Bago Region
Strategic region between Yangon and Mandalay with rice production and teak forests amid post-coup resistance.
Bago Region lies between Yangon and Mandalay—a Bamar-majority area whose strategic position makes it central to military control of Myanmar's core. The region's rice production feeds urban populations while its transport routes connect the country's two main cities.
Agriculture dominates the economy. The Bago Yoma mountain range separates the region into two zones with different agricultural patterns. Rice cultivation, teak production, and other farming provide employment. Proximity to Yangon enables market access for agricultural outputs.
Following the 2021 coup, Bago Region saw significant resistance activity despite Bamar majority population. PDF units formed in rural areas; urban protests challenged military rule. The military responded with force, driving opposition into the countryside.
The biological pattern is strategic geography: Bago's position between major cities makes control essential for whoever governs Myanmar, concentrating both military attention and resistance activity.