Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Thún-Khwa

THÚN-KHWA, or Thonegwa, a district in the Pegu division of Burmah, lying between 17° 37′ and 19° 28′ N. lat., and between 95° 53′ and 96° 53′ E. long., with an area of 5413 square miles. It is bounded on the N. by Henzada, E. by Rangoon, S. by the Bay of Bengal, and W. by Bassein district. The whole district is a large deltaic plain, divided by the numerous channels of the Irrawaddy into saucer-shaped islands, with deep depressions in the centre. The Irrawaddy traverses Thún-khwa from north to south, throwing off numerous branches until it falls into the Bay of Bengal. Geologically, Thún-khwa is composed of "older alluvial clay," differing from that of the Gangetic basin in being less rich in lime.

The population of Thún-khwa in 1881 was returned at 284,063 (males 150,131, females 133,932); Hindus numbered 723, Mohammedans 1650, Christians 6894, and Buddhists 274,237. The largest towns in the district are Yandoon and Pantanaw, with populations (1881) of 12,673 and 6174 respectively. The land is much less fertile than that of the neighbouring districts. In 1885–86 the area under cultivation was 349,259 acres, and the cultivable area 1,262,374 acres. The principal crops are rice, fruits, vegetables, and sugar-cane. The total revenue realized in the year 1885–86 amounted to £194,737, of which the land contributed £66,590. Thún-khwa was constituted a district in 1875, and its history previous to that date is identical with that of Henzada, to which administrative division it originally belonged. During the first Burmese war no resistance was offered to the British in the district as it at present exists except at the town of Donabyu. At the time of the second war Donabyu was undefended, but, after the occupation of Prome, Myat Htün, an ex-thúgyi of a small circle, succeeded in collecting a body of men and defied the British. Early in January 1853 the enemy were driven out of Donabyu, but on penetrating into the interior the British were forced to retire. In a subsequent engagement the British were driven back; but the enemy were eventually dispersed and their works captured.