Lashio Information & Lashio Links at HealthHaven.com

Lashio
Lashio
	Lashio
	; Lashio Location in Myanmar
	Coordinates: 22°56′N 97°45′E / 22.933°N 97.75°E
Country	Burma
Admin. division	Shan State
District	Lashio District
Township	Lashio Township
Elevation	2,746 ft (836 m)
	Population (2009 estimate)
- Total	131,000
- Religions	Buddhism

Lashio (Burmese: လာရှီုးမြို့; MLCTS: la hri: mrui.;) is the largest town in northern Shan State, Myanmar, about 200 kilometres (125 miles) northeast of Mandalay. It is situated on a low mountain spur overlooking the valley of the Nam Yao river. The population grew from around 5000 in 1960 to 88,590 in 1983. It is currently estimated at around 130,000.^[1]

The population is made up of mostly Bamar (Burmans), Shan and Chinese. The annual rainfall averages 54 in. The average maximum temperature is 80.5° and the average minimum 55.5°.^[2]^[3]

[edit] History

The British colonial period in this part of the country began in 1883, and the Myanmar Railways line from Mandalay reached Lashio in 1903^[4].

Before British rule Lashio was also the centre of authority for the northern Shan States, but the Burmese post in the valley was close to the Nam Yao, in an old Chinese fortified camp. The Lashio valley was formerly very populous; but a rebellion, started by the sawbwa of Hsenwi, about ten years before the British occupation, ruined it.

In 1900, the town of Lashio consisted of the European station, with court house and quarters for the civil officers; the military police post, the headquarters of the Lashio battalion of military police; and the native station, in which the various nationalities, Shans, Burmans, Hindus and Mahommedans, who were divided into separate quarters, with reserves for government servants and for the temporary residences of the five sawbwas of the northern Shan States; and a bazaar.

[edit] Transport

Lashio is located at the end of the Burma Road, and at the terminus of the Mandalay-Kun Long railway. It is also the end point of the government cart road from Mandalay, from which it is 178 m. distant.

In 2009, a railway link through to Jiegao in China was proposed. ^[5]

[edit] Culture

Religious sites include the Sasana (Pyilon Chanta) Pagoda and the Mansu Pagoda. Yepusan spa is nearly five miles away from the city center, and is healthful in winter. In 2000, Lashio was important for border trade between Myanmar and China.^{[citation needed]}

Lashio Thein Aung is a famous Burmese singer who derived his name from this city.

The town is home to the Lashio Degree College.