| Hakha | |
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  Hakha
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| Coordinates: 22°59′N 94°01′E / 22.983°N 94.017°ECoordinates: 22°59′N 94°01′E / 22.983°N 94.017°E | |
| Country |  Burma |
| State | Chin State |
| District | Falam District |
| Township | Hakha Township |
| Area | |
| - Total | 12.50 sq mi (32.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 6,128 ft (1,867 m) |
| Population (2005) | |
| - Total | 20,000 |
| - Religions | Christian |
Hakha (Burmese: ဟားခါးမြို့; MLCTS: ha: hka: mrui.; formerly called Haka) is the capital of Chin State in Burma. Its located in the northeast in Chin State. The vernacular name of the city was Halkha. The total area of Hakha is about 12.50 square miles (32.4 km2). The town of Hakha, more than 6,000 feet above the sea level, is founded on a small highland plateau. Although it is relative small in land area, it is the largest town and Capital city of the whole state and its plateau is significant larger than Falam. However,Falam is the original Capitol of Chin State.As Chin State is quite hilly, Hakha is built on the slope of a large mountain, in U shape. There is only one main road running along the middle of the city, in a curve U, and the whole city is built along this road. Another road runs from the middle of the city, for a short while, forming the foot of U.Hakha is in the center of Chin State and it is connected with Thantlang, Falam, Gangaw and Matupi by truck roads.[1]
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History
Hakha was founded in around A.D 1400 by the Lai ethnic group. The area was ruled by local chiefs for many generations and it consisted of only 30 houses.
The British occupied Hakha on January 19, 1890, as part of their operation to "subdue the wild tribes" in the Arakan Hills Division, as the area was then called. The British government later established a sub-divisional office and Hakha became a small town a few years later.
The first American Baptist missionary couple, Rev. & Mrs Authur Carson, arrived in Hakha on March 15, 1899 and opened a mission station . Later other missionaries joined them and did extensive mission works throughout the Chin Hills and converted most of the Northern Chin State to Christianity within a century. This mission work brought education, development, social and economic changes, and health improvement to the Chin People.
During the Second World War, Hakha was captured by Japanese troops on November 11, 1943; it was later recaptured by British troops. When Burma got independence from British control in 1948, Hakha became an important city as the center for one of the sis subdivisions in the Chin Special Division and Falam was the capital in that time. The Chin Special division was abolished and formed the Chin State in 1974 and Hakha became the capital for the Chin State. That brought an influx of government workers, housing development and extension of the city limits. Hakha eventually became the largest city in the Chin State with about 20,000 people.[citation needed]
Geography and climate
The city is 6,120 ft (1,870 m) above sea level and it lies at the foot of Rung Tlang (Mt. Rung), which is about 7,543 ft (2,299 m) high, and is one of the most famous and beautiful mountain peaks in the Chin State.
January is the coldest month of the year with a mean temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius. April is the hottest month at a mean of 36 degrees Celsius.
The total rainfall is about 86.22 inches every year.
It is quite cold during the winter months. Sometimes, the temperature drops to as low as minus two degree Celsius. It is also very windy in winter. The whole city is foggy in the morning and in the evening. The weather is excruciatingly cold. During the month of January, 2009 there was a cold wave that hit Burma. The government's mouth-piece newspaper, Myanma Ahlin,however, did not carry any story on the possible 'Cold Wave' passing through the country, though it mentioned that temperatures have dropped up to 0 degree in Hakha Town, capital city of Chin state in northwest Burma. According to medical experts, the 'Cold Wave' could cause severe health problems especially to children and elderly people and there are chances of some being paralyzed. Besides,cardiac and kidney problems could also grow worse.[2]
Burmese officials downplayed the warning issued by Indian officials. Tun Lwin, director of Burma's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology, said the cold spell was not unusual for this time of year."It is likely to be cold up until the end of the month but it is a regular cold season. It is not really anything new. There is no record breaking temperature," Tun Lwin said. The Burmese meteorology department has issued daily weather reports since 1988, but it has never issued warnings of predicted heat waves or cold snaps.[3]
Culture
References
External links
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