Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Tharrawaddy

THARRAWADDY, a district in the Pegu division of Burmah, with an area of 2014 square miles. It lies between 17 30 and 18 40 N. lat. and between 95 20 and 96 10 E. long., and is bounded on the N. by Prome, on the E. by the Pegu Yoma range, on the S. by Hanthawaddy, and on the W. by Henzada. The Pegu Yoma range separates Tharrawaddy from Toungu district, and forms the water-parting between the rivers Irrawaddy and Sittang; there are also many small elevations. The Irrawaddy, which traverses the district for 46 miles, 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 twenty-three teak forests and four fuel reserves in the district, covering an area of 817 square miles. Among the wild animals generally found in the mountains are the elephant, rhinoceros, bison, and various kinds of feathered game.

In 1881 the population was returned at 278,155 (males 143,413, females 134,742), of whom 1985 were Hindus, 1110 were Mohammedans, 270,552 were Buddhists, whilst Christians and aborigines numbered 2363 and 2135 respectively. The area under cultivation in 1885-86 comprised 323,542 acres, and that available for cultivation 186,002 acres; forests occupied 364,524 acres. The chief pro ducts of the district are rice, sesamum, tobacco, sugar-cane, cotton, and fruits. The gross revenue of Tharrawaddy in 1885-86 was 85,254, of which the land yielded 51,523. The history of the district is identical with that of HEXZADA (q.v.). Tharrawaddy was formed in 1878 out of that portion of Henzada lying east of the Irrawaddy. Its headquarters are at Thoon-tshay, on the stream of the same name.