township | Monywa Township |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Religions | Buddhism |
| Time zone | MST (UTC+6.30) |
| Area code(s) | 71[1] |
Monywa (Burmese: မုံရွာမြို့; MLCTS: muṃ rwa mrui.; pronounced: [mòʊɴjwà mjo̰]) is a city in Sagaing Region, Myanmar, located 136 km north-west of Mandalay on the eastern bank of the River Chindwin.
Climate
Monywa has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw) which just fall a short for of hot desert climate (BWh). Temperatures are very warm throughout the year, although the winter months (December–February) are milder. The pre-monsoon months from March to May are especially hot, with average maximum temperatures reaching 38 °C (100 °F). There is a winter dry season (November–April) and a summer wet season (May–October).
Monywa received 139 millimetres (5.5 in) of rainfall on 19 Oct 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 (5.3 in) on 24 Oct 1967.[2]
| Climate data for Monywa | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 36.5 (97.7) |
40.6 (105.1) |
45.2 (113.4) |
45.8 (114.4) |
45.6 (114.1) |
43.3 (109.9) |
43.5 (110.3) |
43.3 (109.9) |
43.1 (109.6) |
41.2 (106.2) |
39.7 (103.5) |
36.1 (97) |
45.8 (114.4) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 27.9 (82.2) |
31.5 (88.7) |
35.3 (95.5) |
38.3 (100.9) |
37.3 (99.1) |
30.9 (87.6) |
34.4 (93.9) |
33.6 (92.5) |
33.3 (91.9) |
32.1 (89.8) |
29.8 (85.6) |
27.6 (81.7) |
32.67 (90.78) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 13.9 (57) |
11.1 (52) |
14.2 (57.6) |
19.1 (66.4) |
25.5 (77.9) |
25.7 (78.3) |
25.9 (78.6) |
25.6 (78.1) |
25.0 (77) |
23.4 (74.1) |
19.5 (67.1) |
21.2 (70.2) |
20.84 (69.53) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.3 (37.9) |
5.5 (41.9) |
6.6 (43.9) |
10.7 (51.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
19.8 (67.6) |
21.3 (70.3) |
20.8 (69.4) |
19.4 (66.9) |
14.9 (58.8) |
8.5 (47.3) |
3.0 (37.4) |
3 (37.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 2 (0.08) |
2 (0.08) |
2 (0.08) |
26 (1.02) |
101 (3.98) |
106 (4.17) |
71 (2.8) |
131 (5.16) |
162 (6.38) |
134 (5.28) |
42 (1.65) |
6 (0.24) |
785 (30.92) |
| Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [3] | |||||||||||||
Transport
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.[4] 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.[5][6]
Economy
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 oils. 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),[7] 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
The major tourist attraction in Monywa is Thanboddhay 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 Setkya Standing Buddha statue, the second-tallest statue in the world, at a total of 129 metres (including 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.[8]
Another attraction is the Phowintaung cave complex across the Chindwin River, approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of Monywa.
Very few tourists visit Monywa as its facilities are limited.
Education
The city is home to:
- Monywa University
- Monywa Education College
- Monywa Institute of Economics
- Technological University, Monywa[9] and
- Computer University, Monywa[10]
Politics
The insurgent Burmese Communist Party (BCP) was centred in the Monywa area (west of the Chindwin River) for many years. Although the BCP is no longer active, the Myanmar military presence in Monywa remains heavy.
Notable people
- U Lu Tin (1930-)
Gallery
-
Giant reclining Buddha at Bodhi Tahtaung
-
Giant standing Buddha (under construction in the first picture)
-
Shwezigon-Paya
-
Aung Setkya Paya
Notes
- ↑ "Myanmar Area Codes". Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ↑ http://www.mrtv3.net.mm/newpaper/2110newsm.pdf Page 19 Col 2
- ↑ "Monywa Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ↑ "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. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ↑ "Chindwin River". Encyclopaedia Britannica online. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ↑ "CHINDWIN". Online Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
- ↑ Sandar Lwin (21 March 2011). "In Monywa, ‘market economy’ leaves some businesses behind". Myanmar Times. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ↑ "Nev World Wonders".
- ↑ "Ministry of Science and Technology". MOST, February 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
- ↑ "Ministry of Science and Technology". MOST, February 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monywa. |
- City of Monywa
- Burman photograph album 1897 Old photos of Monywa
- Chindwin River - lifeblood of upper Sagaing Myanmar Times, January 16–22, 2006
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