Many cities and towns in Myanmar were renamed in 1989 by the State Law and Order Restoration Council following a seizure of power by Saw Maung. Some places were renamed to their traditional, pre-colonial names, others were simply a bid to make their spellings better reflect their true Burmese pronunciation.
| Old Name | New Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Akha | Kaw | |
| Akyab | Sittwe | |
| Arakan | Rakhine | |
| Ava | Inwa | |
| Bassein | Pathein | |
| Bre | Kayaw | |
| Burma | Myanmar | The official adjectival form is Myanma. However, the Burmese language was renamed Myanmar language,[1] while the Burmese (Burman) ethnic group are now Bamar people. |
| Chin | Zomi | |
| Chindwin | Chindwinn | |
| Henzada | Hinthada | |
| Hmong | Meo | |
| Irrawaddy | Ayeyarwady | |
| Karen | Kayin | Both the state and ethnic group |
| Karenni | Kayah | Both the state and ethnic group |
| Kemmendine | Kyimyindaing Township | |
| Magwe | Magway Division | |
| Maymyo | Pyin U Lwin/Pyin Oo Lwin | |
| Mergui | Myeik District | |
| Moulmein | Mawlamyine | |
| Pagan/Pagahn Mew | Bagan | |
| Pa-O | Taungthu | |
| Pegu | Bago | |
| Prome | Pyay | |
| Rangoon | Yangon | |
| Salween | Thanlwin | |
| Sandoway | Thandwe | |
| Shan | Tai | |
| Ta-ang | Palaung | |
| Tavoy | Dawei | |
| Tenasserim | Tanintharyi | |
| Tonghoo | Taungoo | |
| Syriam | Thanlyin | |
| Victoria Point | Kawthaung |
References
- ^ https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/mm/mm009en.pdf Archived 2021-01-31 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
This page was last edited on 6 June 2023, at 16:49