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Yangon, formerly Rangoon, was the capital of Myanmar until it was replaced by Naypyidaw
in 2005. Today, with a population of over 5 million people, it remains the largest city
and the economic hub of Myanmar.
The city is an amalgamation of British, Burmese, Chinese, and Indian influences, known for
its colonial architecture, which although decaying and beyond appreciation, remains
an almost unique example of a 19th century British colonial capital. New high-rise buildings
were constructed from the 1990s as the government began to allow private investment. Meanwhile,
former government buildings have been left to rot as the capital is shifted to Naypyidaw.
Yangon continues to be a city of the past, as evidenced by its longyi-wearing, betel
nut chewing pedestrians, with their friendly or even familial attitude towards strangers,
its street vendors, and its pungent smells.
Yangon's former name was not the only victim of change in this country. For one, the country's
name was changed. To add to the on-going identity crisis, the city has been stripped of its
status as capital. The nation's capital has been relocated to a remote new site called
Naypyidaw, built from scratch.
Yangon is among the more exotic of SE Asian cities. On any walk down a typical street,
you will see signs written mostly in local alphabet, wandering monks in burgundy robes,
gilded pagodas, and abject poverty. Here, nearly everyone walks barefoot, indoors or
out, their faces smeared with a concoction made from the extracts of a local tree, their
smiles reddened by the blood-red juice of the betel nut.
The government retains its tight control over guests. Foreigners are required to register
and their movements are tracked. But practices are changing rapidly as a result of the government's
increasing openness to foreign trade.