Thanlyin
Encyclopedia
Thanlyin is a major port city of Myanmar
, located across Bago River
from the city of Yangon
. Thanlyin Township comprises 17 quarters and 28 village tracts. It is home to the largest port in the country, Thilawa port
.
, replacing a silted up Bago port. In 1539, the city became part of the Kingdom of Taungoo. In 1599, the city fell to the Rakhine
forces led by the Portuguese mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote, who was made governor of the city. Brito declared independence from his nominal Rakhine masters in 1603, defeated the invading Rakhine navy in 1604 and 1605, and successfully established Portuguese rule
under the Portuguese viceroy of Goa. In 1613, Burmese king Anaukpetlun
recaptured the city, and executed Brito by impalement
, a punishment reserved for defilers of Buddhist temple
s.
Thanlyin remained the major port of the Taungoo kingdom until mid-18th century. In the 1740s, Thanlyin was made the base of the French East India Company
for their help in the Mon's reestablishment of Hanthawaddy Kingdom
. The arrangement lasted until 1756 when King Alaungpaya
of Konbaung dynasty
captured the city. From then on, the importance has shifted to Yangon
across the river, which Alaungpaya founded just a year earlier.
Thanlyin became part of the British Empire
in 1852 after the Second Anglo-Burmese War
. The British made the city into the oil refinery center of the country in the early 20th century to process the oil shipped from central Myanmar. The refinery was destroyed during World War II
. The Thanlyin refinery was rebuilt in 1957, and underwent expansion in 1979 with Japanese assistance. In 1979 a pipeline was completed between Syriam and the Mann oilfield.
Since the 1990s, the city has undergone major changes. Thanlyin was finally connected to Yangon by road in 1993 when the Thanlyin Bridge
was built. In the late 1990s, Thilawa Port was built to handle the container ships away from Yangon's ports. The city is home to a national university in Myanmar Maritime University
, and local universities in the University of East Yangon and Technological University, Thanlyin. The city's population has increased from 43,000 in 1983 to 123,000 in 1996.
carries Highway 6, which links Yangon with the Thilawa port and Thanlyin Industrial Zone. The Thanlyin Bridge 2, under construction since 2003, will link Thanlyin to Highway 2, the Yangon-Mandalay highway. River ferries to the Irrawaddy delta
over the Twante Canal
are available from Yangon's passenger ports.
or commonly known as Thilawa port is the largest deep water sea port in the country, and handles the majority of the shipped imports and exports to/from the country.
, one of the most selective universities in Myanmar. Since the early 2000s, students from Thanlyin and surrounding suburbs have to attend local universities: the University of East Yangon for liberal arts and sciences and Technological University, Thanlyin for engineering.
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
, located across Bago River
Bago River
Bago River is a river of southern Burma. It flows through Bago and Yangon. It arises in the hills of the Pegu Range and flows into the Myitmaka River which below that point is called the Yangon River.-References:...
from the city of Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
. Thanlyin Township comprises 17 quarters and 28 village tracts. It is home to the largest port in the country, Thilawa port
Thilawa Port
Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa is a deep sea port 25 km south of Yangon in Myanmar. The international multi-purpose container port, fully owned by Hutchison Port Holdings , can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week....
.
History
Thanlyin first came to prominence in the 15th century as the main port city of the Hanthawaddy KingdomHanthawaddy Kingdom
The Hanthawaddy Kingdom was the dominant kingdom that ruled lower Burma from 1287 to 1539. The Mon-speaking kingdom was founded as Ramannadesa by King Wareru following the collapse of the Pagan Empire in 1287 as a nominal vassal state of Sukhothai Kingdom, and of the Mongol Yuan dynasty...
, replacing a silted up Bago port. In 1539, the city became part of the Kingdom of Taungoo. In 1599, the city fell to the Rakhine
Rakhine people
The Rakhine , is a nationality in Myanmar forming the majority along the coastal region of present day Rakhine State or Arakan State. They possibly constitute 5.53% or more of Myanmar's total population but no accurate census figures exist. Rakhine people also live in the southeastern parts of...
forces led by the Portuguese mercenary Filipe de Brito e Nicote, who was made governor of the city. Brito declared independence from his nominal Rakhine masters in 1603, defeated the invading Rakhine navy in 1604 and 1605, and successfully established Portuguese rule
Portuguese Empire
The Portuguese Empire , also known as the Portuguese Overseas Empire or the Portuguese Colonial Empire , was the first global empire in history...
under the Portuguese viceroy of Goa. In 1613, Burmese king Anaukpetlun
Anaukpetlun
Anaukpetlun was the sixth king of Toungoo dynasty of Burma, and was largely responsible for restoring Burmese kingdom after it had famously collapsed at the end of 16th century. In his 22-year reign between 1606 and 1628, Anaukpetlun completed the reunification efforts of the Burmese kingdom begun...
recaptured the city, and executed Brito by impalement
Impalement
Impalement is the traumatic penetration of an organism by an elongated foreign object such as a stake, pole, or spear, and this usually implies complete perforation of the central mass of the impaled body...
, a punishment reserved for defilers of Buddhist temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...
s.
Thanlyin remained the major port of the Taungoo kingdom until mid-18th century. In the 1740s, Thanlyin was made the base of the French East India Company
French East India Company
The French East India Company was a commercial enterprise, founded in 1664 to compete with the British and Dutch East India companies in colonial India....
for their help in the Mon's reestablishment of Hanthawaddy Kingdom
Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom
The Restored Hanthawaddy Kingdom was the kingdom that ruled Lower Burma and parts of Upper Burma from 1740 to 1757. The kingdom grew out of a rebellion by the Mon people, who then formed the majority in Lower Burma, against the Burman Toungoo Dynasty of Ava in Upper Burma...
. The arrangement lasted until 1756 when King Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya
Alaungpaya was king of Burma from 1752 to 1760, and the founder of the Konbaung Dynasty. By his death in 1760, the former chief of a small village in Upper Burma had reunified all of Burma, subdued Manipur, recovered Lan Na, and driven out the French and the English who had given help to the...
of Konbaung dynasty
Konbaung dynasty
The Konbaung Dynasty was the last dynasty that ruled Burma from 1752 to 1885. The dynasty created the second largest empire in Burmese history, and continued the administrative reforms begun by the Toungoo dynasty, laying the foundations of modern state of Burma...
captured the city. From then on, the importance has shifted to Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
across the river, which Alaungpaya founded just a year earlier.
Thanlyin became part of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in 1852 after the Second Anglo-Burmese War
Second Anglo-Burmese War
The Second Anglo-Burmese War was the second of the three wars fought between the Burmese and the British Empire during the 19th century, with the outcome of the gradual extinction of Burmese sovereignty and independence....
. The British made the city into the oil refinery center of the country in the early 20th century to process the oil shipped from central Myanmar. The refinery was destroyed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Thanlyin refinery was rebuilt in 1957, and underwent expansion in 1979 with Japanese assistance. In 1979 a pipeline was completed between Syriam and the Mann oilfield.
Since the 1990s, the city has undergone major changes. Thanlyin was finally connected to Yangon by road in 1993 when the Thanlyin Bridge
Thanlyin Bridge
Thanlyin Bridge is the only operational bridge linking the cities of Thanlyin and Yangon in Myanmar. The bridge crosses the 1-km wide Bago river, about 42 km northeast from the river's confluence with Yangon river...
was built. In the late 1990s, Thilawa Port was built to handle the container ships away from Yangon's ports. The city is home to a national university in Myanmar Maritime University
Myanmar Maritime University
Myanmar Maritime University , located in Thanlyin in the outskirts of Yangon, is the premier university of maritime education in Myanmar. MMU, administered by the Ministry of Transportation, offers five-year bachelor's degree programs and two-year post-graduate diplomas in various marine and naval...
, and local universities in the University of East Yangon and Technological University, Thanlyin. The city's population has increased from 43,000 in 1983 to 123,000 in 1996.
Transport
Thanlyin is connected to the country's fledgling highway network. The Thanlyin BridgeThanlyin Bridge
Thanlyin Bridge is the only operational bridge linking the cities of Thanlyin and Yangon in Myanmar. The bridge crosses the 1-km wide Bago river, about 42 km northeast from the river's confluence with Yangon river...
carries Highway 6, which links Yangon with the Thilawa port and Thanlyin Industrial Zone. The Thanlyin Bridge 2, under construction since 2003, will link Thanlyin to Highway 2, the Yangon-Mandalay highway. River ferries to the Irrawaddy delta
Irrawaddy Delta
The Irrawaddy Delta or Ayeyarwady Delta lies in the Ayeyarwady Region , the lowest expanse of land in Burma that fans out from the limit of tidal influence at Myan Aung to the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea, 290 km to the south at the mouth of the Ayeyarwady River...
over the Twante Canal
Twante Canal
The Twante Canal is a canal that connects the Irrawaddy River and the Yangon river in Myanmar. The canal is a heavily used short cut between the city of Yangon and the Irrawaddy Division. The canal is named after the town of Twante, located near the canal's mid-way point...
are available from Yangon's passenger ports.
Economy
Myanmar International Terminals at ThilawaThilawa Port
Myanmar International Terminals Thilawa is a deep sea port 25 km south of Yangon in Myanmar. The international multi-purpose container port, fully owned by Hutchison Port Holdings , can operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week....
or commonly known as Thilawa port is the largest deep water sea port in the country, and handles the majority of the shipped imports and exports to/from the country.
Education
Thanlyin is home to Myanmar Maritime UniversityMyanmar Maritime University
Myanmar Maritime University , located in Thanlyin in the outskirts of Yangon, is the premier university of maritime education in Myanmar. MMU, administered by the Ministry of Transportation, offers five-year bachelor's degree programs and two-year post-graduate diplomas in various marine and naval...
, one of the most selective universities in Myanmar. Since the early 2000s, students from Thanlyin and surrounding suburbs have to attend local universities: the University of East Yangon for liberal arts and sciences and Technological University, Thanlyin for engineering.