Taungoo (1531-1752)

myanmar-cyclone1Reinforced by fleeing Burmans from Ava, the minor Burman kingdom of Taungoo under its young, ambitious king Tabinshwehti (1531-1551) defeated the more powerful Mon kingdom at Bago, reunifying all of Lower Burma by 1540. Tabinshwehti’s successor King Bayinnaung (1551-1581) would go on to conquer Upper Burma (1555), Manipur (1556), Shan states (1557), Chiang Mai (1557), Ayutthaya (1564, 1569) and Lan Xang (1574), bringing most of western South East Asia under his rule. Bayinnaung died in 1581, preparing to invade Rakhine, a maritime power controlling the entire coastline west of Rakhine Yoma, up to Chittagong province in Bengal.

Bayinnaung’s massive empire unraveled soon after his death in 1581. Ayutthaya Siamese had driven out the Burmese by 1593 and went on to take Tanintharyi. In 1599, Rakhine forces aided by the Portuguese mercenaries sacked the kingdom’s capital Bago. Chief Portuguese mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote (Burmese: Nga Zinga) promptly rebelled against his Rakhine masters and established Portuguese rule in Thanlyin (Syriam), then the most important seaport in Burma. The country was in chaos.

The Burmese under King Anaukpetlun (1605-1628) regrouped and defeated the Portuguese in 1611. Anaukpetlun reestablished a smaller reconstituted kingdom based in Ava covering Upper Burma, Lower Burma and Shan states (but without Rakhine or Taninthayi). After the reign of King Thalun (1629-1648), who rebuilt the war-torn country, the kingdom experienced a slow and steady decline for the next 100 years. The Mons successfully rebelled starting in 1740 with French help and Siamese encouragement, broke away Lower Burma by 1747, and finally put an end to the House of Taungoo in 1752 when they took Ava.

Kaja

Kaja – one of the states of Burma, with the capital in Lwaingkaw. The main religions are Buddhism, Christianity and animism. Since 1957 in the state operates a strong partyzantka independence.

Natural

The southern part of the country occupies a sprawling street południkowo Plain Irawadyjska, allocated bandwidth mountains Pegu, while in the west and north surrounded by her band incorporated in the mountains of Sino-Tibetan: strap, Czin, Arakańskie and Kumon Mountains with the highest peak of the country – Hkagabo Razi (5881 m above sea level). Main river Irawadi. Over 50% of the country covered in forests of different species composition in the mountains with numerous bambusami and palm trees, lots of the peak in the pines, evergreen oak and green drzewiastymi rododendronami.

Myanmar has about 75% of the world’s trees teakwood veneer. Animal world is rich and diverse, is represented by the Indian elephants, tigers, lamparty, Malay bears, Ginące Sumatran rhinoceros, many species of monkeys, crocodiles in the rivers, and coastal marine turtles.

Monsunowy subtropical climate, in the south through the equatorial. The average air temperature for the capital of the country is: in January, 25 degrees C, July 27 ° C, the sum of approximately 840 mm of precipitation. Precipitation in the south-west come up to 6000 mm per year.

Cities

* Naypyidaw – since November 2005, the new official capital of the country, a city near Pyinmana retort
* Yangon – the biggest city in the country
* Mandalay – Myanmar’s second largest city – the place many attractions.
* Sittwe (formerly Akyab) – capital of Rakhine state and the starting point for the trip to the ancient king capital Mrauk U.
* Taunggyi – Largest city near the Inle Lake and Pindaya.
* Tachilek – near the border with Thailand

A complete list can be found among cities in Myanmar.

Summary

After the First Burmese War, the Ava kingdom ceded the provinces of Manipur, Tenassarim, and Arakan to the British.Rangoon and southern Burma were incorporated into British India in 1853. All of Burma came directly or indirectly under British India in 1886 after the Third Burmese War and the fall of Mandalay.Burma was administered as a province of British India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony. The country became independent from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948, as the “Union of Burma”.

It became the “Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma” on 4 January 1974, before reverting to the “Union of Burma” on 23 September 1988. On 18 June 1989, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) adopted the name “Union of Myanmar” for English transliteration. This controversial name change in English, while accepted in the UN and in many countries, is not recognised by opposition groups and by nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States.

Summary

After the First Burmese War, the Ava kingdom ceded the provinces of Manipur, Tenassarim, and Arakan to the British. [21]Rangoon and southern Burma were incorporated into British India in 1853. All of Burma came directly or indirectly under British India in 1886 after the Third Burmese War and the fall of Mandalay.Burma was administered as a province of British India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony. The country became independent from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948, as the “Union of Burma”. It became the “Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma” on 4 January 1974, before reverting to the “Union of Burma” on 23 September 1988. On 18 June 1989, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) adopted the name “Union of Myanmar” for English transliteration. This controversial name change in English, while accepted in the UN and in many countries, is not recognised by opposition groups and by nations such as the United Kingdom and the United States.

When to Go

Climate wise, the best season for visiting Myanmar is from November to February, when it rains least and isn’t too hot. If you’re hitting the hill stations or the Rakhine coast, try March to May, but bear in mind that Bagan and Mandalay are intolerable during these months (TS Eliot described April as ‘the cruellest month’). The southwest monsoon starts between mid-May and mid-June, and brings frequent rains till October, peaking from July to September. The dry zone (roughly the area between Mandalay and Pyay) gets less rain than the rest of the country, though roads everywhere (particularly in the delta region south and east of Yangon) can become impassable. Rakhaing State bears the full force of the rains – often exceeding 500cm (197in) annually. Myanmar gets the least amount of visitors in May, June and September.

Naypyidaw

Naypyidaw (Burmese: , also spelled Nay Pyi Taw) is the capital of Myanmar. Naypyidaw means “Royal City”, but is also translated as “abode of kings”.[2] The administrative capital of Myanmar was officially moved to a greenfield site 3 kilometres west of Pyinmana on 6 November 2005. Naypyidaw is approximately 320 kilometres north of Yangon. The capital’s official name was announced on Armed Forces Day in March 2006.

The Union of Myanmar

Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar , is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia.

The country achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 4 January 1948, as the “Union of Burma.” It became the “Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma” on 4 January 1974, before reverting to the “Union of Burma” on 23 September 1988. On 18 June 1989, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) adopted the name “Union of Myanmar”. This controversial name change was not recognized by SPDC opposition groups and many English-speaking nations.

The country is bordered by China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. One-third of Burma’s total perimeter, 1,930 kilometres (1,199 mi), forms an uninterrupted coastline.

The country’s diverse population has played a major role in defining its politics, history and demographics in modern times. Its political system remains under the tight control of the State Peace and Development Council, the military led government, since 1992, by Senior General Than Shwe. The military has dominated government since General Ne Win led a coup in 1962 that toppled the civilian government of U Nu. Part of the British Empire until 1948, Burma continues to struggle to mend its ethnic tensions. The country’s culture, heavily influenced by neighbours, is based on Theravada Buddhism intertwined with local elements.