Rangoon

Rangoon, Spanish name of Yangon or Yangôn (official name in Burmese language according to the Burmese authorities), is the most The largest city in Burma, the former capital of the country until 2005, when it was replaced by Naypyidaw. It has an estimated population of 5,430,000 inhabitants (2016). The city is located on the banks of the Yangon River, near the Gulf of Martaban.

The term Yangon comes from the Burmese words yan and koun, meaning "city without enemies".

Compared to other major cities in Southeast Asia, Rangoon is not very developed although there is a boom in construction due, above all, to the influence of private investment, mainly from Singapore and China. In the city center and in the metropolitan area, numerous apartments and shopping malls (known as taik) have been reconstructed and remodeled. Rangoon has the largest number of colonial buildings in the area, among which the government offices, the Supreme Court, the City Hall or the General Hospital stand out, all of them restored or in the process of being restored. Outlying neighborhoods such as Thaketa or the "new towns" (myo-thit) are poor areas with a strong suburban character.

History

Rangoon was founded under the name Dagon in the 500s by the Mon. At that time, the Mon dominated the lower parts of present-day Burma. Dagon was nothing more than a small fishing village, centered around the Shwedagon Pagoda. In 1753, King Alaungpaya conquered lower Burma and renamed Dagon Yangon. The city was destroyed by fire in 1841 and was badly damaged during the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852.

Rangun Street damaged during World War II

The British Empire seized the city that same year, transforming it into a prominent political and economic enclave. It changed its name to Rangon. The British introduced the Western educational system and built numerous religious schools for the teaching of English. The main industries during the colonial period were rice and wood, although others such as cotton, precious stones or ivory were also important. In the early 1900s, Rangon had similar public services and infrastructure to London.

The city suffered heavy damage during the 1930 earthquake and tsunami; it also suffered severe damage during World War II. After the war it remained the capital of the country. In 1989 the local form Yangon of the place name was adapted as official. This change is somewhat controversial as the military junta that made it is not legitimately recognized by some governments. The United States, for example, continues to use the name Rangoon to refer to the city. The names of the cities were also changed to Burmese although many locals continue to use the English names.

In 1996, to protect some colonial buildings under government jurisdiction, the government made a list of buildings to conserve.

On November 6, 2005, the military junta began moving its headquarters to the modern city of Naypyidaw. The reasons for this change are not very clear, although it is believed that the regime moved inland to have a better strategic position against a possible invasion. Rangoon lost the capital of the country.

Administration

City Hall Facade

Rangoon is administered by the Yangon City Development Committee, which also coordinates the development plans. It is divided into four districts that have a total of 32 municipalities. Each municipality is administered by a committee that has the power to decide on improvements to the city and infrastructure.

Climate

Rangoon's climate is tropical and monsoonal, but more temperate compared to other equatorial cities.

Source: Weatherbase

Average climate parameters of Rangún (1961—1990)
Month	Ene.	Feb.	Mar.	Open up.	May.	Jun.	Jul.	Ago.	Sep.	Oct.	Nov.	Dec.	Annual
Temp. max. abs. (°C)	37.8	38.3	39.4	41.1	40.6	36.7	33.9	33.9	34.4	35.0	35.0	35.6	41.1
Average temperature (°C)	32.2	34.5	36.0	37.0	33.4	30.2	29.7	29.6	30.4	31.5	32.0	31.5	32.3
Average temperature (°C)	25.1	26.9	28.8	30.7	29.2	27.4	26.9	26.9	27.3	27.9	27.2	25.3	27.5
Temp. medium (°C)	17.9	19.3	21.6	24.3	25.0	24.5	24.1	24.1	24.2	24.2	22.4	19.0	22.6
Temp. min. abs. (°C)	12.8	13.3	16.1	20.0	20.6	21.7	21.1	20.0	22.2	21.7	16.1	12.8	12.8
Rains (mm)	5	2	7	15	303	547	559	602	368	206	60	7	2681
Days of rain (≥ 1 mm)	0.2	0.2	0.4	1.6	12.6	25.3	26.2	26.1	19.5	12.2	4.8	0.2	129.3
Hours of sun	300	272	290	292	181	80	77	92	97	203	280	288	2452
Relative humidity (%)	62	66	69	66	73	85	86	87	85	78	71	65	74
Source No. 1: World Meteorological Organization, Global Bioclimatic Classification System (extreme)
Source No. 2: Danish Meteorological Institute (sun and relative humidity)

Demographics

Rangoon is by far the most populous city in Myanmar. According to the 2014 census, the city had a population of 5.16 million. The city's population grew considerably after 1948 as many people (mainly indigenous Burmese) from other parts of the country moved to satellite cities. newly built North Okkalapa, South Okkalapa and Thaketa in the 1950s and East Dagon, North Dagon and South Dagon in the 1990s. Immigrants have founded their regional associations (such as Mandalay Association, Mawlamyaing Association, etc.) in Rangoon for networking purposes. The government's decision to move the nation's administrative capital to Naypyidaw has drained an unknown number of civil servants out of Yangon.

Rangoon is the most ethnically diverse city in the country. While Indian Burmese formed the slight majority before World War II, today, the majority of the population is of indigenous Burmese descent. Large South Asian Indian/Burmese and Burmese Chinese communities exist, especially in the traditional downtown neighborhoods. A large number of Rakhine people and Karen people also live in the city.

Burmese is the main language of the city, while English is the second most widely spoken language, especially among the upper classes, being a legacy of the British colonial past. However, in recent years, the prospect of job opportunities abroad has drawn some to study other languages: Mandarin Standard Chinese is the most popular, followed by Japanese and French.

Religion

The main religions practiced in Yangon are Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam. Shwedagon Pagoda is a famous religious monument in the city.

Culture

Buddha sitting at the pagoda Ngahtatgyi

Rangoon's vernacular is Burmese. The older inhabitants with a high educational level also speak English.

The city is home to the oldest university in Myanmar, Rangoon University. Originally affiliated with the University of Calcutta, in 1920 it was established as an independent center of higher education. Two of the country's medical institutes are located in Rangoon.

Picture of the city center of Rangún at night

Cultural places

• Shwedagon: religious complex in which the pagoda Shwedagon.
• Pagoda Sule: octogonally and with golden dome.
• Cathedral of Santa Maria: Catholic cathedral built in 1895.
• Pagoda Chaukhtatgyi: Inside is a giant image of Buddha.
• Pagoda Ngahtatgyi: located inside the monastery Ashay Tawya Kyaung contains another colossal Buddha statue known as the Buddha of the five floors.
• Pagoda Botahtaung: completely reconstructed at the end of World War II.

Economy

The city is the economic center of Burma. Most imports and exports pass through Rangoon, mostly via the Rangoon River which joins the Irawadi River, the country's main river.

Transportation

All international flights land at Yangon International Airport, which is located about 19 kilometers (12 miles) from Yangon Municipality. The buses are crammed with old commutators. An archaic railway, including the Rangoon Ring Railway, spans Burma. Cars, although expensive, have become commonplace on the streets of Yangon, causing more traffic congestion. The government establishes restrictions on the importation of cars. As a result, the black market is the first source of car imports (they usually come from Thailand or China). Also, because the government rations gasoline, most cars use government or black market gasoline interchangeably.