The Geology of Burma - Zomi Online Library

Bibliography of Burman Earth Science
In Burma, the mean annual temperature is 27°C (81°F). Although Burma is a
tropical country, temperatures are not uniformly high throughout the year and throughout
the country. The daily temperature range in Burma is greater than that temperature range
in nearly all other parts of Southeast Asia. But no region in Burma has a continental type
of climate (i.e., one characterized by large seasonal differences in average temperature).
However, the average daily temperatures in Burma show little variation across the
country, ranging from 26 °C to 28 °C (79 °F to 82 °F) between Sittwe in the Rakhine
region, Yangon near the coast, and Mandalay in the northern part of the central basin. At
Lashio, on the Shan Plateau, the average daily temperature is somewhat cooler, around 22
°C (71 °F).
Elevation and distance from the sea affect temperature as well, and temperatures
are generally lower in Burma’s mountainous regions. The northern regions of Burma are
the coolest in the country, with average temperatures of 21°C (70°F). Thus the climate in
upper Burma, especially at altitudes ranging from about 300 to 1,220 meters (1,000–
4,000 ft) of elevation, remains the most temperate throughout the year.
Mandalay, in the centre of the dry zone, has some of the greatest daily
temperature ranges, which span about 12°C (22°F) annually.
Lower Burma, especially in the river delta and along the coastal regions, is the
most humid part of the country. The coastal and delta regions have a mean annual
temperature of 32°C (90°F).
Surface and Ground Water Resources
The water resources in Burma from 1999 include 1,045.6 cubic kilometers of total
renewable water resources. Freshwater withdrawal for domestic, industrial and
agricultural use, totals about 33.23 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%); per capita water withdrawal
in 2000 is about 658 cu m/yr. Environmentally, Burma suffers from deforestation and the
industrial pollution of air, soil, and water. Also the inadequate sanitation and water
treatment contribute to disease.
Like the mountains, Burma’s main rivers run mainly from north to south. About
three-fifths of the country’s surface is drained by the Irrawaddy River and its tributaries.
The Rakhine coastal plains are drained by short, rapid streams, which, after forming
broad river deltas, flow into the Bay of Bengal. The Tenasserim plains also are drained
by short and rapid rivers, which enter the Gulf of Martaban.
The Bassein River, also known as the Pathein River, drains the southern Rakhine
Mountains. The Bassein River is about 257 kilometers (160 miles) long, and is chiefly a
navigable outlet of the Irrawaddy River in the western part of the delta.
Chindwin River: The great tributary of the Irrawaddy, the Chindwin, is about
1,158 km (750 miles) long, and drains the western region. The Chindwin River
(Burmese: Chindwin Myit) is the largest tributary of the Irrawaddy River. It flows
entirely within Burma and is known as “Ning-thi” to the Manipuris. The Chindwin rises
in the Kumon Range in northern Burma, and flows northwest through the Hukawang
Valley, then south along the Indian border and then southeast to the Irrawaddy River at
Myingyan.
The Chindwin is navigable for some 500 miles (800 km) from its confluence with
the Irrawaddy below Mandalay to the confluence with the Uyu River, its chief tributary.
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