Magway Region
Magway Region is an administrative division in central Myanmar. It is the second largest of Myanmar's seven divisions, with an area of. Pa-de Dam is one of the dams in Aunglan Township, Magway Region. The capital and second largest city of the Magway Region is Magway. The largest city is Pakokku. The major cities of Magway Region are Magway, Pakokku, Aunglan, Yenangyaung, Taungdwingyi, Chauk, Minbu, Thayet and Gangaw.
Geography
Magway Region sits approximately between north latitude 18° 50' to 22° 47' and east longitude 93° 47' to 95° 55'. It is bordered by Sagaing Region to the north, Mandalay Region to the east, Bago Region to the south, and Rakhine State and Chin State to the west.History
of the early primates over 40 million years old were excavated in the Pondaung and Ponnya areas from Pakokku District in Magway Region, leading the government to proclaim that Myanmar as "the birthplace of humanity in the world," a claim which is unsupported by anthropologists. An ancient city of the Pyu, Peikthano-myo, about 2,000 years old, is located in Taungdwingyi Township, Magway Region.The history of Magway Region mirrors that of the other regions of central Burma. The ancient name of Magway Region was Minbu Region Minbu Province. Minbu Region was established with 3 districts. They are Minbu District, Thayet District, and Yenangyaung District. Its capital city was Yenangyaung. In 1950, Chauk township was moved to Yenangyaung District from Myingyan District.
On 2 March 1962, the military led by General Ne Win took control of Burma through a coup d'état, and the government has been under direct or indirect control by the military. A new constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma was adopted in 1974.
The name of Minbu Region was changed to Magway Region and Yenangyaung District was abolished. Magway District was established with 6 townships. Pakokku Hill Tracts 'Pakokku Province' was abolished, and Pakokku District was added to the Magway Division and Mindat District was added to the Chin state. Magway Region was then divided into 4 districts: Magway District, Minbu District, Thayet District and Pakokku District. Its capital city was changed from Yenangyaung to Magway.
On 4 April 1996, Pakokku District was divided into two districts: Pakokku District and Gangaw District. Currently, Magway Region has a total of 5 districts and 25 townships.
Administrative divisions
Magway Region's districts are Magwe, Minbu, Thayet, Pakokku and Gangaw, comprising 25 townships and 1,696 ward village tracts.Major cities and towns (2020)
Its capital city is Magwe and its largest city is Pakokku.Other major cities are Aunglan, Yenangyaung, Taungdwingyi, Chauk and Minbu.
| Rank | City | District | 2014 Census | 1993 Estimate | Change |
| 1 | Pakokku | Pakokku District | - | - | |
| 2 | Magway | Magway District | - | - | |
| 3 | Aunglan | Thayet District | - | - | |
| 4 | Yenangyaung | Magway District | - | - | |
| 5 | Taungdwingyi | Magway District | - | - | |
| 6 | Chauk | Magway District | - | - | |
| 7 | Minbu | Minbu District | - | - | |
| 8 | Yesagyo | Pakokku District | - | - | |
| 9 | Salin | Minbu District | - | - | |
| 10 | Thayet | Thayet District | - | - | |
| 11 | Natmauk | Magway District | - | - | |
| 12 | Gangaw | Gangaw District | - | - | |
| 13 | Minhla | Thayet District | - | - | |
| 14 | Myothit | Magway District | - | - | |
| 15 | Seikphyu | Pakokku District | - | - | |
| 16 | Myaing | Pakokku District | - | - | |
| 17 | Pauk | Pakokku District | - | - | |
| 18 | Pwintbyu | Minbu District | - | - | |
| 19 | Saw | Gangaw District | - | - | |
| 20 | Sidoktaya | Minbu District | - | - | |
| 21 | Mindon | Thayet District | - | - | |
| 22 | Kamma | Thayet District | - | - | |
| 23 | Sinbaungwe | Thayet District | - | - | |
| 24 | Htilin | Gangaw District | - | - | |
| 25 | Ngape | Minbu District | - | - |
Government
Executive
The region is administered by the Magway Region GovernmentLegislature
Judiciary
is the region's highest-level court.Demographics
The population of Magway Region is 3,912,711 in 2014.Ethnic makeup
The Bamar make up the majority of the region's population. The Chin are the region's largest minority. Other minorities include the Rakhine, Karen, Shan, and a tiny Anglo-Burmese population. During colonial times, this part of Burma had a large Anglo-Burmese population, descended from Western oil workers and their Burmese partners.After the 2014 Census in Myanmar, the Burmese government indefinitely withheld release of detailed ethnicity data, citing concerns around political and social concerns surrounding the issue of ethnicity in Myanmar. In 2022, researchers published an analysis of the General Administration Department's nationwide 2018–2019 township reports to tabulate the ethnic makeup of the region.
Religion
According to the 2014 Myanmar Census, Buddhists make up 98.8% of Magway Region's population, forming the largest religious community there. Minority religious communities include Christians, Muslims, Hindus, and animists who collectively comprise the remainder of Magway Region's population.According to the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee's 2016 statistics, 31,349 Buddhist monks were registered in Magway Region, comprising 5.9% of Myanmar's total Sangha membership, which includes both novice samanera and fully-ordained bhikkhu. The majority of monks belong to the Thudhamma Nikaya, followed by Shwegyin Nikaya, with the remainder of monks belonging to other small monastic orders. 2,473 thilashin were registered in Magway Region, comprising 4.1% of Myanmar's total thilashin community.
Transport
The Irrawaddy River is the major transportation system in Magway Region, both in terms of volume of goods and population served. Most major towns in the region are river ports on the Irrawaddy; among them are Magway, Pakokku, Minbu, Yenangyaung, Chauk, Allanmyo, and Thayetmyo. Pakokku's river port is a major port of Magway Region and the third most important river port in Myanmar after Yangon port and Mandalay port.The major form of transport for non-Irrawaddy areas is by road. The road system is less developed on the western side of the river. The towns are connected with two-lane roads. Most towns have regular bus transportation to Rangoon and Mandalay. Pakokku Bridge is part of the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway and is the longest bridge in Myanmar.
The Pyay to Nyaung-U, Pakokku and Myingyan railway runs through eastern Magway with connections to the capital Naypyidaw, Rangoon and Mandalay. The major stops in Magway on that line are Taungdwingyi and Natmauk. In addition, there are two rail lines running north from the Irrawaddy port of Kyangin, one to Chaung-U in Sagaing Region and the other to the Myittha River valley past Myaing and Kyaw.
The capital Magway has a small non-commercial airport with air traffic for the city of Magway mostly coming in through Bagan Airport at Nyaung U some 113 km to the north along the Irrawaddy. There are commercial airports at Gangaw, Kyauktu, Pakokku, and Pauk., however, none of them have regularly scheduled flights. Pakokku airport, however, plans to upgrade to an international airport soon.
Economy
The principal product of Magway Region is petroleum. It produces most of the oil and natural gas in Burma. Magway Region's oil fields are located in Mann, Yenangyaung, Chauk, Kyauk-khwet, Letpando and Ayadaw.In May 2002, Russia agreed to help Myanmar build a 10-megawatt nuclear reactor and two laboratories in the region. Other industries include cement, cotton weaving, and tobacco, iron and bronze. Magway Region produces a large quantity of edible oil as well as petroleum, hence gaining its reputation as the "oil pot of Myanmar".
Pakokku is the largest rice market city of Upper Myanmar. Agriculture is another important practice, the major crops being sesamum and groundnut. Other crops grown are rice, millet, maize, sunflower, beans and pulses, tobacco, toddy, chili, onions, and potatoes. Famous products of Magway Region include Thanaka and Phangar fruit.
Only Pakokku and Yenangyaung have industrial zones.