Geographic Characteristics

The Shan State is the largest of the state in Myanmar. It lies to the east of the Ayeyarwady River and is bounded and the north by Kachin State and People's Republic of China, on the east by People's Republic of China and Laos, on the south by Kayah State and Thailand, and on the west by Mandalay and Sagaing Division. It covers the eastern section of the country and has an area of 60155.277 square miles. The region is generally known as the Shan plateau which is not just a simple plateau but a succession of mountain chains and plateaus. The Thanlwin river flows across the middle of the plateau from north to south. The famous Inle lake is situated in Shan State and the Heho plain, the Kengtung plain, and Hsenwi plain were lakes in the past.

In winter, average temperature is less than 60°F and summer average is a little above 70°F. It gets the south-west monsoon rains chiefly. It is not too wet, not too cold in winter and too hot in summer.

Agriculture is the main ecomomic activity. About 0.71 million acres are cultivated every year. About 35 percent of a population. i.e. 1.05 million people (in 1983) was engaged in agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry,fishing and hunting. The principal crops are paddy, wheat, maize, millet, groundnut, soybeans, potatoes,pulses,tea, coffee,sugar cane, tobacco and cotton. Temperate climate allow cultivation of oranges,peaches, pears,apples, grapes, pinespples,vegetables,flower plants and thanatphet trees. it rains for about 101 days in a year. The average rainfall is about 56.38 inches. Having scarce monsoon rains, agriculture in Shan State has to depend on Irrigation. Irrigation canals such as Heho valley irrigation canal, Ban-Yin canal, Mong-Host Valley cannal and Dams such as Nam-lat, Nam kat, Mong-Sone supply water to over 20,000 acres of agricultural land. More works on irrigation are underway to irrigate more and more acres of agricultural land. Cattle and ponies are also raised throughout the Shan State and Government breeding firms have also been set up. 


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