Lemyethna Township

During the conquest of Hanthawaddy by King Alaungpaya, the Konbaung troops discovered a stupa with four gates pointing in the cardinal directions originally constructed by Binnya Dala. The Burmese named it Lemyethna (literally, Four Faces) Pagoda. On 15 September 1993, due to the increased usage of Ngawun River for transportation, the village around this area grew in size before becoming officially designated as a town in 1998 by the Ministry of Home Affairs. ==Geography==

Lemyethna Township lies on the Irrawaddy Delta and is centred around the Ngawun River, which runs north–south through the township. 21 of the town's village tracts lie to the east of the township, which is densely populated flat lowlands, and the remaining 22 village tracts lie in the hilly foothills of the Arakan Mountains to the west of the Ngawun. The streams within the township are entirely freshwater, allowing for ample drinking, transportation and irrigation uses. The township has a hot and rainy climate with an average rainfall of over an average of 80.6 rainy days a year. The lowest temperate and highest temperatures per year over the 2018-2023 period were 10.5 °C and 39.2 °C respectively. The Lemyethna Forest Reserve covers 44% of the township with of protected state-owned forest covering the township's western half. of this area is reserved for hardwood forests, cultivating economically important teak and Pyinkado trees. The township has additional forested areas, mostly west of the Ngawun, containing various trees including padauk and bamboo forests. These preserved forests are home to various fauna like wild hogs, gaur, deer and monkeys. ==Demographics==

The township is overwhelmingly rural with, in 2023, only 2.9% of the population living in the singular town of Lemyethna. In 2023, the township experienced depopulation, losing a little over two thousand people between 2022 and 2023. The majority religion is Buddhism with 98.0% of the population adhering to it and the majority ethnic group are Bamar people. ==Economy==

The township is seeing a lack of economic growth when compared to others in Ayeyarwady Region. The primary industry of the township is agriculture with rice being the overwhelming crop transported out through the township's waterways and roadways to larger markets like Hinthada, Pathein and Yangon. Other notable agricultural produce of the town include rubber and mangoes as well as a variety of vegetable farming, shrimp farming, and cattle and poultry raising primarily for local consumption. The township is home to significant copper deposits. The township has 11 industrial granaries and 43 combine harvesters. There is also a significant forestry industry, with teak logging managed by the government. The township has a total of 2,765 acres of non-teak private-managed forests. ==See also==