The Republic of the Union of Myanmar occupies the northeast coast of the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh to the northwest and Thailand to the southeast. The country also includes a long southern extension along the coast of the Andaman Sea, the eastern basin of the Bay of Bengal separated from the rest of the bay by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. The country's major port is Yangon (formerly called Rangoon), located on the Yangon River about 30 km (19 mi) from the sea. Burma, as the country was called for many years, became a British colony as a result of a series of colonial campaigns between 1826 and 1886. Governed until 1937 as a part of the British Empire of India, the country became independent in 1948. A military junta took control in 1988 and changed the country's name to Myanmar. Civil unrest and international sanctions have made the nation unattractive or dangerous for foreign tourists; as a result we know little of the status of the lighthouses built in British Burma. (It doesn't help that none of the historic lighthouses are accessible without boat transportation.) Current information and photos are badly needed. Myanmar is divided into seven regions, mostly inhabited by the dominant Bamar population, and seven states, mostly inhabited by ethnic minorities. The Myanmar (Burmese) word for a lighthouse is meepyatite (မီးပြတိုက်). An island is kyun, myit is a river, and siutkam is a port or harbor. Aids to navigation in Myanmar are maintained by the Myanma Port Authority (MPA), an agency of the Ministry of Transport. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.
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![]() Table Island Light, Bay of Bengal, 2022 satellite view copyright Google Maps |
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![]() Mibya Khun Light, Tavoy River, June 2013 photo copyright Sangamithra Iyer; used by permission |
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses: |
Adjoining pages: North: Bangladesh | Southeast: Southern Thailand: West Coast | South: Andaman and Nicobar Islands
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Posted February 20, 2006. Checked and revised June 11, 2024. Lighthouses: 31; lightships: 2. Site copyright 2024 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.