Prome

Prome, the chief town of the district, is situated on the left bank of the Irrawaddy, 161 m. N. of Rangoon, population (1901), 27,375.

To the south and south-east the town is closed in by low pagoda-topped hills, on one of which stands the conspicuous gilded Shwe Tsan-daw. The town was taken by the British in 1825 and again in 1852, on both occasions with hardly any opposition. In 1862 it was almost entirely destroyed by fire, and was afterwards relaid out in straight and broad streets. It was erected into a municipality in 1874, and since then great improvements have been made, including waterworks. Its principal manufactures are silk cloths and lacquer ware. It is the terminus of a railway from Rangoon, which runs through the district. The other chief towns in the district are Shwedaung (pop. 10,787) and Paungde (pop. 11,105).