About Yangon, Myanmar

In 1755, King Alaungpaya founded the small but strategically placed town then known as Dagon, and renamed it Yangon (meaning ¡° the end of strife¡±). The British annexed the city in 1851, changing its name to Rangoon. Refreshingly free of high rises until now, this pleasant mix of colonial buildings and tree shaded streets serves as a pleasant introduction to the country. With its Buddhist temples, open-air markets, shady parks and beautiful lakes, Yangon has been called the ’Garden City of the East’. Indeed, a combination of careful preservation and restoration mixed with thoughtful city planning would undoubtedly make Yangon one of the most beautiful cities in Asia. It now covers an area of about 400 square kilometres with a population of over five million.