1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/Tharrawaddy

THARRAWADDY, a town and district in the Pegu division of Lower Burma. The town has a station on the railway, 68 m. N.W. from Rangoon. Pop. (1901) 1643. The district has an area of 2851 sq. m. The Pegu Yoma range separates it from Toungoo district, and forms the water-parting between the rivers Irrawaddy and Sittang; there are also many small elevations. The Irrawaddy is the principal navigable river. Another important river is the Hlaing, which runs through the district from north to south, receiving from the east, through numerous channels, the drainage of the Pegu Yoma Mountains, which fertilizes the plain on its eastern bank. There are teak forests and fuel reserves, covering an area of 732 sq. m. Among the wild animals found in the mountains are elephant, rhinoceros, bison and various kinds of feathered game. The rainfall in 1905 was 91.65 in. Pop. (1901) 395,570, showing an increase of 17 per cent. in the decade. The railway runs through the centre of the district, with ten stations. The chief towns are Gyobingauk (6030) and Thonzé (6578). The staple crop is rice, but orchards and gardens are also common. The history of the district is identical with that of Henzada (q.v.). Tharrawaddy was formed in 1878 out of that portion of Henzada lying east of the Irrawaddy.