Background History
Before Buddha, BC3500-4000 there is a hermit (Yathe) living under a shadaw of a tree call , Mon Pin Gyi. Due to preordainment of events made by Buddha, this land meaning was a Buddha religion shining place called “Mon Pin”. Than periodically name became Monywa.  
Ref: “MiGardar Won Sayardaw’s Monywa YarPye Magazine”

Alternately, saying  is that a lady selling food (Mon ThaiMa) was selected as a queen of Pani Saku King. Then this village name was called as  MonThaiMa Ywa . Periodically became Mon Ywa.  Ref: “Myanmar Encyclopedia Volum 9, P-339”  

Archeologists found human inhabitants in this region since one millions years ago. There were some human remain bones, skulls found at ShweMyin Tin Hill, eastern part of Monywa. Pottery parts and a burred human remain were found at KyauKar. Two buried human remains, four stone axes, four stone rings, earth beads were discovered at Su Pin Phyu village,  KwayGyi. These evidence confirmed that human inhabited Monywa region since long time ago.

History ex-Professor Dr. Than Htun, U (1923- ) mentioned Monywa as parallel age  “KhinMon Ain Htaung Hti Pa DiPeYin” for Myanmar origin first region (KaYai) and second region (Tite). That is very clear that human already stayed at Monywa region before Burmese people enter present Monywa and settle “Tite” of civilization. That alternately mentioned, Monywa already existed around A.D 900.
As historian record, Bagan stone inscription mentioned “Mon Ywa”. Kong Baung dynasty mentioned Monywa as a village under Alone district.  At Burmese king era, Monywa was a big village and English era, government district office move from Alone to Monywa in 1888.

1. Location and Geographical Status
Monywa district included in SitGaing Tite. Monywa located at central of Burma (Myanmar). Latitudes North 23,55’ to 22,18’ and longitudes east 95,4’ to 95,23’.Chindwin river is natural boundary of west with YinMarPin township, SalinGyi township. There are ChawnOo township in south, MyinMu township and AyaDaw township in east, Butalin Township in north.
Monywa is located above 250 feet sea level. Generally, east 1/3 miles is smooth ground and eastern north part is waverly ground. Eastern part is rocky and hilly. Yewai KongDan hill and TawnSwe canyons are interesting places. Yewai hill has a deep slope.

Geographically, there are three regions.
(a). YeWon region (Water flooded region):  Western north, Nortern, Western south Chindwin bank region. These region located under 250 feet of sea level. Always flooded by chindwin river when rainy season. Ground is smooth and earth is good to grow vegetable. Many agricultural villages exists in this region.
(b). MyePyant LwinPyin (Flat region):  Central region of Monywa. Half of the Monywa township area. 250 – 300 feet above sea level. Ground is flat and smooth.
(c). Hilly region: End of Eastern Monywa. 1/3 of Monywa township area. Above 400 feet above sea level.  Higher and higher at eastern site. KyauKa hills are 822 feet and 1262 feet height. ShweMyin Tin hill is 693 feet height.

2. Area and Distribution of Population
As  2002 census, Monywa area is 266 square miles (688 sq km).  Length from east to north is 12 mils (21 km) and south to north is 20 miles (32 km).

3. Climate and Natural Plants (2002 - census)
Monywa township has dry stat grass climate. Temperature highest/lowest is  113/ 46 F  (45/7 Celsius).
Raining day/ rain inch is 36 day per year/ 31.38 inch (80 cm) per year.
As a dry zone, variety of tree with small leave and thorn can be seen such as HtaNaung, Than, DaHat, Htan, TanaKha, Kanaya Sein Su Phyu, OoShit, Tayoke MaJee, MaJee, ZaungChin, Shar, Tamar, MaJee ..etc. At hill slop region, variety of banboo tree eg. Thite Wah, Myit Wah..etc. Other plants such as PinWai (shrubs), Shazaung Pyathat, KyaShar, KinPun, NaSu, Su Boke Gyi, Su Boke Thay, Moe Nan NaNat Shaw, Sat Thwa Phu ..etc.  Harbal plants (Medical plant) such as Nanon, Aik Thlin, Phyuk sate, Tamar, SinDon Mangwe, YonKha, SuLe, Kanaso, LeThoke Gyi, Tayin Gyi, That Yin Pote, Koyan Gyi, Kyat Su, Myin Kwa, KyaungShar, ShaZaung LatPat..etc are available in this region.

4. Agriculture and Poultry
As own eating, rain rice (Moe Sabar), Dry rice (Ngwe Sabar), Sesame (Hnan), sun flower, various bean such as PeTeSein, PeSinNgon, PeLun, SonTaPyar, HtawBat, MatPe, PePote, KalaPe, SarTawPe, PeGyi, PeYin, PeNaut, PeGyar..etc, Cotton (Chi Myin She Wa), Potato, Chilies, Onion, Garlic..etc.  Farmer grow vegetable such as garbage, carrot, bean, brijil, Mon-Nyin, ..etc.
As 2002 census, there are 101038 acres (409 sq km) of net plantation ground, TiHtat (Multi cultivation in a year) 28357 acres (115 sq km) and TiNyat (Plant between cultivation) 27298 acres   (110 sq km). Total plantation area is 156593 acres (633 sq km).

The agricultural aid dams
ThaZi Se: Eastern North of Monywa 3 miles away. Located near ThaZi village.  Size: 3250' , 73, 20 feet, water volume: 6600 acres feet, irrigation area: 1500 acres (6 sq km).HtanTaLoke Se:  Near KyauKar village.  Size: 1100', 70', 20' feet, water volume: 2800 acres feet, irrigation area; 2000 acres (8 sq km).

Under ground water:  96 wells, irrigation plant area: 11298 acres (46 sq km).

In addition, there are many small dams (Se) and lake (Kan or Inn) such as KaMa Se, Badi TaHtaung Se, YaTay Chaung Se, ShweMyin Tin Kan, OoBoTaung Inn,HlayKu Inn, Naung Kaine Inn and Shar Pye Inn..etc.

As 2002 census, poultry status is as following table.

5. Transportation and Communication (2002 census)
Monywa located at Chindwin river bank. Transportation is fairly good by Road, rail way and water way through the river are available to other region.
In township, government construction accomplished tar road 35 miles (57 km). Township municipal accomplish tar road 21 miles (34 km), stone road 5 miles (8 km), normal road 143 miles (230 km).  The whole township as 56 mile (90 km) tar road.
There is a bridge across ChinDwin river at Monywa district, ChaungOo township (connecting TawKyaung Gyi and Min Ywa, YeSaGyo township - Mague Division). This bridge was constructed by Myanmar Railway. Both railway and motor road can cross through.   Now second bridge was completed on 7th April 2003 at Alone (connecting MinDaung - Alone town and LatKoke Pin - YinMar Pin township). This bridge is steel frame bridge and concrete body. Standing loading of 60 tons. Main bridge length is 2745.6 feet  and approaching 2 bridge length is 1984.6 feet. Total length is 4730.2 feet (1442 meters). This bridge is only for motor vehicles with 28 feet wide road. Passenger walk ways of 6 feet wide is attached at both side of main road. Bridge water way safety area is 305 feet length and 40 feet height. Together with this bridge, Monywa - KalayWa new road construction is on going. Expected to completed 2003 April. Using this bridge and new road, transportation until India border (KalaWa, Kalay Myo) and Chin state (Haka, TeeTain).
Inland Transportation:  From Monywa to the whole Burma is available by 31 transportation groups. Own township has 300 buses and 507 cargo lories. 
Rail way transportation available to northern site until YeOo and southern site  the whole Myanmar via Mandalay (2nd city of Myanmar).

Water transportation: 
Using Chindwin river way, upper Myanmar Homlin, KalayWa and Kamti .etc and  lower Myanmar YeSaGyo , then via Irrawaddy river, many city can be reach including Yangon (Rangon).
Government water transportation has 28 passenger boats, public water transportation 5 teams are transporting cargo and people via water transportation.


Air Flight
There is a airport at northern Monywa about 8 miles away. Located at KaWel Kyin village at 19000 feet west of Monywa-YeOo road. This airport is used for VIP only. Now government is upgrading this airport to 10000 feet length and 200 feet wide tar runway.

Communication (2002 census)
(a)  Main Post Office    - One unit
(b)  Tele Graph Office  - One unit
(c)  Telephone ownership:   Organization own (104 units), Government Tele-communication own (101 units), Government organization own (307 units), Public own (1640 units)
(d) Telephone exchange office - Four units
(e) Satellite Parabolic Antenna - 386 units

6. Education and Health 
Higher education (University, College, Institute ..etc)
(a) Monywa University
Government upgrade as university in 23-May-1997.  Previously, this was called as Monywa degree college since 19-Aug-1992. Location is near Zaloke Kwin village , east of Kyau-Kar Road.  Old college was open in 1979 as Monywa Regional College by converting the Basic High School B.E.H.S (2) at Yon-Gyi Quarter.
   (aa) Student population  -  2002 census
      Normal Bachelor students - 6559 
      Honors students                -   442
      Master qualification           -   336
      Master students                -    441
                           Total students  -  7778

   (bb) Distant university students - 2002 census
       Sr    Year                        Science          Arts              Total
       1      First year                 2237            11443           13680
       2      Second year            1439              3677             5116
       3      Third year                1238             2188             3426
       4      Forth year                  943             1857             2810
                       Total Students       5857                19165                25022

      (cc) Teaching Staffs  - 2002 census
       Dean (1), Vice Dean (1), Professors (14), Associate Professors (9), Lecturers (61), 
       Assistant Lecturers (20), Tutor/Demonstrators (184).

(b) Monywa Economic University  (census -2002)
Monywa Eco was opened on 28-Sep-1998. Location is near Zaloke Kwin village , east of Kyau-Kar Road.
Total students of 1 years (1173), 2nd year (905), 3rd year (152),  Honors (39), Master qualified (1), MPA (26), MBA (57), Development Diploma.(6) and total students is 2359.Total teaching staffs are Dean (1), Associate Professors (5), Lecturers (7), Assistant Lecturers (12), Tutor/Demonstrators (46).

(c) Monywa Technical College  (census -2002)
Started as  THS (Technical High School) on 30-Jul-1982 . Then promoted as G.T.I  (Government Technical Institute) on 1-Dec-1986. Finally upgraded as technical college on 1-Oct-1999.
   (aa)  B-Tech Students list , 1st year (149), 2nd year (237) and total (386)
   (bb) A.G.T.I students list, 1st year (279), 2nd year-first batch (295), 2nd year-second batch (178)
          Total (752)

Basic Education (Primary & Secondary schools)
Secondary (Basic Education High School B.E.H.L - Ah-Hta-Ka):  (2002-census)
There 12 schools such as  Monywa Ah-Hta-Ka (1), (2), (3) AND Alone Ah-Hta-Ka (1) & (2), MonYway Ah-Hta-Ka (1) , associate Ah-Hta-Ka (4) and other Attached (Twe Bat) school (2). Teaching staffs of these 12 schools are 757 in Ah-Hta-Ka shool , (223) in associate Ah-Hta-Ka shools and 17 at Twe Bat Ah-Hta-Ka. Total (997) teaching staffs.  There are 3579 of 9th standard students and 4661 of 10th standard students.

Middle schools (Basic Education Mid Level B.E.H.L - Ah-La-Ka
There are  Ah-La-Ka (9) ,  associate Ah-La-Ka (3) and Attached Ah-La-Ka (1). Total school are (13). Teaching staff are 15,27,28  respectively and total is (206). There are 5th standard students (3668), 6th standard students (3160), 7th standard students (2953) and 8th standard students (2937). Total (12718) students.

Primary schools (Basic Education Low Level B.E.L.L - Ah-Ma-Ka)
There are total schools (133) and teaching staffs (731). Student under study are  kinder garden (Thu-Nge-Dan) (8139), 1st standard (6229), 2nd standard (5528), 3rd standard (5743), 4th standard (5333). Total students are (30972).

In addition, there are 19  post-primary schools with teaching staffs 160 and students (5642).
Government Social Welfare has one pre-primary school - Mu-Kyo  (Nursery - Under 5 yrs old) and private one pre-primary school.

There is a  charity school for orphans and one Buddhist monastery school.

Monywa Charity Youth Development Unit (Payahita Lu Nge PhunPyoYe Sakhan): 
Located at Than-La Quarter. Which was started on 1957 Nov 29 by chairman (Na-Ya-Ka) Buddhist monk U Zanita  (Poem writer - Sein ZaNi). Later 1976, changed present name. Take care for orphans and poor children. Produced many outstanding person (Tha Kaung Yadanar). Teaching physical, mental and vocational education. Students are Various region and different ethnic. Youngest is 7 years old and presently (2002-census), 66 students are under study. Student stay at this unit and attend to Monywa schools.
Under leadership of Sayadaw U Zanita , 45 years already passed with successfully. Still need well-wishers' donation and help such as to maintain the building, eating (one day - Kyat 6000), for ever ration (Ya that pan San-Si-Sar)..etc.  Bunch of money (kyat - 30000) called Ya that pan Ngwe Padaythar and other necessary item such as stationary, beg, box ..etc can be donated.

7. Business, Trading and Industry
Due to good transportation and good trading network, Monywa is a good business city. Monywa export own agricultural product to Mandalay and Yangon as well as import rice and other agri-product from YeOo and Shwbo. Monywa industrial product of blanket is famous. Construction material eg. zinc, steel, ion frame, cement are imported from Yangon and re-distributed around the region. Bamboo are imported from upper region via Chindwin river and re-distributed to lower region via river.  Trading with upper Myanmar such as Kalay Wa, Homlin, Kamti and Chin State towns, Haka, TeTain.  India border trading business are through Monywa and Chindwin river. That was business, trading and industry situation development is improving. Business society is included by private, co-operative and joint venture ..etc.

Private business association:   1)Merchants, 2)Oil mill owner, 3)Bean cracking / Vermicelli mill (Kya-zan)l owner 4)Flour mill owner  5)Rice merchants   6)Meat/Fish merchants  7)Wood industry owners ..etc

To support these business, many banks are already established such as  1)Myanmar Economic Bank 2)Agricural Bank - Government  3)First Private Bank  4)Myanmar Eastern Bank  5)Yoma Bank  6)Myanmar Mayflower bank  6)Innwa Bank  7)Myawaddy Bank ..etc.

Co-operative business
There are total 137 co-operative business team for Agriculture, Live stock, Industry, Transportation, Money, Social welfare, trading ..etc.

Joint Venture business
Forest product joint venture corporation opened two sale shop.

Industrial business
Government own factories,  three wood mills, No(5) plywood mill (OoBo Htaung Quarter), Mymar bamboo and silk industry (Chan Mya Thazi) and one dying and painting industry (Zaloke Village).
Township co-operative owned ice industry (Ledi),  Bean crack mill and Oil mill (Chan Mya Thazi).

Private Industry: (1999 data)
Textile mill (107), Oil mill (44), Publishing printer(29), Vermicelli mill(16),  Noodle mill(7), Cigar and cheroot industry(11), Wood mill(10), Blanket mill(1), Cotton mill(1), Plate mill(1) and many rice mills, flour mills, late machine, blacksmith, welding, herbal, Chindwin jeep industry (2002 established), loom (Yet Kan Sin) ..etc.

There is two industrial zones are established since 1992 in Monywa (Nandawon). As 1999 data, there are 723 industries in these zone. 

8. Social Welfare Association
Home for aged  (Bo Bwa Yeikta) at MonywaTaung Quarter: Established by people in 1992 and 68 old aged person are taken care. Well-wishers donation are welcome for this charity job.

Chindwin Rice Donation team: Established by people at Government hospital (DawNa Chan). This is for Buddhist monks, nuns and other people who devoted to religion. Every year, they celebrates donation function.  Branches of this team are 1)Thanga Dana Son Laung team  2)Sula Bwe and Thabin service  3)Neitban Yin (Funeral service)  4)Ledi Dipani distribution  ..etc.
Member ship fee for ever is kyat 10000.  Normal yearly fee is kyat 600.

Charity Youth development unit  (Payahita Lu Nge PhunPyoYe Sakhan): (presented)
Myawaddy Monastery School:  (presented)
Reservist Fire fighting team (A-Yan Mee That):  City quarters and village group tem (19) with members (918)
Red Cross team:  Total 446 male and 110 female. Total member 556.

Mother and child care unit:  one unit at town and 67 unit in villages. Membership is 16326. Team own one berth room. Take care of pregnant ladies is co-operating with government health organization.

Golden Heart Health Care Team (Shwe NaLone Thar); Established on 13-Apr-2002 to contribute for needed people by well-wishers by money donation.  Poor and  hospitalized people are assisted by organization. Well-wishers will get the satisfaction in Burmese (Htar Wara Ku Tho). The following are collected donation in year 2002. (Kyat)  Currency conversion at 2002 is US$1.0 = Kyat 1000 (approx.)

9. Religion
Majority of Monywa population are Buddhist. Therefore, plenty of pagodas, monasteries, charity schools. Buddhist religious data are as following. 2002 (census) 
(a) Pagodas (1231)
(b) Monasteries (444)  
      [Thudama Monasteries - (393),  Monks (2278) and Novice of the Buddhist Tha Manei (3998)]
      [Shwe Khin Monasteries - (51),  Monks (269) and Novice of the Buddhist Tha Manei (823)]
      Total (7368)

(c) Nan Monasteries - (25) , Nuns (746)

Population by Religious

10. Traditional Festivals

11. Famous Person and Places to Visit
Plenty of famous Buddhist Monks and Wiseman were born in this region such as  Maung Htaung Thana Paing Sayadaw, Nyaung Kan Sayadaw U Boke, Mon Ywe Zatawon Sayadaw, Ledi Sayadaw Gyi, Zaung Gyan Pin Sayadaw and (King Mindom era) Hlay Thin Ka Kywin Won U Chane, Ledi Panita U Maung Gyi, Dama Katika U Hla Thein..etc. Other genius authors such as Nawarat, Thein Pe Myint, Nyo Mya, Dama Sariya U Htay Hlaing, Aung Maung, Than Sein Thit, U Gon Thet, Dr. Maung Maung Nyo, U Maung Maung Soe Tint were native Monywa.
Poem writer such as Monywa Win Pe, Lin Yone Maung Maung, GonHtoo U Thein Naing, Butalin Chit Lay, Chit Dawn Ngwe, Maung Ye Khine, Thanlar Mye Yu Lwin, Thanlar Mye Saw Thu, Maung Tint Zin, Maung Tat Kaung are famous.  In musical life, Monywa U Lay Khant, Gita Sarso U Aye Maung, Gita Sarso Ko Ohn Min, Monywa Ko Kyi Shin, ChinDwin Kyaw Swe Hlaing are known by people. Monywa artists organized show called "ChinDwin Ye Kyi Art Show" in YANGON. This was already  exhibited 8 times since 1979 to 2001. 

Place to Visit
1. Su Daung Pye Pagoda & Shwe Si Gon Pagoda
2. Ledi Stone Book.  This was established in 1924 as a record of Ledi Sadaw PayaGyi's Dipani Kyan. Total 806 sheet of stones in which 97 Buddhist literature. 

12. Library
E-library:  There is Electronic Library at Monywa City Hall (Pyanya Alin) Modern Library which was established in 2001.  Government north commander Lt.Gen Soe Win (Now S2 at SPCD) organized and setup by public donation money. Varieties of books, CD ROM are available with computers. There are more than 2000 International CD ROM.  Library owns more than 200 computers with various computer course and  English language courses.

Information Ministry Library:  There are total 25 branches of library. Already planned to open new 17 library in region. Various are available such as  knowledgeable books (4829), novel books (1747), Magazines (8504) and other books (4582).

The End.
Thank to U Thaung Nyunt (Monywa) May-2003