Naypyidaw, Burma

Naypyidaw (also styled Nay Pyi Taw) is the administrative capital of Myanmar (formerly Burma), a Southeast Asian nation bordering the People's Republic of China, Bangladesh, India, Thailand, and Laos. Naypyidaw, which translates from Burmese as "city of kings," is one of the world's youngest capitals, having been built in 2005 and opened to the public in 2006, when the government relocated its capital from the city of Yangon (formerly Rangoon). Naypyidaw is located in the geographic center of the nation and is a hub of the nation's recently expanded transportation system. The city's capital complex is off-limits to tourists without direct permission from the government. Though vast in size, the city has a modest population of fewer than 1 million people, making it an anomaly amid Asia's famously overcrowded metropolises.

Landscape

Naypyidaw is located in central Myanmar in what was once a dense cluster of tropical forest. The city sits at an average elevation of 92 meters (302 feet) and is surrounded by tropical scrubland and forest. Naypyidaw is located approximately 460 kilometers (300 miles) from the previous capital of Yangon (formerly Rangoon), which is located along the Bay of Bengal in southern Myanmar. Naypyidaw is located near the town of Pyinmana, which is an important location in terms of the nation's military history.

The climate in Myanmar is tropical and generally divided into three seasons. During the height of the inter-monsoonal season, in March and April, the temperature in central Myanmar can reach 43 degrees Celsius (110 degrees Fahrenheit), though the temperature averages 26.6 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Fahrenheit). The monsoon season lasts from May to October and is characterized by slightly cooler temperatures and high humidity (over 80 percent). From October to February, the country experiences a dry, cool season with frequent rainfall and an average temperature of 15.5 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit). The annual rainfall in central Myanmar can exceed 260 centimeters (100 inches) annually.

The urban area of Naypyidaw occupies 4,600 square kilometers (1,770 square miles)—an enormous size given its modest population—divided into strictly enforced residential, commercial, and administrative areas. There is also a military complex in the city, surrounded by an administrative district. Peripheral districts are zoned for residential use. Members of the government and military are assigned apartments in specific buildings according to rank. In addition to modern buildings, the urban planning for Naypyidaw includes reproductions of historic buildings from other Burmese cities and the establishment of Buddhist temples around the city. Naypyidaw is also famously cross-cut by twenty-lane roads with very few cars on them.

People

Yangon, the former capital and formerly called Rangoon, had an urban area population of approximately 5.5 million residents in 2022. The government relocated the capital to Naypyidaw in November 2005, and in 2017 the reported population was around 924,000.

The population of Myanmar as a whole was estimated at 57.9 million in 2023. Burmans (or Bamar) are the largest ethnic group in Myanmar, accounting for around 68 percent of the population. Together, the Shan, Karen, and Rakhine ethnic groups account for another 20 percent of the population. Smaller minority populations include Chinese, Indian, and Mon.

Burmese is the national language of Myanmar and is used in all official, governmental, and educational functions. Some ethnic groups speak regional dialects, though most also speak Burmese. The religious composition of Myanmar is highly homogenous, with about 88 percent of the population practicing Theravada Buddhism. Christians and Muslims are about 10 percent of the population.

Economy

For most of the twentieth century, Myanmar suffered from a relatively weak economy due to a lack of exportable products. The nation suffered extensive damage during World War II and has had difficulty staging a full economic and infrastructural recovery. Having been recently constructed, Naypyidaw has a strong infrastructure complete with the nation's most extensive electrical and sewage systems. After its transition to a civilian government from the previous military junta in 2011, Myanmar strove to revamp its economy by enticing foreign investment in the country. The country saw healthy economic growth rates of 6 to 7 percent from 2015 to 2017, with a GDP (purchasing power parity) of $330 billion in 2017. Prior to the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the country was making strides economically. However, a military coup in 2021 and resulting civil war again threw the country into disarray, and interest in investment dried up. The country remains one of the poorest in Southeast Asia, with around a quarter of the population living in poverty.

Landmarks

Naypyidaw is home to elaborate gardens, shopping malls, museums, Buddhist temples, movie theaters, the national zoo, and hotels. The city's Water Fountain Garden is a major attraction. The main fountain is lit at night with changing colored lights.

The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is the most revered Buddhist shrine in Myanmar. During the first phase of building in Naypyidaw city, the government initiated a project to replicate the Shwedagon Pagoda and built the 99-meter (325-foot) tall Uppatasanti Pagoda. Although the Uppatasanti is on the outskirts of Naypyidaw and receives far fewer visitors than the Shwedagon Pagoda, it has been built in such a way that it can be seen from any angle on all the major roads leading into or out of the city.

Other sites of note in Naypyidaw include the Memorial to the Fallen Heroes, honoring the country's war dead; the National Museum, housing exhibits in natural history, history, fine arts, and performing arts; the Naypyidaw Gems Museum, with an extensive collection of jade and precious stones; the Naypyidaw Zoological Gardens, the country's largest zoo; and the National Herbal Park.

All of the major roads in Naypyidaw were constructed extra wide, despite the relatively small number of motor vehicles in use in the city since its completion. At the center of the inner city's grid is a fountain surrounded by a traffic circle that branches off into five avenues, which lead to the city's residential and commercial districts. The fountain serves as a visual center for the urban district.

History

Myanmar achieved independence from Britain in 1948, and more than a decade of turbulence followed before the military, under General Ne Win, staged a coup d’etat in 1962 that resulted in martial law and a military government. Ne Win, who led the country from 1962 until 1988, is most famous for his efforts to transform the nation's social, economic, and political structure with the introduction of a unique form of socialism.

Economic turmoil in the 1970s and 1980s destabilized Ne Win's regime, and the general stepped down in 1988. After a series of violent riots, Defense Minister Saw Mung declared martial law and brought the nation under the control of a military-led regime known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). SLORC Chairman General Than Shwe took control of the government in 1992 and remained in power until the government transitioned to a parliamentary system in 2011.

In 2002, Than Shwe and leading members of the regime began executing a plan to move the capital of the nation from Yangon—which had been the capital since the mid-nineteenth century—to a location in the interior—presumably one that was more strategically secure, but the government never gave a reason for the relocation project. Government contractors began working on Naypyidaw in 2002, though much of the construction effort was kept secret from international media. The site of the new city, near the town of Pyinmana, was chosen in part for its association with the nationalist independence movement. In November 2005, the government began relocating government offices from Yangon to Naypyidaw. The relocation effort took more than a year, and civilian residents began moving to the new capital in 2006. The government claims that population expansion made the acquisition of a new capital necessary; others have speculated that military security was the primary factor in the decision to relocate. Major construction on the city was completed in 2012, and the cost, though not disclosed by the government, has been estimated at at least $3–4 billion. Famed for its cleanliness and opulence, Naypyidaw has nonetheless failed to attract a large number of residents in the generally poor country, aside from government workers, military personnel, and day laborers.

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