Meiktila မိတ္ထီလာမြို့
Meiktila Location in Burma
Coordinates: 20°53′0″N 95°53′0″E / 20.883333°N 95.883333°E / 20.883333; 95.883333
Country	Burma
Division	Mandalay
District	Meiktila District
Township	Meiktila Township
Population (2005)
• Ethnicities	Bamar, Karen, Shan
• Religions	Buddhism
Time zone	MST (UTC+6.30)

Meiktila (Burmese: မိတ္ထီလာမြို့; MLCTS: mik thi la mrui.; Burmese pronunciation: [meɪʔtʰìlà mjo̰]) is a city in central Myanmar, located on the banks of Lake Meiktila in Mandalay Division, at the junctions of the Bagan-Taunggyi, Yangon-Mandalay and Meiktila-Myingyan highways. Because of its strategic position, Meiktila is home to Myanmar Air Force's central command and Meiktila Air Force Base.^[1] The country's main aerospace engineering university, Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University is also located in Meiktila.

History[link]

The name Meiktila comes from Mithila, the name of an Indian kingdom and present city in India.

The history of Meiktila is closely tied to that of central Myanmar's dry zone, home of the Bamar (Burmans). The region had been part of various Burman kingdoms at least from 11th century CE to 19th century CE before the British took over all of Upper Myanmar in 1885.

Meiktila was the site of the 1945 battle of Meiktila, in which the Allies forces under William Slim defeated the Japanese forces. Soon after Myanmar's independence from Britain in 1948, Meiktila briefly fell under the insurgent Karen forces.

Geography[link]

Meiktila district is the most easterly of the districts in Myanmar's central dry zone. It lies between Wundwin, Myingyan, Yamethin, and touches Shan State on the east. The chief feature of the region Lake Meiktila, an artificial irrigation and water reservoir, 7 miles (11 km) long, 0.5 miles (0.80 km) wide.^[2] Mondai dam supplies water to the lake.

Climate[link]

Culture[link]

The city's well-known pagodas are Shwemyintin, Shweyinmi, Nagayon, Yele.

Education[link]

Meiktila is home to a national university in Myanmar Aerospace Engineering University, and regional universities and colleges such as Meiktila University, Meiktila Institute of Economics, Computer University, Meiktila, Technological University, Meiktila and Meiktila Education College.

Of the city's six public Basic Education High Schools, BEHS 1 Meiktila or Royal High School is considered the most selective.^{[citation needed]}

References[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Meiktila

Coordinates: 20°53′N 95°53′E / 20.883°N 95.883°E / 20.883; 95.883

v t e Mandalay Region Capital: Mandalay Kyaukse District Kyaukse Township Myittha Township Sintgaing Township Tada-U Township Mandalay District Amarapura Township Aungmyethazan Township Chanayethazan Township Chanmyathazi Township Maha Aungmye Township Patheingyi Township Pyigyidagun Township Meiktila District Mahlaing Township Meiktila Township Thazi Township Wundwin Township Myingyan District Kyaukpadaung Township Myingyan Township Natogyi Township Ngazun Township Taungtha Township Nyaung-U District Nyaung-U Township Pyinoolwin District Madaya Township Mogok Township Pyinoolwin Township Singu Township Thabeikkyin Township Yamethin District Pyawbwe Township Yamethin Township Main cities and towns Amarapura Bagan Inwa Kyaukpadaung Kyaukse Lewe Madaya Mahlaing Mandalay Meiktila Mogok Myingyan Myitnge Myittha Natogyi Nganzun Nyaung-U Pyawbwe Pyinmana Pyinoolwin Thabeikkyin Sintgaing Tada-U Tatkon Taungtha Singu Thazi Wundwin Yamethin