Sagaing Region
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Sagaing Region

Sagaing Region (Burmese: စစ်ကိုင်းတိုင်းဒေသကြီး, pronounced [zəɡáɪ̯ɰ̃ táɪ̯ɰ̃ dèθa̰ dʑí]; formerly Sagaing Division) is an administrative region of Myanmar, located in the north-western part of the country between latitude 21° 30' north and longitude 94° 97' east. It is bordered by Chin State and India's Nagaland, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh states to the west and north, Kachin State, Shan State, and Mandalay Region to the east and Mandalay Region and Magway Region to the south. The Ayeyarwady River forms a greater part of its eastern and also southern boundary. Sagaing Region has an area of 93,527 square kilometres (36,111 sq mi), making it the second-largest subdivision of Myanmar. In 1996, it had a population of over 5,300,000, while its population in 2012 was 6,600,000. The urban population 2012 was 1,230,000, and the rural population was 5,360,000. The namesake of Sagaing Region is Sagaing but the administrative capital and largest city is Monywa.

The Pyu were the first in recorded history to populate the area of Sagaing Region by the first century CE. The Burmans first migrated into Upper Myanmar by the ninth century CE. The area came under the Pagan Kingdom certainly by the middle of the 11th century when the King Anawrahta (r. 1044–1077) founded the Pagan Empire, which encompasses the modern day Myanmar.[citation needed]

After the fall of Pagan in 1287, the northwestern parts of Upper Myanmar came under the Sagaing Kingdom (1315–1364) ruled by Burmanized Shan kings. The area was ruled by the kings of Ava from 1364 to 1555 and the kings of Taungoo from 1555 to 1752. Konbaung Dynasty (1752–1885), founded by king Alaungpaya in Shwebo, became the last Burmese dynasty before the British conquest of Upper Burma in 1885. The area became Sagaing Division after the Burmese independence in January 1948.[citation needed]

In the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, Sagaing Region, which is part of the Bamar homeland, emerged as a stronghold of resistance against military rule. Myanmar Armed Forces has engaged in significant military offensives throughout the region to quell resistance and intimidate local villagers. Sagaing Region has since become the site of several high-profile massacres by military forces, including the 2022 Let Yet Kone massacre and the 2023 Tar Taing massacre.

In March 2025, a Mw 7.7–7.9 earthquake struck close to the capital city of Sagaing. Significant damage was recorded within the city and throughout the entire region.

As of 2022, Sagaing Region consists of 13 districts and 1 Self-Administered Zone, divided into 34 townships with 198 wards and villages. The major cities are Sagaing, Shwebo, Monywa, Ye U, Katha, Kale, Tamu, Mawlaik and Hkamti. Mingun with its famous bell is located near Sagaing but can be reached across the Ayeyarwady from Mandalay.

In August 2010, three former townships of Hkamti District were transferred, in accordance with the 2008 constitution, to a new administrative unit, the Naga Self-Administered Zone.

Sagaing Region is currently under the control of a military junta known as the State Administration Council (SAC), led by General Min Aung Hlaing. This regime seized power following a coup on February 1, 2021, overthrowing the elected civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD). Since then, the country has been under an extended state of emergency and faces an ongoing civil war between the junta, pro-democracy forces, and various ethnic armed groups.

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