Meiktila
| Meiktila မိတ္ထီလာမြို့ | |
|---|---|
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  Meiktila Location in Burma | |
| Coordinates: 20°53′0″N 95°53′0″E / 20.88333°N 95.88333°E | |
| Country |
 Burma |
| Division | Mandalay |
| District | Meiktila District |
| Township | Meiktila Township |
| Population (2005) | |
| • Ethnicities | Bamar, Karen, Shan |
| • Religions | Buddhism |
| Time zone | MST (UTC+6.30) |
Meiktila (Burmese: မိတ္ထီလာမြို့; MLCTS: mik thi la mrui.; Burmese pronunciation: [meɪʔtʰìlà mjo̰]) is a city in central Myanmar, located on the banks of Lake Meiktila in Mandalay Division, at the junctions of the Bagan-Taunggyi, Yangon-Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanmar Air Force's central command and Meiktila Air Force Base.[1] The country's main aerospace engineering university, Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University is also located in Meiktila.
History
The name Meiktila comes from Mithila, the name of an Indian kingdom in India.
The history of Meiktila is closely tied to that of central Myanmar's dry zone, home of the Bamar (Burmans). The region had been part of various Burman kingdoms at least from 11th century CE to 19th century CE before the British took over all of Upper Myanmar in 1885.
Meiktila was the site of the 1945 Battle of Meiktila, in which the Allies forces under William Slim defeated the Japanese forces. Soon after Myanmar's independence from Britain in 1948, Meiktila briefly fell under the insurgent Karen forces.
On March 22, 2013, a state of emergency was imposed in the town after dozens of people were killed and more than 12,000 were forced from their homes, the overwhelming majority of whom were Muslims, due to Buddhist mob violence.[2][3] This violence later spread to other places in Burma such as Okpho and Gyobingauk Township.[4]
Geography
Meiktila district is the most easterly of the districts in Myanmar's central dry zone. It lies between Wundwin, Myingyan, Yamethin, and touches Shan State on the east. The chief feature of the region Lake Meiktila, an artificial irrigation and water reservoir, 7 miles (11 km) long, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide.[5] Mondai dam supplies water to the lake.
Climate
Meiktila has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen climate classification Aw). Temperatures are very warm throughout the year, and the months before the monsoon (March to May) are especially hot, with average maxima around 36 °C (97 °F). There is a winter dry season (November–April) and a summer wet season (May–October).
| Climate data for Meiktila | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Average high °C (°F) | 29.1 (84.4) |
32.4 (90.3) |
36.1 (97) |
38.1 (100.6) |
36.0 (96.8) |
32.7 (90.9) |
32.3 (90.1) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.6 (90.7) |
31.9 (89.4) |
29.9 (85.8) |
28.3 (82.9) |
32.62 (90.71) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 14.4 (57.9) |
16.2 (61.2) |
20.8 (69.4) |
24.5 (76.1) |
25.0 (77) |
24.4 (75.9) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.0 (75.2) |
24.5 (76.1) |
23.1 (73.6) |
19.7 (67.5) |
15.6 (60.1) |
21.35 (70.43) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 5 (0.2) |
1 (0.04) |
2 (0.08) |
27 (1.06) |
131 (5.16) |
101 (3.98) |
79 (3.11) |
108 (4.25) |
148 (5.83) |
158 (6.22) |
35 (1.38) |
11 (0.43) |
806 (31.74) |
| Source: NOAA (1961-1990) [6] | |||||||||||||
Culture
The city's well-known pagodas are Shwemyintin, Shweyinmi (asa Hteethonesint), Nagayon, Yele, Sutaung Pyi and Phaungdawoo.
Education
Meiktila is home to a national university in Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University, and regional universities and colleges such as Meiktila University, Meiktila Institute of Economics, Computer University, Meiktila, Technological University, Meiktila and Meiktila Education College.
Of the city's six public Basic Education High Schools, BEHS 1 Meiktila or Royal High School is considered the most selective.
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Meiktila. |
- ↑ Min Lwin (2008-12-01). "Junta Orders Major Air Force Base Relocated". The Irrawaddy News.
- ↑ State of emergency imposed in Meiktila
- ↑
- ↑ http://www.economist.com/news/asia/21574506-sectarian-violence-was-not-supposed-be-part-myanmars-bright-new-direction-when-lid-blows Communal violence in Myanmar: When the lid blows off
- ↑ "Meiktila, Burma". 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ↑ "Meiktila Climate Normals 1961-1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
Coordinates: 20°53′N 95°53′E / 20.883°N 95.883°E
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