History of Yangon Timeline

(c. 6th century – Present)

Yangon, formerly known as Rangoon, is Myanmar's largest city and its former capital. Founded around the ancient town of Dagon near the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda, the city was transformed by the British into a major colonial port after their conquest of Burma in 1852. Renamed Yangon in 1989, it remains the country's economic and cultural hub despite losing capital status to Naypyidaw in 2005. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Founding and Early History

Dagon becomes a pilgrimage pagoda town

1300

Dagon became an important pilgrimage pagoda town starting in the 14th century, during the Hanthawaddy kingdom, drawing devotees to the Shwedagon Pagoda from across the region.

Image source: Yangon

Princess Maha Dewi rules Dagon

1364 - 1392

Notable governors of Dagon included Princess Maha Dewi, who ruled the town from 1364 to 1392. Her grandniece Shin Saw Pu later became the only female queen regnant in Burmese history.

Queen Shin Saw Pu builds palace at Shwedagon Pagoda

1460 - 1471

Queen Saw Pu built a palace next to the Shwedagon Pagoda in the town in 1460 and spent her semi-retired life at that palace until she died in 1471.

King Alaungpaya renames Dagon as Yangon

1755

In 1755, King Alaungpaya, founder of the Konbaung dynasty, captured Dagon, added settlements around it, and called the enlarged town 'Yangon', meaning 'End of Strife'.

Colonial Era

Population of Yangon estimated at 30,000

1823

The estimated population of Yangon in 1823 was about 30,000, making it a modest but growing trading settlement before the British conquests.

British capture Yangon in First Anglo-Burmese War

1824 - 1826

The British captured Yangon during the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–26), but returned the city to Burmese rule after the war ended.

Image source: First Anglo-Burmese War

Fire destroys Yangon

1841

The city was destroyed by a fire in 1841, requiring extensive rebuilding before the coming colonial transformation of the following decade.

British capture Yangon in Second Anglo-Burmese War

1852

The British captured Yangon and all of Lower Burma in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852, and subsequently transformed Yangon into the commercial and political hub of British Burma.

Image source: Second Anglo-Burmese War

Bahadur Shah II exiled to Yangon

1857

After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British sent Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor, to Yangon to live in exile, where he died years later.

Image source: Bahadur Shah Zafar

Yangon becomes capital of all British Burma

1885

Yangon became the capital of all British-ruled Burma after the British captured Upper Burma in the Third Anglo-Burmese War of 1885.

Image source: Third Anglo-Burmese War

Yangon rivals London in public services

1900

By the early 20th century, Yangon had public services and infrastructure on par with London, reflecting its status as the commercial heart of British Burma.

Nationwide strikes against British rule begin in Yangon

1920

Three nationwide strikes against British rule in 1920, 1936, and 1938 all began in Yangon, demonstrating the city's role as the centre of nationalist activism.

Japanese occupation of Yangon

1942 - 1945

Yangon was under Japanese occupation (1942–45) during World War II, and incurred heavy damage from fighting between Japanese forces and the Allies.

Image source: Japanese occupation of Burma

Allies retake Yangon

May 1945

The city was retaken by the Allies in May 1945, ending the Japanese occupation and paving the way for Burma's eventual independence.

Image source: Battle of Meiktila and Mandalay

Society

First-class cricket played in Yangon

Jan 1927

First-class cricket was played in the city in January 1927 when the touring Marylebone Cricket Club played Burma and the Rangoon Gymkhana.

Yangon hosts the South East Asian Games

1961

Yangon hosted the 1961 South East Asian Games, showcasing the newly independent nation's capital, and hosted the games again in 1969.

Image source: SEA Games

2014 census records 5.16 million residents

2014

According to the 2014 census, Yangon had a population of 5.16 million, confirming its status as Myanmar's largest city and economic hub.

Image source: Yangon

2014 census records 5.16 million residents

Independence and Military Rule

Colonial street names changed after independence

1948

Soon after Burma's independence in 1948, many colonial-era names of streets and parks were changed to more nationalistic Burmese names.

Yangon becomes capital of independent Union of Burma

Jan 4, 1948

Yangon became the capital of the Union of Burma on 4 January 1948 when the country gained independence from British rule.

Infrastructure deteriorates under Ne Win's rule

1962 - 1988

During Ne Win's isolationist rule (1962–88), Yangon's infrastructure deteriorated through poor maintenance and did not keep up with its growing population.

Image source: Ne Win

Anti-government protests centre on Yangon

1974

Yangon was the centre of major anti-government protests in 1974, 1988 and 2007, with streets seeing bloodshed each time as protesters were gunned down by the government.

8888 Uprising sweeps Yangon

Aug 1988

The 8888 Uprising resulted in the deaths of hundreds, if not thousands, of Burmese civilians, many of them in Yangon, where hundreds of thousands of people flooded into the streets of the former capital city.

Image source: 8888 Uprising

Junta changes English name to Yangon

1989

In 1989, the military junta changed the city's English name from Rangoon to 'Yangon', along with many other changes in English transliteration of Burmese names.

Urban Development

Satellite towns built amid population boom

1950 - 1999

The city's population grew sharply after 1948 as many people moved into the newly built satellite towns of North Okkalapa, South Okkalapa, and Thaketa in the 1950s and East Dagon, North Dagon and South Dagon in the 1990s.

Yangon City Heritage List created

1996

In 1996, the Yangon City Development Committee created a Yangon City Heritage List of old buildings and structures that cannot be modified or torn down without approval, protecting about 200 notable colonial-period buildings.

Image source: Yangon City Heritage List

50-year demolition moratorium imposed

2012

In 2012, the city of Yangon imposed a 50-year moratorium on demolition of buildings older than 50 years, further protecting its rich architectural heritage.

Infrastructure

Motorcycle ban imposed in Yangon

2003

Within Yangon city limits, it has been illegal to drive motorcycles since 2003, a regulation unique among major Asian cities of its size.

Image source: Yangon International Airport

Car horn ban introduced in downtown townships

May 2003

In May 2003, a ban on using car horns was implemented in six townships of Downtown Yangon to reduce noise pollution; in April 2004 it was expanded to cover the entire city.

Japan finances Yangon circular railway upgrades

2017

In 2017 the government of Japan provided more than US$200 million in finance to assist with developing and maintaining the Yangon circular railway line, purchasing new carriages and upgrading signalling.

Image source: Yangon Circular Railway

Yangon Bus Service launched

Jan 16, 2017

On 16 January 2017, as part of public transport reforms, the city bus network system Yangon Bus Service (YBS) was created by the Yangon Region Transport Authority, consolidating hundreds of private bus lines.

Image source: Yangon Bus Service

New Yangon Water Bus launched

Oct 2017

In October 2017, a New Yangon Water Bus was launched, providing ferry services along the Yangon River as an alternative commuting option for residents.

YRTA reorganised as Yangon Region Transport Committee

May 20, 2021

On 20 May 2021, the Yangon Region Transport Authority (YRTA) was reorganised as the Yangon Region Transport Committee (YRTC) to oversee public transport reforms.

Modern Era

Coordinated bombings hit Yangon

May 7, 2005

On 7 May 2005, a series of coordinated bombings occurred in the city of Yangon, killing and wounding dozens in one of the deadliest attacks in recent Myanmar history.

Image source: May 2005 Yangon bombings

Government relocates capital to Naypyidaw

Nov 2005

In November 2005, the military government designated Naypyidaw, 320 kilometres north of Yangon, as the new administrative capital, moving much of the government to the newly developed city.

Image source: Naypyidaw

Saffron Revolution protests erupt

Sep 2007

The Saffron Revolution of September 2007 saw monks and civilians protest in Yangon's streets; the crackdown drew international condemnation and sharply reduced foreign visitors to the city.

Image source: Saffron Revolution

Cyclone Nargis devastates Yangon

May 2008

In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis made landfall as a Category 4 cyclone, hitting Yangon and becoming the worst cyclone on record in the country with catastrophic damage and loss of life.

Image source: Cyclone Nargis

Plastic bags banned in Yangon

Dec 1, 2009

Since 1 December 2009, high-density polyethylene plastic bags have been banned by city authorities in an effort to reduce waste and flooding.

COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 coup disrupt life

2020

In the 2020s, life in Yangon was greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2021 coup d'état, which triggered mass protests met with deadly force.

Image source: 2021 Myanmar coup d'état

Yangon Region districts reorganised

2022

In 2022, the districts of Yangon Region were reorganised, giving Yangon city nine newly formed districts, as well as parts of the newly formed Twante District.

Image source: Yangon Region

Key Facts

The area was originally known as Dagon, a small settlement centered on the Shwedagon Pagoda, one of Buddhism's most sacred sites.
King Alaungpaya captured the village in 1755 and renamed it Yangon, meaning 'End of Strife.'
The British annexed it in 1852 during the Second Anglo-Burmese War and rebuilt it as Rangoon, the colonial capital with a grid street plan designed by Alexander Fraser.
Rangoon served as Burma's capital through independence in 1948 until the military government moved the capital to Naypyidaw in 2005.
The city's name was officially changed from Rangoon to Yangon in 1989 by the ruling military junta.

Source

This History of Yangon timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

Want a timeline like this one?

Generate yours with AI or build it from scratch, for free.

Try It for Free