Yangon
57404
225228312
2008-07-12T16:01:54Z
ToePeu.bot
4082686
robot Modifying: [[ar:رانغون]]
{{Infobox Settlement
|official_name = Yangon
|other_name = Rangoon
|native_name = {{lang|my|ရန်ကုန်မြို့}} ({{IPA|[yàngòʊn myo̰]}})
|nickname =
|settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
|motto = Yangon Purum Manaw Ra Man
|image_skyline = Yangon View South.jpg
|imagesize = 300px
|image_caption = Panorama of Yangon looking south towards the river
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|pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_map_caption =Location of Yangon, Burma (Rangoon)
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|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = [[Burma]]
|subdivision_type1 = Admin. division
|subdivision_name1 = Yangon Division
|subdivision_type2 =
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|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =Mayor
|leader_name =[[Brigadier General]] Aung Thein Lynn
|leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager -->
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|established_title = Settled
|established_date = 6th century AD
|established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->
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|area_water_km2 =
|area_total_sq_mi = 400
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|area_urban_km2 = 576
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|population_as_of = 2007
|population_footnotes =<ref>[http://esa.un.org/unup/index.asp?panel=2 United Nations World Urbanization Prospects, 2005 revision]</ref>
|population_note =
|population_total = 6,007,000
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|population_blank1_title =Ethnicities
|population_blank1 =[[Bamar]], [[Burmese Chinese]], [[Burmese Indians]], [[Karen people|Kayin]]
|population_blank2_title =Religions
|population_blank2 = [[Buddhism]], [[Christianity]], [[Islam]]
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|utc_offset = +6:30
|timezone_DST = [[Myanmar Standard Time|MST]]
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|latd=16 |latm=48 |lats= |latNS=N
|longd=96 |longm=09 |longs= |longEW= E
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|area_code = 1
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|website = [http://www.yangoncity.com.mm www.yangoncity.com.mm]
|footnotes =
}} <!-- Infobox ends -->
'''Yangon''' (also known as '''Rangoon''') is the largest city and former capital of [[Burma]]. Although the [[State Peace and Development Council|military government]] has officially relocated the capital to [[Naypyidaw]] since March 2006,<ref>{{cite news | url =http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4848408.stm | title =Burma's new capital stages parade | publisher =BBC News | date =2006-03-27 | accessdate =2006-08-03}}</ref> Yangon, with a population of 6 million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial center.
Yangon's infrastructure is relatively undeveloped compared to those of other major cities in [[Southeast Asia]]. Yangon has the largest number of colonial buildings in Southeast Asia today.<ref>{{cite news|last=Martin |first=Steven |date=2004-03-30 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3578993.stm |title=Burma maintains bygone buildings |publisher=BBC News |accessdate=2006-05-22}}</ref> While many high-rise residential and commercial buildings have been constructed or renovated throughout downtown and Greater Yangon in the past two decades, most satellite towns that ring the city continue to be deeply impoverished.
Yangon is a member of [[Asian Network of Major Cities 21]].
==Etymology==
Yangon is a combination of the two words ''yan'' ({{lang|my|ရန်}}) and ''koun'' ({{lang|my|ကုန်}}), which mean "enemies" and "run out of" respectively. It is also translated as "End of Strife". "Rangoon" most likely comes from the British imitation of the pronunciation of "Yangon" in the [[Rakhine]] dialect of [[Burmese language|Burmese]].
==History==
===Early History===
'''Yangon''' was founded as '''Dagon''' in the 6th century AD by the [[Mon people|Mon]], who dominated present day Lower Burma at that time. Dagon was a small fishing village centered about the [[Shwedagon Pagoda]]. In 1755, [[Alaungpaya|King Alaungpaya]] conquered Dagon, and renamed it "Yangon". The [[British empire|British]] captured Yangon during the [[First Anglo-Burmese War]] (1824-1826) but returned it to Burmese administration after the war. The city was destroyed by a fire in 1841.
=== Colonial Rangoon (1852-1948) ===
The [[British Empire]] seized Yangon and all of [[Lower Burma]] in the [[Second Anglo-Burmese War]] of 1852, and subsequently transformed Yangon into the commercial and political hub of British Burma. Based on the design by army engineer Lt. Fraser, the British constructed a new city on a grid plan on delta land, bounded to the east by the Pazundaung Creek and to the south and west by the Yangon River. By the 1890s Yangon's increasing population and commerce gave birth to prosperous residential suburbs to the north of Royal Lake (Kandawgyi) and Inya Lake. <ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/Yangon Yangon Summary Review and Analysis<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The British also established hospitals including [[Yangon General Hospital|Rangoon General Hospital]] and colleges including [[Yangon University|Rangoon University]].
Colonial Yangon, with its spacious parks and lakes and mix of modern buildings and traditional wooden architecture, was known as "the garden city of the East." <ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/Yangon Yangon Summary Review and Analysis<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> By the early 20th century, Yangon had public services and infrastructure on par with London.<ref>{{cite book | last=Falconer | first=John et al. | year=2001 | title=Burmese Design & Architecture | ISBN=9-6259-3882-6}}</ref>
Before World War II, almost half of Yangon's population was [[India]]n or [[South Asian]],<ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/Yangon Yangon Summary Review and Analysis<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> followed by [[Anglo-Burmese]] and [[Anglo-Indian]] populations.{{Fact|date=July 2008}}
Yangon incurred heavy damage during [[World War II]].
[[Image:RangoonStreetView.jpg|thumb|250px|A view from the Custom House on Dalhousie Street (Maha Bandula Garden Street) showing the extent of the damage during World War II.]]
=== Contemporary Yangon (1948-present) ===
Soon after Burma's independence in 1948, many colonial names of streets and parks were changed to more nationalistic Burmese names. In 1989, the current [[State Peace and Development Council|military junta]] changed the city's English name to "Yangon", along with many other changes in English transliteration of Burmese names. (The changes have not been accepted by many Burmese who consider the junta unfit to make such changes, nor by many publications, news bureaus including the [[BBC]] and foreign nations including the [[USA]]<ref>http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35910.htm</ref>, who continue to use the English names of Rangoon for the city, and Burma for the country.)
Since independence, Yangon has expanded outwards. Successive governments have built satellite towns such as Thuwana and Okkalapa in the 1950s to Dagon Myothit (New Dagon) in the 1990s. Today, Greater Yangon encompasses an area covering nearly 400 square miles (1000 sqkm).
During [[Ne Win|Gen. Ne Win]]'s isolationist rule (1962-1988), Yangon's infrastructure never kept up with its increasing population, and deteriorated severely. In the 1990s, the current military government's relatively more open market economy attracted an influx of domestic and foreign investment that brought a small degree of modernity to the city's infrastructure. Many colonial-period buildings were demolished to make way for high-rise hotels, office buildings, and shopping malls. (In 1996, to protect some colonial buildings under government jurisdiction, the government devised a "Heritage List".) Some inner city residents were forcibly relocated to new satellite towns. Major road- and bridge-building programs were undertaken, including construction of a bridge across the river to [[Thanlyin]] and its industrial hinterland.<ref>[http://www.bookrags.com/Yangon Yangon Summary Review and Analysis<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Still, much of Yangon remains without 24-hour electricity and regular rubbish collection.
Yangon has become much more indigenous Burmese in its ethnic makeup since independence. After independence, many South Asians and Anglo-Burmese left. Many more South Asians and Anglo-Burmese were forced to leave during the 1960s by Gen. Ne Win's xenophobic government. Nevertheless, sizable South Asian and Chinese communities still exist in Yangon. The Anglo-Burmese have effectively disappeared, having left the country or intermarried with other Burmese groups.
In November 2005, the military government designated the newly developed city of [[Naypyidaw]], {{mi to km|200|precision=0}} north in [[Mandalay Division]] as the new administrative capital. The motives for the move remain unclear. At any rate, Yangon remains the largest city, and the most important commercial center of Burma.
===Cyclone Nargis (2008)===
[[Image:USDS Nargis Rangoon Destroyed House 2.jpg|thumb|left|250px|One of many houses destroyed during Cyclone Nargis]]
{{Wikinews|Category:Cyclone Nargis|Cyclone Nargis}}
{{Commons|Category:Cyclone Nargis|Cyclone Nargis}}
In May 2008, [[Cyclone Nargis]] hit Yangon, causing heavy collateral damage. Unlike the [[Irrawaddy Delta|Irrawaddy delta]], which had the bulk of the estimated 130,000 deaths, however, the city had relatively few human casualties. But the city's industry was hit hard. The cyclone inflicted total or partial destruction on 70% of Yangon’s 2500 factories. More than 60% of the 496 factories, including power stations, operating in Hlaing Tharya Industrial Zone, Myanmar’s biggest, suffered damage.<ref>http://www.mmtimes.com/no420/b005.htm</ref>
==Geography==
Yangon is located in lower Burma at the convergence of the Yangon and Bago Rivers about 19 miles (30 km) away from the [[Gulf of Martaban]] at 16°48' North, 96°09' East (16.8, 96.15). Its standard time zone is UTC/GMT +6:30 hours.
===Districts===
{{Townships of Yangon}}
===Climate===
Yangon has an [[equator]]ial [[monsoon]] [[climate]] under the [[Köppen climate classification]] system.
<!--Infobox begins-->{{Infobox Weather
|single_line=<!--Entering Yes will display metric and imperial units on same line.-->
|location = Yangon (Rangoon), Burma
|Jan_Hi_°F = 90 |Jan_REC_Hi_°F = <!--REC temps are optional; use sparely-->
|Feb_Hi_°F = 94 |Feb_REC_Hi_°F =
|Mar_Hi_°F = 96 |Mar_REC_Hi_°F =
|Apr_Hi_°F = 98 |Apr_REC_Hi_°F =
|May_Hi_°F = 92 |May_REC_Hi_°F =
|Jun_Hi_°F = 86 |Jun_REC_Hi_°F =
|Jul_Hi_°F = 85 |Jul_REC_Hi_°F =
|Aug_Hi_°F = 85 |Aug_REC_Hi_°F =
|Sep_Hi_°F = 86 |Sep_REC_Hi_°F =
|Oct_Hi_°F = 88 |Oct_REC_Hi_°F =
|Nov_Hi_°F = 89 |Nov_REC_Hi_°F =
|Dec_Hi_°F = 88 |Dec_REC_Hi_°F =
|Jan_Lo_°F = 64 |Jan_REC_Lo_°F =
|Feb_Lo_°F =66 |Feb_REC_Lo_°F =
|Mar_Lo_°F =70 |Mar_REC_Lo_°F =
|Apr_Lo_°F =75 |Apr_REC_Lo_°F =
|May_Lo_°F =77 |May_REC_Lo_°F =
|Jun_Lo_°F =76 |Jun_REC_Lo_°F =
|Jul_Lo_°F =75 |Jul_REC_Lo_°F =
|Aug_Lo_°F =75 |Aug_REC_Lo_°F =
|Sep_Lo_°F =75 |Sep_REC_Lo_°F =
|Oct_Lo_°F =75 |Oct_REC_Lo_°F =
|Nov_Lo_°F =72 |Nov_REC_Lo_°F =
|Dec_Lo_°F =66 |Dec_REC_Lo_°F =
|Jan_Precip_inch =0.20 |Jan_Precip_mm = 5.1
|Feb_Precip_inch =0.10 |Feb_Precip_mm = 2.5
|Mar_Precip_inch =0.30 |Mar_Precip_mm = 7.6
|Apr_Precip_inch =0.60 |Apr_Precip_mm = 15.2
|May_Precip_inch =<center>n/a</center> |May_Precip_mm =<center>n/a</center>
|Jun_Precip_inch =<center>n/a</center> |Jun_Precip_mm = <center>n/a</center>
|Jul_Precip_inch =<center>n/a</center> |Jul_Precip_mm =<center>n/a</center>
|Aug_Precip_inch =<center>n/a</center> |Aug_Precip_mm =<center>n/a</center>
|Sep_Precip_inch =<center>n/a</center> |Sep_Precip_mm =<center>n/a</center>
|Oct_Precip_inch =8.10 |Oct_Precip_mm = 205.7
|Nov_Precip_inch =2.40 |Nov_Precip_mm = 61.0
|Dec_Precip_inch =0.30 |Dec_Precip_mm = 7.6
|source =The Weather Channel <ref name=Weather1>{{cite web
| url =http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/wxclimatology/monthly/graph/BMXX0005?from=dayDetails_bottomnav_business | title =Monthly Averages for Yangon, Burma | accessmonthday =Jan 4 | accessyear = 2008
| publisher = | language =English }}</ref>
|accessdate = 2008-01-04
}}<!--Infobox ends-->
==Administration==
[[Image:Yangoncityhall169.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Yangon City Hall]] seen from Mahabandula Park]]
[[Image:Yangoncityhall.PNG|thumb||right|250px|Yangon City Hall (YCDC)]]
Yangon is administered by the Yangon City Development Committee (YCDC). YCDC also coordinates [[urban planning]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chijihon.metro.tokyo.jp/asianet/participating_cities/yangon.htm |title=Yangon |accessdate=2006-08-13 |publisher=Asian Network of Major Cities 21}}</ref> The city is divided into four districts. The districts combined have a total of 32 townships. The mayor of Yangon currently is Brigadier General Aung Thein Lynn. Each township is administered by a committee of township leaders, who make decisions regarding city beautification and infrastructure. ''Myo-thit'' (lit. "New Towns", or [[satellite town]]s) are not within such jurisdictions.
==Transport==
===Air===
All domestic and international traffic goes through [[Yangon International Airport]], located 12 mi (19 km) from downtown. The airport recently opened a new passenger terminal to accommodate larger aircraft. The second largest airport in Myanmar after
[[Mandalay International Airport]]), Yangon International is the busiest airport in the country. All four domestic airlines are headquartered here.
===Railways===
Yangon Central Railway Station is the gateway to Myanmar's {{convert|2480|mi|km|0|sing=on}} rail network whose reach covers Upper Myanmar ([[Naypyidaw]], [[Mandalay]], [[Shwebo]]), upcountry ([[Myitkyina]]), Shan hills ([[Taunggyi]], [[Kalaw]]) and the Taninthayi coast ([[Mawlamyine]], [[Ye, Myanmar|Ye]]).
A decrepit local commuter rail circuit system connects Yangon's satellite towns. The {{convert|28.5|mi|km|sing=on}} 39-station system is heavily utilized by the local populace, selling about 150,000 tickets daily. The popularity the commuter line has jumped since the government reduced petrol subsidies in August 2007. Rail travel is now considerably cheaper than the city bus service. <ref>[http://www.irrawaddy.org/multimedia.php?art_id=10074 The Railway Bazaar<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
[[Image:courtyardygn.JPG|thumb|250px|[[Yangon International Airport]]]]
===Buses and cars===
The vast majority of Yangonites cannot afford a car and rely on buses to get around. Several public and private bus lines operate crowded buses around the city.
Motor transportation in Yangon is highly expensive for most of its citizens. In addition to the ever rising price of petrol, car prices in Yangon (and in Myanmar) are among the highest in the world as the government allows only a few thousand cars to be imported each year in a country with over 50 million people.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/world/asia/29aid.html?scp=18&sq=myanmar&st=nyt</ref> As of July 2008, the two most popular cars in Yangon, 1986/87 Nissan Sunny Super Saloon and 1988 Toyota Corolla SE Limited, cost about US$20,000 and US$29,000 respectively. The 1991 Toyota Corolla costs over US$55,000.<ref>http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/care2008/care05.htm</ref> A sports utility vehicle, imported for around US$50,000, goes for US$250,000.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/29/world/asia/29aid.html?scp=18&sq=myanmar&st=nyt</ref> Illegally imported unregistered cars are cheaper--about half the price of registered cars. As of March 2008, Yangon has over registered 173,000 motor vehicles<ref>http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/care2008/care03.htm</ref> in addition to an unknown number of unregistered ones. Nonetheless, car usage in Yangon is on the rise, and already causes much traffic congestion in highway-less Yangon's streets.
Since 1970, cars are driven on the right side of the road in Myanmar. However, as the government has not required left hand drive ([[left hand drive|LHD]]) cars to accompany the right side road rules, many cars on the road are still right hand drive ([[right hand drive|RHD]]) made for driving on the left side. Japanese used cars, which make up most of the country's imports, are still come with RHD and are never converted to LHD. As a result, the Burmese drivers have to rely on the passengers when passing other cars.
[[Image:maharbandulabridgeygn.jpg|thumb||right|250px|Maha Bandula Bridge in Downtown]]
Within Yangon, it is illegal to drive [[trishaw]]s, bicycles, and motorcycles.
===Road layout===
Central Yangon's road layout follows a grid pattern, based on four types of roads:
* Broad 160-foot (49-m) wide roads running west to east
* Broad 100-foot (30-m) wide roads running south to north
* Two narrow 30-foot (9.1-m) wide streets running south to north
* Mid-size 50-foot (15-m) wide streets running south to north
The pattern of south to north roads is as follows: one broad 100-foot wide broad road, two narrow streets, one mid-size street, two more narrow streets, and then another 100-foot wide broad road. This order is repeated from west to east. The narrow streets are numbered; the medium and broad roads are named. For example, the 100-foot Lanmadaw Road is followed by 30-foot-wide 17th and 18th streets then the medium 50-foot Sint-Oh-Dan Road, the 30-foot 19th and 20th streets, followed by another 100 foot wide Latha Road, followed again by the two numbered small roads 21st and 22nd streets, and so on.
The roads running parallel west to east were the Strand Road, Merchant Road, Maha Bandula (nee Dalhousie) Road, Anawrahta (Fraser) Road, and Bogyoke Aung San (Montgomery) Road.
===Road name changes===
After Burma's independence in 1948, many street names were changed, although some continue to be used interchangeably. The following list presents major thoroughfare name changes within Yangon city limits:
[[Image:ygndowntflats.jpg|thumb||right|250px|Downtown flats]]
[[Image:ygncolonialblds.jpg|thumb||right|250px|Colonial Buildings in Downtown]]
*Campbell Road → Ngahtatgyi Pagoda Road
*Dalhousie Street → Maha Bandula Road
*Lower Kemmendine Road → Lower Kyimyindine Road
*Montgomery Street → Bogyoke Aung San Road
*Pagoda Road → Shwedagon Pagoda Road
*Prome Road → Pyay Road
*Upper Phayre Road → Upper Pansodan Road
*Sparks Street → Bo Aung Kyaw Street
*Stockade Road and Judah Ezekiel Road → Theinbyu Road
*Voyle Road → U Wisara Road
*Lancaster Road → Nawaday Road
*Windermere Road → Thanlwin Road
*Windsor Road → Shin Sawpu Road
*Stevenson Road → Hledan Road
*Fraser Road → Anawratha Road
*Lewis Street → Seikkantha Street
*Barr Street → Maha Bandula Park Street
*York Street→ Yaw Mingyi Street
==Culture==
[[Image:Kandawgyi Lake, Yangon.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Kandawgyi Lake]], Yangon]]
[[Image:Ngatatgyibuddhayangon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Fifth level Pagoda]]
===Media===
Yangon is the country's hub for the movie, music, advertising, newspaper and book publishing industries. All media is heavily regulated by the military government. (Television broadcasting is off limits to the private sector.) All media content must first be approved by the government's media censor board, Press Scrutiny and Registration Division.<ref>[http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=10648 Burma: The Censored Land<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
All television channels in the country are broadcast from Yangon. [[TV Myanmar]] and [[Myawaddy TV|Myawaddy]] are the two main channels, providing Burmese language programming in news and entertainment. Other special interest channels are [[MRTV3]], the English language channel that targets overseas audiences via satellite and via Internet, [[MRTV4]] with a focus on non-formal education programs and movies, and [[MRTV5|Channel 5]], a fee-based channel specializing in broadcasting foreign movies.
Yangon has only two radio stations. The [[Myanmar Radio National Service]] is the national radio service and broadcasts mostly in Burmese (and in English during specific times.) Pop-culture oriented [[City FM]] specializes in Burmese and English [[pop music]], entertainment programs, live local celebrity interviews, etc.
Nearly all print media and industries are based out of Yangon. All three national newspapers--two Burmese language dailies [[The New Light of Myanmar|Myanma Alin]] and [[Kyemon]], and the English language [[The New Light of Myanmar]] are published by the government. Semi-governmental [[The Myanmar Times]] weekly, published in Burmese and in English, is mainly geared for Yangon's expatriate community. Over twenty special interest journals and magazines covering sports, fashion, finance, crime, literature (but never politics) are published by private publishers.
Access to foreign media is extremely difficult. Satellite television in Yangon (and in Myanmar) is highly expensive as the government imposes an annual registration fee of one million kyats (780USD).<ref>[http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=10648 Burma: The Censored Land<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Foreign newspapers and periodicals such as [[International Herald Tribune]] and Singapore [[Straits Times]] can be found only in a few (mostly downtown) bookstores.
===Lifestyle===
[[Image:DowntownYangon.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Buildings in downtown Yangon]]
The majority of Yangonites live outside downtown, and typically spend most of their day commuting to-and-from work. For recreation, Yangonites come out at night when the weather is much cooler. Most men of all ages (and some women) spend their time at ubiquitous tea-shops, found in any corner or street of the city. Watching European football (mostly [[Premier League]] with occasional [[La Liga]], [[Serie A]], [[Fußball-Bundesliga|Bundesliga]]) matches while sipping tea is a favorite pastime of many Yangonites, rich and poor alike. The average person stays close to his or her neighborhood haunts. The well-to-do tend to visit shopping malls and parks on weekends. Some leave the city on weekends for Chaungtha and Ngwesaung beach resorts in [[Ayeyarwady Division]].
Yangon is also home to many ''paya pwes'' (pagoda festivals), held during dry-season months (November-March). The most famous of all, the [[Shwedagon Pagoda Festival]] in March, attracts thousands of pilgrims from around the country.
The city's museums are the domain of tourists and rarely visited by the locals.
Most of Yangon's larger hotels offer some kind of nightlife entertainment, geared towards tourists and the well-to-do Burmese. Some hotels offer traditional Burmese performing arts shows complete with a traditional Burmese orchestra. The pub scene in larger hotels is more or less the same as elsewhere in Asia. Other options include karaoke bars and pub restaurants in Yangon [[Chinatown]].
==Economy==
Yangon is the country’s main center for trade, industry, real estate, media, entertainment and tourism. According to official government statistics, the city’s [[nominal GDP]] is K2.38 trillion (~2 billion USD) in 2007,<ref>[http://www.mmtimes.com/no360/b003.htm Myanmar Times & Business Reviews<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> about 15% of the country’s GDP of $13.5 billion.
[[Image:DTYangon162.jpg|thumb|right|260px|Downtown Yangon]]
The city is Lower Myanmar’s main trading hub for all kinds of merchandise—from basic food stuffs to used cars. Much of the country’s legal imports and exports go through [[Thilawa port]], the largest and busiest port in Myanmar. Yangon’s external trade is greatly hampered by its underdeveloped banking industry and inconsistent policies.
Manufacturing accounts for a sizable share of employment. The city’s industrial zones, which specialize mostly in light industry and textiles suffer from both structural problems (e.g., chronic power shortages) and political problems (i.e. Western economic sanctions). While Yangon's 2500 factories alone need about 120 MW of power,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mmtimes.com/no420/b005.htm | title=Hlaing Tharyar IZ rebuilding underway | date=2008-05-26}}</ref> the chronic power shortages have limited their operating hours between 8 am and 6 pm.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.mmtimes.com/no360/b003.htm | title=Industrial zones to run at night | date=2007-03-27}}</ref> (The city receives only about 250 MW of the 530 MW needed.)<ref>{{cite news | title=Myanmar needs more gas to generate electricity for Yangon| url=http://english.eviewweek.com/Myanmar-needs-more-gas-to-generate-electricity-for-Yangon.shtml | date=2008-07-03}}</ref>
Construction is a major source of employment in this city of six million although it has been negatively affected by the move of state apparatus and civil servants to Naypyidaw.<ref>{{cite news | title=Property market continues to recover | url=http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/Construction/con01.htm | date=2007-09-03}}</ref> New construction activity has declined markedly since. Yangon’s property market is the most expensive in the country and beyond the reach of most Yangonites. The apartments priced between K6 million (US$5000) and K10 million (US$8300), and houses priced between K20 million (US$16,600) and K50 million (US$41,600) show the highest demand.<ref>{{cite news | title=Property market continues to recover | url=http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/Construction/con01.htm | date=2007-09-03}}</ref>
Tourism represents a major source of foreign currency for the city although by Southeast Asian standards the actual number of foreign visitors to Yangon has always been quite low (about 250,000 before [[Saffron Revolution]]). Yangon's international standard hotels, built with foreign investment in the 1990s, still await the influx of tourists for which they were built.
==Education==
{{see also|List of Yangon Universities}}
Yangon has the best educational facilities and the highest number of qualified teachers in Myanmar where state spending on education is among the lowest in the world.<ref>[http://burmalibrary.org/docs4/HRDU2006-CD/education.html HRDU Yearbook 2006 | Chapter 9: Rights to Education and Health<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The disparity in educational opportunities and achievement between rich and poor schools is quite stark even within the city. While many students in poor districts fail to reach high school, a handful of [[High schools in Burma|Yangon high schools]] in wealthier districts like [[TTC Yangon|TTC]], [[Dagon 1]] and [[Latha 2]] regularly send the bulk of the students entering the most selective universities in the country. The wealthy bypass the Burmese education system altogether, sending their children to private English language instruction schools like the [[YIEC]] for primary and secondary education, and abroad (typically [[Singapore]] and [[Australia]]) for university education.<ref>[http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/edu08/e013.htm Myanmar Times & Business Reviews<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
With over 13000 undergraduate students and 1000 graduate students, [[University of Yangon]], the oldest university in Myanmar, is also its largest. The city's [[University of Medicine-1, Yangon|University of Medicine 1]], [[University of Medicine-2, Yangon|University of Medicine 2]], [[Yangon Technological University]], [[Yangon University of Computer Studies]] and [[Yangon Institute of Marine Technology]] are the most selective in the country.<ref>[http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/edu08/e001.htm Myanmar Times & Business Reviews<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Yangon also attracts many students from around the country as many majors are offered only in its universities.
==Health Care==
{{see also|List of Yangon Hospitals}}
The general state of health care in Yangon is poor. The military government spends anywhere from 0.5% to 3% of its GDP on health care.<ref>[http://www.ppionline.org/ppi_ci.cfm?knlgAreaID=108&subsecID=900003&contentID=254167 PPI: Almost Half of All World Health Spending is in the United States<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2007/06/28_Burma.shtml 06.28.2007 - Burma junta faulted for rampant diseases<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Although health care is nominally free, the reality is that patients have to pay for medicine and treatment, even in public clinics and hospitals. Public hospitals including the flagship [[Yangon General Hospital]] lack many of the basic facilities and equipment.
To be sure, wealthier Yangonites still have access to country's best medical facilities and internationally qualified [[physicians]] and [[surgeons]] in all branches of medicine. (As many Burmese physicians have emigrated abroad, only do Yangon and [[Mandalay]] have any sizable number of physicians left.) The well-to-do go to private clinics or hospitals like [[Pun Hlaing International Hospital]] and [[Bahosi Medical Clinic]]. The Myanmar Times weekly reports that a ten-day private hospital stay costs about K2.5 million (US$2300).<ref>{{cite news | title=Private hospital pain | url=http://www.mmtimes.com/feature/healthcare/health009.htm | date=2008-06-30}}</ref> The rich and top military brass routinely go abroad (usually [[Bangkok]] or [[Singapore]]) for treatment.
==Notable sites==
[[Image:St marys.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[Saint Mary's Cathedral, Yangon]] at the corner of Bo Aung Kyaw Road]]
[[Image:Southern-entrance-nc-helgeroe-com.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Southern Gate Of [[Shwe Dagon Pagoda]]]]
[[Image:swedaw.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Interior View of Tooth Relic Pagoda]]
[[Image:NTygn.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Yangon National Theatre]]]]
[[Image:NMygn.gif|thumb|left|200px|[[Yangon National Museum]]]]
===Pagodas===
* [[Shwedagon Pagoda]]
* [[Sule Pagoda]]
* [[Botahtaung Pagoda]]
* Chaukhtatgyi Pagoda
* Kyaukdawgyi Pagoda
* Kabaaye Pagoda
===Recreation===
* Allied War Memorial
* [[Bogyoke Market]] (Scott Market)
* [[Inya Lake]] (formerly Lake Victoria)
* [[Kandawgyi Lake]] (formerly Royal Lake)
* People's Square and Park
* Maha Bandula Park (formerly [[Ralph Fitch|Fitche Square]])
* [[Saint Mary's Cathedral, Yangon|St. Mary's Cathedral]]
* [[University of Yangon]]
* [[Yangon Zoological Garden]] ([[Yangon Zoo]])
* National Races Village
* [[Bahadur Shah Zafar|Mogul Emperor Zafar Shah's Mausoleum]]
===Museums and art galleries===
* [[National Museum of Myanmar]]
* Defence Services Museum
* [[Myanmar Gems Museum]]
* Bogyoke [[Aung San]] Museum
* Drugs Elimination Museum
* [[Planetarium]]
===Concert halls and theatres===
*[[Yangon National Theatre]]
*Myanmar Covention Centre
==More photos==
<center><gallery>
Image:Yangoon-south.jpg|Downtown Yangon, facing Sule Pagoda and Hlaing River
Image:Sule-Pagoda by-Night.jpg|Downtown Yangon by Night
Image:Karaweik-Palace.JPG|Karaweik Palace on Kandawgyi Lake
Image:Downtownflatsyangon.jpg|Downtown Flats
<!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Ygncourthouse.jpg|The High Court as Seen from Maha Bandula Garden -->
Image:Shwedagon-Pagode.jpg|Shwedagon Pagoda, a Landmark of Yangon
Image:Ngatatgyibuddhayangon.jpg|Ngahtatgyi Buddha image
Image:DSC03791.JPG|Downtown Yangon in the Evening
Image:DSC04000.JPG|Central Yangon
Image:YangonTaxi.JPG|Taxi at Yangon City Hall
Image:YangonRiverJetty.JPG|Yangon River Jetty
</gallery></center>
==References==
* ''The Popular Encyclopedia or Conversation Lexicon''. Blackie & Son, 1890.
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
{{commonscat}}
* [http://wikitravel.org/en/Yangon Yangon Travel Guide] by [http://wikitravel.org/en/ Wikitravel]
* [http://www.photrax.com/index.php?page=user.view.image&imageId=841 Yangon Impressions] - Mashup of up-to-date photos, events, hotel information, maps and articles on Rangoon and Shwedagon (German/English)
* [http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=16.813545,96.170197&spn=0.166014,0.234180&t=k&hl=en Satellite picture by Google Maps]
* [http://www.yangoncity.com.mm/ Yangon City Hall website]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3578993.stm BBC article about British colonial architecture in Yangon]
* [http://www.yangoncity.com.mm/ycdc/index.asp YCDC website]
* [http://burma-tom.de/Burma-Rangun/Burma-Rangun-Streets.shtml Rangoon Photo Gallery]
{{Geolinks-cityscale|16.7982|96.1647}}
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[[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Burma]]
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