Kanmaw Kyun
Encyclopedia
Kanmaw Kyun or Kanmaw Island is an island in the Andaman Sea
along the coast of southeastern Burma (Myanmar), and is part of the Mergui Archipelago
. Administratively, it is located in Kyunsu Township, Myeik District
, in the Taninthayi Region. On the northeastern side of the island is the town of Kyunsu
which is the administrative seat for the township. The island covers a total area of 409 km².
in the east central Mergui Archipelago
. Kanmaw is surrounded by other islands of the archipelago. This includes the elongated Letsok-aw Island to the west, and Money Island
and Sabi Island
above that, Julian Island and Tucker Island and Sakanthit Island further to the north and larger islands to the east, Medaw and the larger Singu Island. Kanmaw, covering about 409 km² (157.9 sq mi), with a coast line of 130.4 km in the Mergui Archipelago is almost densely forested with Tropical rain forest and dry deciduous forests and a number of short rivers raising in the forested hills. It has sandy beaches and coral reefs along its coast line.
The larger villages on Kanmaw aside from the main town of Kyunsu are Bemagyauk Ywa, Thechaung and Mawngaungdon Ywa on its east coast and Yedwindaung Ywa on its west coast with Sidongyaung in the mid-west to the northeast of Yedwinfaung Ywa.
Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea or Burma Sea is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Burma, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands, India; it is part of the Indian Ocean....
along the coast of southeastern Burma (Myanmar), and is part of the Mergui Archipelago
Mergui Archipelago
The Mergui Archipelago is an archipelago in far southern Myanmar . It consists of more than 800 islands, varying in size from very small to hundreds of square kilometres, all lying in the Andaman Sea off the western shore of the Malay Peninsula near its landward end where it joins the rest of...
. Administratively, it is located in Kyunsu Township, Myeik District
Myeik District
Myeik District is a district in the Tanintharyi Region of Burma .-Townships:The district contains the following townships:*Myeik Township*Kyunsu Township*Palaw Township*Taninthayi Township...
, in the Taninthayi Region. On the northeastern side of the island is the town of Kyunsu
Kyunsu
Kyunsu, better known as Kanmaw, is a small town in the Mergui Archipelago of southeastern Burma. It is the principal town of Kyunsu Township in Myeik District which since 1990 has covered much of the archipelago. The town lies on the northeastern coast of Kanmaw Kyun, southwest of Myeik ....
which is the administrative seat for the township. The island covers a total area of 409 km².
Etymology
Under the British, the island was known as Kisseraing Island, Kithareng or Ketthayin. After the June 1989 "Adaptation of Expressions Law" the island's name was changed to Kanmaw, named after the town of Kanmaw on the northeastern coast, which is now called Kyunsu.Geography
Kanmaw is located in the Andaman SeaAndaman Sea
The Andaman Sea or Burma Sea is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Burma, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands, India; it is part of the Indian Ocean....
in the east central Mergui Archipelago
Mergui Archipelago
The Mergui Archipelago is an archipelago in far southern Myanmar . It consists of more than 800 islands, varying in size from very small to hundreds of square kilometres, all lying in the Andaman Sea off the western shore of the Malay Peninsula near its landward end where it joins the rest of...
. Kanmaw is surrounded by other islands of the archipelago. This includes the elongated Letsok-aw Island to the west, and Money Island
Money Island, Burma
Money Island or Ngwe Kyun is an island in the Mergui Archipelago of Taninthayi Region, Burma . It lies between Letsok-aw Island to the south and Sabi Island to the north. The passage between Sabi and Money Island is quite shallow. The principle village on the island is Kyauk Lait, on the southeast...
and Sabi Island
Sabi Island
Sabi Island is an island in the Mergui Archipelago of Taninthayi Region, Burma . It lies between Money Island to the south and Parker Island to the north. The narrow channel between Sabi island and Money Island is rather shallow, but the half-mile wide channel between Sabi Island and Parker Island...
above that, Julian Island and Tucker Island and Sakanthit Island further to the north and larger islands to the east, Medaw and the larger Singu Island. Kanmaw, covering about 409 km² (157.9 sq mi), with a coast line of 130.4 km in the Mergui Archipelago is almost densely forested with Tropical rain forest and dry deciduous forests and a number of short rivers raising in the forested hills. It has sandy beaches and coral reefs along its coast line.
The larger villages on Kanmaw aside from the main town of Kyunsu are Bemagyauk Ywa, Thechaung and Mawngaungdon Ywa on its east coast and Yedwindaung Ywa on its west coast with Sidongyaung in the mid-west to the northeast of Yedwinfaung Ywa.