Lashio

Lashio
လားရှိုးမြို့

Lashio
Lashio
လားရှိုးမြို့

Location in Burma

Coordinates: 22°56′N 97°45′E / 22.933°N 97.750°E / 22.933; 97.750
Country  Burma
Division Shan State
District Lashio District
Township Lashio Township
Elevation 2,746 ft (836 m)
Population (2009 estimate)
 • Total 131,000
 • Religions Buddhism
Time zone MST (UTC+6.30)

Lashio (Burmese: လားရှိုးမြို့; MLCTS: la: hrui: mrui., IPA: [láʃó mjo̰]; Shan: လႃႈသဵဝ်ႈ) is the largest town in northern Shan State, Myanmar, about 200 kilometres (120 mi) north-east of Mandalay. It is situated on a low mountain spur overlooking the valley of the Nam Yao river. Loi Leng, the highest mountain of the Shan Hills, is located 45 km (28 mi) to the south-east of Lashio.[1]

Lashio is the administrative center of Lashio Township and Lashio District; before April 2010, it was also the administrative center of Shan State (North). The population grew from approximately 5000 in 1960 to 88,590 in 1983. It is currently estimated at approximately 130,000.[2]

The population is made up of mostly Shan, Chinese and Burmans.

History

The British colonial period in this part of the country began in 1887, and the Myanmar Railways line from Mandalay reached Lashio in 1903.

Before British rule Lashio was also the centre of authority for the northern Shan States, but the Burmese post in the valley was close to the Nam Yao, in an old Chinese fortified camp. The Lashio valley was formerly very populous; but a rebellion, started by the sawbwa of Hsenwi, about ten years before the British occupation, ruined it.

In 1900, the town of Lashio consisted of the European station, with court house and quarters for the civil officers; the military police post, the headquarters of the Lashio battalion of military police; and the native station, in which the various nationalities, Shans, Burmans, Hindus and Muslims, who were divided into separate quarters, with reserves for government servants and for the temporary residences of the five sawbwas of the northern Shan States; and a bazaar.

Lashio became important during the Sino-Japanese War resp. World War II as the Burmese terminus of the Burma Road 1938-45. In World War II, Lashio was taken by the Japanese April 29, 1942 and liberated by the Allies March 7, 1945.

In late May 2013, the town was the scene of sectarian violence after Buddhist mobs burnt down Muslim homes and shops, leaving 1 dead and 4 injured, in a follow-up of similar violence in such places as Rakhine and Meiktila.[3]

Climate

Lashio has a humid subtropical climate (Cwa) according to the Köppen climate classification system, marked by heavy rains from May to October. The annual rainfall averages 54 inches (1,400 mm). The average maximum temperature is 27 °C (81 °F) and the average minimum 13 °C (55 °F) .[4][5] Temperatures are generally warm throughout the year, though nights are cool from December to March.

Climate data for Lashio
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 24.6
(76.3)		 27.4
(81.3)		 30.7
(87.3)		 32.2
(90)		 31.4
(88.5)		 30.0
(86)		 29.0
(84.2)		 29.0
(84.2)		 29.5
(85.1)		 28.6
(83.5)		 26.3
(79.3)		 24.4
(75.9)		 28.59
(83.47)
Average low °C (°F) 5.2
(41.4)		 6.2
(43.2)		 9.9
(49.8)		 15.1
(59.2)		 19.3
(66.7)		 21.6
(70.9)		 21.6
(70.9)		 21.5
(70.7)		 20.6
(69.1)		 18.3
(64.9)		 13.1
(55.6)		 7.9
(46.2)		 15.03
(59.05)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 6.0
(0.236)		 7.0
(0.276)		 9.0
(0.354)		 61.0
(2.402)		 141.0
(5.551)		 205.0
(8.071)		 230.0
(9.055)		 293.0
(11.535)		 188.0
(7.402)		 151.0
(5.945)		 69.0
(2.717)		 18.0
(0.709)		 1,378
(54.253)
Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [6]

Landmarks

Transport

Lashio is located at the end of the Burma Road, and at the terminus of the Mandalay-Kun Long railway. It is also the end point of the government cart road from Mandalay, from which it is 178 miles (286 km) distant.

The scenic Goteik viaduct is near Lashio and trains traveling from Mandalay pass over the bridge, which is the highest bridge in Myanmar.

In 2009, a railway link through to Jiegao in China was proposed.

It is the home of Lashio Airport.

Culture

Religious sites include the Sasana (Pyilon Chanta) Pagoda and the Mansu Pagoda. Yepusan spa is nearly five miles away from the city center, and is healthful in winter. Other than some ethnic minorities group, Lashio is also a town with a heavy Chinese population. The most famous Chinese temples in the area are 观音山，灵峰寺 where most Chinese people attend every year during the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival). Since 2000, Lashio has been important for border trade between Myanmar and China. . It is 190 kilometres (120 mi) from Muse, and is situated midway between Muse and Mandalay.

Sai Mauk Kham, one of the Vice Presidents of Myanmar's new government from the 2010 general election, is elected from Lashio constituency.

Education

The town is home to the Lashio University, Computer University (Lashio),[7] Technology University (Lashio) [8] and Lashio Nursing School.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Loi Leng". Peakbagger.com. 2004-11-01. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  2. ↑ "Population of Lashio, Myanmar". Population.mongabay.com. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  3. ↑ Ferrie, Jared. "Buddhist mobs attack Muslim homes in Myanmar, one dead". Reuters. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  4. ↑ Archived February 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
  5. ↑ "Maps, Weather, Videos, and Airports for Lashio, Burma". Fallingrain.com. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
  6. ↑ "Lashio Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  7. ↑ http://www.webcitation.org/5DBVfgAaj. Archived from the original on January 24, 2006. Retrieved May 30, 2011. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. ↑ "Technological University (Lashio) - Lashio District". Most.gov.mm. Retrieved 2014-02-25.
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Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Coordinates: 22°56′N 97°45′E / 22.933°N 97.750°E / 22.933; 97.750

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