Mandalay City
Mandalay, the capital city of the last reigning dynasty of Konbaung Kings, is situated on the eastern bank of the Ayeyarwaddy River in central Myanmar. Towards the east, there are the blue Shan mountain ranges, which give the city a physical dignity. To the west there is Myanmar’s life stream, the mighty Ayeyarwaddy flowing by.Also known as the Golden City and the capital of Upper Myanmar. It was founded in 1857 by King Mindon. The place formed a perfect square, with the outer wall facing the four cardinal directions and the 12 gates thereon named after the sign of the zodiac. The whole magnificent palace complex was destroyed by fire during the Second World War. However, the finely built palace walls, the city gates with their crowning wooden pavilions, Nan-myint-saung (watch-tower) & the surrounding moat still present an impressive scene of the Golden Palace City, Mandalay.
Location
Mandalay is located on the eastern bank of the Ayeyawaddy River, in the central part of Myanmar, about 700 kilometres north of the capital Yangon. It is located at 96° 06 minutes of east longitude and 21° 59 minutes of north latitude and at the altitude of 74. 07 metres above sea level.
Located to the east of the city are the Yan Kin Hill and the Shan mountain ranges; to the west, the Ayeyawaddy, the Sagaing Hills, the Minwun Ranges, the Moe Meik Hill and Min Gun; to the south, the Dokhtawaddy ( Myit Nge ) River; and to the north, the town of Mattaya.
Areas
The city of Mandalay is 113.26 square kilometres wide, having the length of 16.83 kilometres from north to south and that of 8.75 kilometers from east to west.
Population
The city of Mandalay is made up of five townships, namely, Aung Mye Tharzan, Chan Aye Tharzan, Maha Aung Mye, Chan Mya Tharzi and Pyi Gyi Tagun, having eighty-six quarters. The population of Mandalay is 801,707 people in 2000 and the population increase rate is 2.8 percent. According to the census of 1992, the population of Mandalay was 653, 322 people. It is estimated that the population will rise to over one million and a half by the year 2020.
Climate
Mandalay being located in the central part of Myanmar, and being an inland area far from the sea, the temperature is high in the dry season and the cold is intense in the cold season. The rainfall is scarce, and the city has a dry climate.The hot season is from March to June, the hottest month having the temperatures of 105° Fahrenheit ( 40.5° C ) to 110° Fahrenheit ( 43.3° C ). The average temperature of the dry season is 88° Fahrenheit ( 31.3° C ).The cold season lasts from November to February. The temperature in the coldest month is lower than 50° Fahrenheit ( 10° C ). The average temperature in the cold season is 70° Fahrenheit ( 21.1° C ).The period from July to October is the rainy season, which has the average rainfall of 86.36cm. The average rainfall per year being lower than 101.6cm, the city has the warm and dry climate.
