Nyaungshwe Township
Nyaungshwe Township (Burmese: ညောင်ရွှေမြို့နယ်; MLCTS: nyaunghrwe-mrui.nai; Burmese pronunciation: [ɲàʊɰ̃ʃwèmjo̰nɛ̀]) is a township of Taunggyi District in Shan State, Myanmar. It is located south of Sakangyi and south-west of Taunggyi. The principal town is Nyaungshwe.
Nyaungshwe Township ညောင်ရွှေမြို့နယ် | |
---|---|
Township | |
Nyaungshwe Township | |
Coordinates: 20°39′N 96°56′E | |
Country | |
State | |
District | Taunggyi District |
Capital | Nyaungshwe |
Area | |
• Total | 561.4 sq mi (1,454.0 km2) |
Population (2014) | 189,407 |
Time zone | UTC+6:30 (MST) |
Inle Lake, a popular tourist destination and an inland freshwater lake, is located south of Nyaungshwe town. Part of Inlay Lake Wetland Sanctuary lies in Nyaungshwe, Pinlaung and Pekon Township.[1]
History
Nyaungshwe was formerly the capital of Yawnghwe, one of many Shan principalities in pre-colonial and colonial Burma (collectively called the Shan States). Nyaungshwe is a Burmese language approximation of the Shan name, Yawnghwe (Shan: ယွင်ႈႁူၺ်ႈ).[2]
Nyaungshwe town
The town of Nyaungshwe comprises 8 wards, namely Kantha, Thasi, Nandawun, Myole, Win, Nangpang, Mingala, and Mongli.[3]
Nyaungshwe is the tourist hub for visiting Inle Lake and Inlay Lake Wetland Sanctuary. It consists of one main thoroughfare with numerous side streets and a few parallel roads. The main street has numerous shops, several restaurants, a few stupas, travel agencies and a market (located behind the storefronts). Near the end of this road, a bridge crosses the river channel near an impressive mirror-tiled stupa.
The town serves as a marina for the numerous long boats carrying tourists into the lake. The lake itself is located a few kilometers south through a river channel. Nyaungshwe can be reached by bus, car, or by plane via the airport in Heho, located about a one-hour drive away.
Demographics
2014
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1973 | — | |
1983 | — | |
2014 | 189,407 | — |
Source: Ministry of Labor, Immigration, and Population data |
The 2014 Myanmar Census reported that Nyaungshwe Township had a population of 189,407.[3] The population density was 130.3 people per km².[3] The census reported that the median age was 26.7 years, and 100 males per 100 females.[3] There were 42,634 households; the mean household size was 4.2.[3]
Attractions
Nyaungshwe Township is home to Inle Lake and Inlay Lake Wetland Sanctuary, including the village of Ywama, which is home to a floating market. In addition, Nyaungshwe Township has several cultural attractions, including:
- Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung, a wooden monastery dating to the 19th century[4][5]
- Yadana Man Aung Pagoda[6]
- Bawrithat Pagoda, founded by Anawrahta[7]
- Museum of Shan Sawbwa.[8]
References
- "Inlay Lake (wetland) Sanctuary". Explore Myanmar. Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 12 July 2014.
- Sao Tern Moeng (1995). Shan-English Dictionary. Dunwoody Press. ISBN 9780931745928.
- "Nyaungshwe Township Report" (PDF). 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census. October 2017.
- "Shwe Yaunghwe Kyaung". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
- "Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery". myanmars.net. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
- "Rough Guides - Nyaungshwe". Rough Guides. Retrieved 2020-05-31.
- Harvey, G. E. (2019-06-04). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824 The Beginning of the English Conquest. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-64805-2.
- "Cultural Museum | Nyaungshwe, Myanmar (Burma) Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2020-05-31.