Pakokku

Pakokku (pukō'kOO) [key], city (1983 est. pop. 72,000), central Myanmar, a port on the Ayeyarwady River. It is a trading and shipping center; agricultural products include peanuts, sesame, and rice. The city is also an important Buddhist center, with more than 80 monasteries.

Pakokku grew in importance after the British occupation in the 19th cent. Nearby are the Yenangyaung oil fields, which have been in operation since the 1870s; the facilities were destroyed in World War II but have since been rebuilt. Pakokku was occupied by Communist rebels in 1949 and was held until 1955, when it was liberated by government forces.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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