Maungdaw

Maungdaw is a town in Rakhine State, in the western part of Myanmar (Burma). It is the administrative seat of Maungdaw Township and Maungdaw District. Maungdaw is the westernmost city of Myanmar and borders Bangladesh. Maungdaw is 16 miles away from Buthidaung. The two towns are separated by the May Yu Mountains and are connected by two tunnels built in 1918.HistoryIn 2016, following border attacks by Rohingya insurgents, reports emerged of Burmese soldiers conducting "mass arrests, torture, the burning of villages, killings of civilians and the systematic rape of Rohingya women." Approximately 820 villages in five towns were destroyed in the violence.DemographicsIn 2008, the population was nearly 400,000 people. The majority of the populace, about 80%, are Rohingya people, who are considered by Myanmar government as stateless Bengali people. The Burmese government does not accept Rohingya on its list of ethnic groups of Myanmar, and thus does not recognize their claim on Burmese citizenship. The remainder of the populace consists of a wide range of ethnic groups, including Rakhine, Bamar, Daingnet, and Mro.EducationAs of 2011, there are eight high schools, 10 middle schools, 16 post-primary schools and 125 primary schools.