Meiktila

Meiktila မိတ္ထီလာမြို့
Meiktila Location in Burma
Coordinates: 20°53′0″N 95°53′0″E / 20.883333°N 95.883333°E / 20.883333; 95.883333
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: [meiʔtʰìlà 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 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.

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.^[2] Mondai dam supplies water to the lake.

Culture

The city's well-known pagodas are Shwemyintin, Shweyinmi, Nagayon, Yele.

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.^{[citation needed]}

References

1. ^ Min Lwin (2008-12-01). "Junta Orders Major Air Force Base Relocated". The Irrawaddy News. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=14722. 
2. ^ "Meiktila, Burma". 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Meiktila,_Burma. Retrieved 2008-12-07. 

Coordinates: 20°53′N 95°53′E / 20.883°N 95.883°E / 20.883; 95.883