Homalin

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title: "Homalin" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["populated-places-in-sagaing-region", "homalin-township", "township-capitals-of-myanmar"] topic_path: "general/populated-places-in-sagaing-region" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homalin" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]

Field	Value
name	Homalin
native_name	ဟုမ္မလင်း ()
other_name	Hommalinn, Hônmalin, Honmalin
settlement_type	Town
image_skyline	Homalin aerial.jpg
imagesize	300px
image_caption	Satellite view. The long strip is Homalin Airport. The meandering Uyu river can be seen joining the Chindwin river south of the town.
pushpin_map	Burma
pushpin_label_position	right
pushpin_map_caption	Location in Myanmar
subdivision_type	Country
subdivision_name	Myanmar
subdivision_type1	Region
subdivision_name1	Sagaing Region
subdivision_type2	District
subdivision_name2	Homalin District
subdivision_type3	Township
subdivision_name3	Homalin Township
unit_pref	Imperial
area_total_sq_mi	4.69
population_as_of	2023
population_footnotes
population_total	15265
population_density_km2	auto
timezone	MMT
utc_offset	+6.30
coordinates
::

Homalin or Hommalinn ( ; ) is a small town in north-western Myanmar and capital of the Homalin Township and Homalin District of the Sagaing Region. The town lies on the Chindwin River and is served by Homalin Airport.

The Tamanthi Wildlife Reserve extends into the Homalin Township. Gold has been found in the river sand of Uyu River and extraction has been undertaken jointly with the Russians.

Etymology

Homalin is derived from the Shan name Hongmalang (), meaning "jack-banyan", a variety of the banyan tree.

History

The 1908 Imperial Gazetteer of India recorded that the steamers of the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company plied weekly between Pakokku and Homalin. Government of Myanmar also plied its launches on this route. During World War II, Homalin on the bank of the Chindwin River, was occupied by the Japanese in late May/early June 1944. Following this, after the Japanese were defeated, the town was combed thoroughly to remove any Japanese soldiers and this was followed by further preparations to counter any Japanese gunboat attacks from the river side.

On August 6, 1988, an earthquake with an epicentre near Homalin killed 3 people, damaging infrastructure.

Myanmar had the distinction of accounting for 60% of world's heroin supply, in 1997, with the production of about 2500 tonnes of opium. Particularly in North Burma, the Army has been maintaining the drug refineries.The 22nd Infantry Battalion (IB) has a refinery at Homolin, apart from other places in the region, which establishes “The Regime's Complicity in the global drug trade.”

Geography

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/R_Chindwin.JPG" caption="The Chindwin River"] ::

Homalin, a small town, lies close to the Indian border, at the head end of a bend in the Chindwin River, after an island. It has the backdrop of large forested mountains, which rise to a height of 9000 ft. Some amount of cultivation is also seen on the lower slopes of the hills. Geographical area of the Homalin Township is 2768927 acre including arable land of 18039 acre and forest land of 706317 acre. The average elevation of the town is 101 m.

The Uyu River, a major tributary of the Chindwin River flows close to Homalin. The sand in this river carries gold particles and also, some times, small nuggets. Local villagers pan this river sand to extract gold dust with the hope of finding small nuggets.

Climate

Homalin has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), closely bordering on a humid subtropical climate (Cwa) and a tropical monsoon climate (Am). Temperatures are very warm throughout the year, although the winter months (December–February) are milder. There is a winter dry season (November–April) and a summer wet season (May–October).

|location = Homalin (1991–2020) |metric first = Y |single line = Y | Jan record high C = 30.5 | Feb record high C = 34.5 | Mar record high C = 39.7 | Apr record high C = 40.0 | May record high C = 43.0 | Jun record high C = 41.4 | Jul record high C = 35.7 | Aug record high C = 36.0 | Sep record high C = 37.0 | Oct record high C = 37.7 | Nov record high C = 33.5 | Dec record high C = 29.5 |year record high C = 41.4 | Jan record low C = 5.0 | Feb record low C = 5.7 | Mar record low C = 7.4 | Apr record low C = 15.0 | May record low C = 17.5 | Jun record low C = 20.0 | Jul record low C = 19.5 | Aug record low C = 19.5 | Sep record low C = 18.0 | Oct record low C = 14.0 | Nov record low C = 10.0 | Dec record low C = 4.2 |year record low C = 4.0 |Jan high C = 25.8 |Feb high C = 28.5 |Mar high C = 31.7 |Apr high C = 33.6 |May high C = 33.4 |Jun high C = 31.7 |Jul high C = 30.4 |Aug high C = 30.9 |Sep high C = 31.4 |Oct high C = 31.1 |Nov high C = 29.1 |Dec high C = 26.0 | year high C = 30.3 |Jan mean C = 18.4 |Feb mean C = 20.8 |Mar mean C = 24.1 |Apr mean C = 26.7 |May mean C = 28.0 |Jun mean C = 27.9 |Jul mean C = 27.3 |Aug mean C = 27.4 |Sep mean C = 27.3 |Oct mean C = 26.2 |Nov mean C = 22.9 |Dec mean C = 19.1 | year mean C = 24.7 |Jan low C = 11.1 |Feb low C = 13.2 |Mar low C = 16.4 |Apr low C = 19.9 |May low C = 22.7 |Jun low C = 24.2 |Jul low C = 24.2 |Aug low C = 24.0 |Sep low C = 23.3 |Oct low C = 21.4 |Nov low C = 16.7 |Dec low C = 12.3 | year low C = 19.1 |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 6.7 |Feb precipitation mm = 13.0 |Mar precipitation mm = 22.9 |Apr precipitation mm = 42.3 |May precipitation mm = 201.3 |Jun precipitation mm = 420.4 |Jul precipitation mm = 519.6 |Aug precipitation mm = 426.3 |Sep precipitation mm = 354.3 |Oct precipitation mm = 196.7 |Nov precipitation mm = 29.8 |Dec precipitation mm = 8.3 | year precipitation mm = 2241.6 | unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm |Jan precipitation days = 1.0 |Feb precipitation days = 2.0 |Mar precipitation days = 3.5 |Apr precipitation days = 6.1 |May precipitation days = 11.5 |Jun precipitation days = 19.5 |Jul precipitation days = 21.3 |Aug precipitation days = 20.1 |Sep precipitation days = 15.8 |Oct precipitation days = 9.9 |Nov precipitation days = 2.6 |Dec precipitation days = 1.1 |year precipitation days = 114.4 |source 1 = World Meteorological Organization{{cite web | url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/1.1/data/0-data/Region-2-WMO-Normals-9120/Myanmar/CSV/Homalin_48010.csv | title = World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991–2020 | publisher = World Meteorological Organization | access-date = 16 October 2023}} | source 2 = Norwegian Meteorological Institute (extremes)

Demographics

The town has a population of roughly 1500 people. The TaiLeng (Shanni), Naga and Kuki ethnic group reside in Homalin, Naga Traditional New Year is celebrated by the nagas and the Kuki celebrate Chavang Kut every year.

Transportation system

The main artery road in the region is the Thabeikkyin-Phaungbyin-Homalin-Hkamti Road, which is 330 mi long. This is being extended and bridges are being built by a Road Construction Special Group-10 to make it an all weather road. A suspension bridge, 1000 ft long and 16 ft wide, was constructed recently across the Uyu River linking Homalin with the Thetkekyin-Phaungpyin-Homalin-Khamti Road.

Country boats, locally known as landwins, also ply in the waters of the Chindwin River to Homalin. Both Irrawaddy and its major tributary the Chindwin River have Inland Water Transport facilities, which are being improved further.

The Homalin Airport (HOX) in the centre of the Homalin town has flights operating to Yangon and Mandalay and is on the popular tourist circuit. It is located at an elevation of 498 ft and has a runway of 3002 ft length.{{Cite web |url=http://www.world-airport-codes.com/myanmar/homalin-2976.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060522093756/http://www.world-airport-codes.com/myanmar/homalin-2976.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-05-22 |title=Homalin (HOX) Myanmar |access-date=2010-09-28 |publisher=World-airport -codes.com

Economy

The climatic conditions in Homalin have been found suitable to grow rubber plantations. The conditions have been well exploited by establishing viable rubber cultivation practices by introducing high-yield strains like the PRIM 600, PB-260, BPM-24, GT-1 and PBIG. This has resulted in expansion of rubber plantation areas in the township, which has created ample employment opportunities to the local people and thus improved their economic conditions and living standards. Pineapple plants are also intercropped within the rubber plantations to make the economic yield from the land even more viable. Since rubber has a worldwide demand, local people have been urged to expand area under cultivate rubber cultivation as also as tea as a commercial venture.

A TV retransmission station has been set up in Homalin, as part of establishing such stations at 41 townships of the Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway Divisions.

;Mineral extraction The exploration of gold from the Uyu River in Homalin got a boost when the Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration Department of Myanmar and the Victorious Glory International of Russia signed a deal for exploration of "gold and associated minerals".

Hydropower development

As a part of the overall economic development of the Chindwin region in its upper reaches, several hydropower projects have been planned on the Chindwin River, which includes the Homalin Hydropower Project with a capacity of 150 MW. This project also envisages benefits of irrigation.

The Tamanthi Dam which is component part of the Tamanthi Hydroelectric Project (installed capacity 1200 MW) on the Chindwin River, which was under planning and investigations since 2004, is to be implemented with assistance from the Government of India, following a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on September 16, 2008 between the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) of India and the Government of Burma, as a joint venture project. The submergence under this project which is now under implementation, has serious issues of displacements of 380 families from Leivomjang and Tazong villages that would come under submergence between Tamanthi and Homalin in Sagaing Division.

References

General Administration Department. (March 2023). "Homalin Myone Daethasaingyarachatlatmya".
Brown G. E. R. Grant. (1913). "Burma Gazetteer Upper Chindwin District Vol-a".
(1908). "Imperial gazetteer of India: provincial series, Volume 11". Superintendent of Government Printing.
Sir[[William Stevenson Meyer]]. (1908). "Volume 10 of Imperial Gazetteer of India". [[Clarendon Press]].
Bisheshwar Prasad. (1958). "The reconquest of Burma, June 1942 – August 1945". Official history of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War, 1939–1945.
Commager, Henry Steele. (2004). "The Story of the Second World War". Brassey's.
(1989). "Records of the Geological Survey of India, Volume 122, Parts 2–4". Geological Survey of India.
(August 1999). "Burma's Drug Situation". Canadian Friends of Burma.
Anon. (2006). "The Silken East". READ BOOKS.
"Homalin Burma Page". Falling rain.
Braund, Harold Ernest.W. (1981). "Tales of Burma". J. Paton.
"Myanmar Climate Report". Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
"Information Sheet Collections since 1996". Myanmar Information Committee, Yangon.
"U-ru Bridge inaugurated in Homalin Township, Sagaing Division". Myanmar times.
(January 2020). "White gold plantations of Chindwin region". Mirror Daily }}{{Dead link.
"Facts about Myanmar". Government of Myanmar.
(2008-02-17). "Russian company gains right to explore for minerals in Myanmar". New York Times.
(2004-04-04 }}{{Dead link). "Hydroelectric power projects on the golden rivers". The New Light of Myanmar.
"Tamanthi Dam". Burma Rivers network.

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