Pegu Range

The Pegu Range (Burmese: ပဲခူးရိုးမ; Pegu Yoma or Bago Yoma) is a range of low mountains or hills^[1] and uplands^[2] between the Irrawaddy and the Sittaung River in central Burma (Myanmar). The range runs from Mount Popa in the north to Singuttara Hill (Theingottara Hill) in the south. Both the Pegu River and the Sittaung River originate in the Pegu Range.

Pegu Range
ပဲခူးရိုးမ
Mount Popa
Highest point
Peak	Mount Popa
Elevation	1,518 m (4,980 ft)
Coordinates	20°55′27″N 95°15′02″E
Dimensions
Length	475 km (295 mi) N/S
Width	60 km (37 mi) E/W
Geography
Pegu Range Location in Myanmar
Country	Burma
Range coordinates	20°55.3′N 95°14.9′E

High points

Among the notable peaks or hilltops are 1,518 metres (4,980 ft) high Mount Popa, a stratovolcano,^[3] Sinnamaung Taung 2,693 feet (820 m), Shwenape Taung 2,631feet (802 m), TALAN Taung 2,050 feet (625 m), Binhontaung 2,003 feet (611 m),^[4] Kodittaung 1,885 feet (575 m),^[4] Phoe-Oo Taung ^[3] and Singguttara Hill (Theingottara Hill).^[3]

Geology

The Pegu Range consists of folded and faulted Paleogene marine sediments combined with more recent volcanics.^{[citation needed]}

History

The Shwedagon Pagoda was built sometime before 1000 A.D. on Singuttara Hill.

The Pegu Range was the original site of the 1930–1931 Saya San uprising against the British. Saya San raised the flag of independence on Alantaung Hill near Tharrawaddy.^[5]

Later the Pegu Range became a center for the Communist Party of Burma.^[6]

Ecology

See also: Teak in Myanmar

The northern end of the Pegu merges into the Burmese Dry Zone, while in the south there is over 80 inches (2,000 mm) of rainfall a year.^[7] The hills of the Pegu Range were originally heavily forested with teak and other commercially exploitable hardwoods.^[1][7] The southern forests were "ironwood forests", while the central and northern forests were teak.^[8] Extensive logging has caused the present deforestation and increased erosion in the area.^{[citation needed]}

In 2016, the National League for Democracy government imposed a one-year moratorium on logging throughout the country, and was extended to a decade for the Pegu Range due to the extent of deforestation there.^[9]

In the aftermath of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, illegal logging of teak and deforestation of the mountain's forests has intensified, involving both the military junta and the resistance People's Defence Force.^[9]