Thandwe ("Thandway" in Arakanese; ; formerly Sandoway), historically called Dwaraddy, is a town and major port in Rakhine State, the westernmost part of Myanmar.
Recent history
During the ongoing Myanmar civil war, the town was the site of clashes between the
Arakan Army and Myanmar's military, with the Arakan Army taking control of
Ngapali Beach and several military outposts surrounding the town.
According to reports, the Arakan Army seized the town's prison on 15 July 2024, with the town's remaining military battalions falling the next day and giving the Arakan Army full control of the town.
Geography
Thandwe is very ancient, and is said to have been at one time the capital of Rakhine State, then called Arakan. The district has an area of . The area is mountainous, and spurs of the Arakan Mountains reach the coast. Some of the peaks in the north are over high. The streams are only mountain torrents to within a few miles of the coast; the mouth of the Khwa forms a good anchorage for small boats. The rocks in the
Arakan Yoma and its spurs are
metamorphic rock, and include
clay,
,
ironstone and indurated
sandstone; towards the south, ironstone, trap and rocks of
character are common; veins of
steatite and white fibrous
quartz are also found.
Nearby Ngapali Beach is popular among tourists.
Climate
Thandwe has a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen
Am). Temperatures are very warm throughout the year. There is a winter dry season (November–April) and a summer wet season (May–October). Torrential rain falls from June to September, with over falling in each of the months of June, July and August.
[ Between 1991 and 2020, the mean annual rainfall was . The rainfall in 1905 was .]
External links
