Mindat, Chin State

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Mindat
မင်းတပ်
Town
Myanmar location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Mindat
Location in Chin State, Myanmar (Burma)
Coordinates: 21°22′N93°59′E / 21.367°N 93.983°E / 21.367; 93.983 Coordinates: 21°22′N93°59′E / 21.367°N 93.983°E / 21.367; 93.983
CountryFlag of Myanmar.svg  Myanmar
Division Flag of Chin State.svg  Chin State
District Mindat District
Township Mindat Township
Population
 (2014)
  Town46,008 [1]
   Urban
10,932
   Metro
35,076
Time zone UTC+6.30 (MST)
Climate Cwa

Mindat is located at south of the Chin State. Mindat (Burmese : မင်းတပ်မြို့; MLCTS : mang: tap mrui., pronounced  [mɪ́ɰ̃daʔ mjo̰] ) is a town in the Chin State of Western Myanmar.It is the administration seat of Mindat Township and Mindat District. The people speak the Kʼchò language.

Contents

People

The people living in Mindat are called K'Cho, which is made up of three tribes; Mün/Müün, Daai, and Kaang. The K'Cho people are known for their rare tradition of females having their face tattooed. However, this tradition is no longer practice since the mid 1900s and face tattoo can only be seen on elderly women. Beginning in the early 21st century, many of the K'Cho people have migrated to many different parts of the world including United States, Australia, Denmark, Norway, New Zealand, Malaysia, and many others.

Based on a translated conversation with a group of elderly women with tattooed faces (2016):

Climate

Mindat has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa). Temperatures are warm for most of the year, but the winter months (November–February) are cooler. There is a winter dry season (December–May) and a summer wet season (June–November).

Climate data for Mindat (1981–2010)
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Record high °C (°F)26.7
(80.1)
32.2
(90.0)
34.9
(94.8)
35.7
(96.3)
37.0
(98.6)
33.6
(92.5)
31.0
(87.8)
29.9
(85.8)
29.7
(85.5)
28.8
(83.8)
28.1
(82.6)
26.5
(79.7)
37.0
(98.6)
Average high °C (°F)20.9
(69.6)
24.3
(75.7)
28.1
(82.6)
30.4
(86.7)
28.2
(82.8)
25.7
(78.3)
25.7
(78.3)
24.6
(76.3)
24.3
(75.7)
24.0
(75.2)
21.7
(71.1)
20.0
(68.0)
24.8
(76.6)
Average low °C (°F)9.7
(49.5)
12.1
(53.8)
15.7
(60.3)
17.7
(63.9)
17.9
(64.2)
18.0
(64.4)
18.0
(64.4)
17.6
(63.7)
16.9
(62.4)
15.6
(60.1)
12.6
(54.7)
9.6
(49.3)
15.1
(59.2)
Record low °C (°F)2.4
(36.3)
4.9
(40.8)
7.5
(45.5)
9.6
(49.3)
10.7
(51.3)
12.2
(54.0)
11.8
(53.2)
12.2
(54.0)
10.7
(51.3)
8.0
(46.4)
5.1
(41.2)
3.2
(37.8)
2.4
(36.3)
Average rainfall mm (inches)3.0
(0.12)
6.3
(0.25)
13.0
(0.51)
33.9
(1.33)
169.7
(6.68)
188.8
(7.43)
180.6
(7.11)
287.4
(11.31)
318.8
(12.55)
202.6
(7.98)
57.3
(2.26)
9.6
(0.38)
1,471
(57.91)
Source: Norwegian Meteorological Institute [2]

Geography

The main part of the town runs along the ridge of a mountain. The paved road runs from Pakokku to Matupi.

Transport

Bus

There is a bus station with direct buses to Pakokku or Matupi. These run mainly in the morning. The Pakokku bus route is approximately 4.5 hours and the Matupi bus route is approximately 5 hours.

Walking trails

Before the road was built and regular bus service began, students walked from Mindat to the advanced schools in Pakokku. The route was by walking trail and took 2 to 3 days.

Accommodation

There are small hotels and guesthouses in Mindat that are available to both Myanmar people and foreigners.

Tun Guesthouse

Private rooms with shared bathroom. Private rooms with bathroom. Common room has a television and seating.

Religion

Religion in Mindat (2014) [3]

  Christianity (52.3%)
  Buddhism (47.05%)
  Atheist (0.65%)

There are various religions in the town. Missionaries walk or motorbike to outlying villages to convert people.

Catholic

There is a Catholic church, which maintains a nursery school and living quarters for the elderly.

Buddhism

There are three Buddhist monasteries; one in the Western Quarter, another in Sanpya Quarter and the last one in Eastern Quarter.

Notable residents

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Magway Region is an administrative division in central Myanmar. It is the second largest of Myanmar's seven divisions, with an area of 44,820 km2. Pa Del Dam (ပဒဲဆည်) is one of the dams in Aunglan Township, Magway Division. The capital and second largest city of the Magway Division is Magway. The largest city is Pakokku. The major cities of Magway Division are Magway, Pakokku, Aunglan, Yenangyaung, Taungdwingyi, Chauk, Minbu, Thayet and Gangaw.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chin State</span> State of Myanmar

Chin State is a state in western Myanmar. The 36,019-square-kilometre (13,907 sq mi) Chin State is bordered by Sagaing Division and Magway Division to the east, Rakhine State to the south, the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the west, and the Indian states of Mizoram to the west and Manipur to the north. The population of Chin state is about 478,801 according to the 2014 census. The capital of the state is Hakha. The state is a mountainous region with few transportation links. Chin State is sparsely populated and remains one of the least developed areas of the country. Chin State has the highest poverty rate of 73% as per the released figures from the first official survey. The official radio broadcasting dialect of Chin is Falam. There are 53 different subtribes and languages in Chin State. There are nine townships in Chin State: Hakha, Thantlang, Falam, Tedim, Tonzang, Matupi, Mindat, Kanpetlet and Paletwa townships. In 1896, Mindat and Kanpetlet were placed under Pakokku Hill Tracts District of British Burma later emerged into Chin hills. Only Paletwa Township became a part of Arakan Hill Tracts of British Burma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chin people</span> Ethnic group native to Myanmar and India

The Chin people are an ethnic group native to the Chin State of Myanmar, and India's northeast states. Strictly speaking, the term "Chin" only refers to the 53 sub-tribes of the Chin ethnic group, divided and recognized by the Burmese government. They speak the Kuki-Chin–Naga languages, which are often mutually unintelligible but are closely related.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hakha</span> Capital City in Chin, Myanmar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakokku</span> City in Magway Region, Myanmar

Pakokku is the largest city in the Magway Region of Myanmar. It is situated about 30 km north-east of Bagan on the Irrawaddy River. It is the administration seat of Pakokku Township, Pakokku District and Gangaw District. Pakokku Bridge is part of the India–Myanmar–Thailand Trilateral Highway and is the longest bridge in Myanmar. It is home of the Pakokku Airport.

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Paletwa is one of the westernmost towns of Myanmar, in Chin State 18 kilometres from the border with Bangladesh. Its population in 2014 was about 97,000.

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Nat Ma Taung, also known as Mount Victoria, is the highest mountain in the Chin State of western Burma.

Thantlang is a town and the administrative center of Thantlang Township in Chin State, western Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mindat Township</span> Township in Chin State, Myanmar

Mindat Township is a township located in Mindat District in the Chin State of Myanmar. The township is located between latitude 21.19 and 21.47, longitude 93.23 and 94.29. The third highest peak in Myanmar, Nat Ma Taung at 3,053 metres (10,016 ft), is visible from here, though it is within Kanpetlet township boundary. Mindat was a part of Pakokku Hill Tracts District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paletwa Township</span> Township in Chin State, Burma

Paletwa Township is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Myanmar. It consists of Paletwa and Sami towns and Paletwa is the administrative center for the township. Also known as Arakan Hill Tract part of Arakan Division of British Burma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matupi Township</span> Township in Chin State, Burma

Matupi Township is a township of Matupi District in the Chin State of Burma (Myanmar). Matupi is the administrative center for the township.

Matupi is a town in the Matupi Township of Chin State in western Myanmar. There are 6 major Chin tribes living in Matupi; the Matu, Mara(Tlosai,Hlaipao, Hawthai,Sizo,etc), Dai, Zotung, Lautuv and Khumi tribes.

Strictly speaking, Lai are the people belonging to the Lai Autonomous District Council of Mizoram. Outside this area they are scattered in Mizoram and many Lai people in Mizoram more than LADC area Lai people outside LADC area some Lai people prefer the name Pawi. Some state they are same as Lusei, North-East India, Hakha, Thantlang, and Falam of Chin State, Myanmar. Lai people can also be found outside their main dominant area. From a historical point of view, Lai is one of a dominant tribe of the so-called Chin-Kuki-Mizo, the community is scattered in different parts of the world, mainly concentrating in Mizoram, Chin Hills of Burma, South Bangladesh .

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The Chho are one of the eleven tribes of the Chin-Kuki-Mizo people, native to Mindat and Kanpalet area in the Chin Hills of Myanmar. They are also known as Sho, Kx'ou, Cho and Yindu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pakokku District</span> District of Myanmar

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Kʼchò, or Mün, is a Kuki-Chin language of Burma. After a survey conducted in 2005 in Southern Chin State, Mang estimated the K’chò Region to be Mindat Township //, Kanpetlet Township // and one village in Matupi // or //.

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Sami is a town located in Mindat District, Chin State of Myanmar (Burma). It is the administrative seat of Sami sub-township.

References

  1. Census Report. The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census. Vol. 2. Naypyitaw: Ministry of Immigration and Population. May 2015.
  2. "Myanmar Climate Report" (PDF). Norwegian Meteorological Institute. pp. 23–36. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  3. Department of Population Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population MYANMAR (July 2016). The 2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census Census Report Volume 2-C. Department of Population Ministry of Labour, Immigration and Population MYANMAR. pp. 12–15.