U, honorific used in Myanmar. See second part of name (e.g., Thant, U).

Than Shwe, 1933–, Burmese soldier and military dictator of Myanmar. He joined the army in 1953, attended training school, and became a commissioned officer. In 1963 he was named an instructor ...

Alaungpaya, 1711–60, Burmese king, founder of the Konbaung dynasty, which ruled until 1885. His name, also given as Alompra, means the coming Buddha. The son of a village headman, he rallied t...

Ne Win, U, 1911–2002, Burmese soldier and political leader. He abandoned his original name, Shu Maung, in 1941 when he joined a Japanese-supported nationalist military group. Becoming commande...

Thant, U, 1909–74, Burmese diplomat, secretary-general of the United Nations (1962–72). Educated at University College, Yangon, he later held positions in education, the press, and broadcastin...

Bago, formerly Pegu, city (1983 pop. 150,447), capital of Bago div., S Myanmar, on the Bago River. It is a port and railway junction. Founded c.825 by the Mons, it became their capital when Ki...

Ava, village, central Myanmar, on the Ayeyarwady River, 10 mi (16 km) S of Mandalay. Founded in 1364, it was the capital of a dynasty of Burmese kings until 1783 (when it was replaced by Amara...

Nu, U, 1907–95, Burmese political leader, prime minister of Burma (1948–56, 1957–58, 1960–62). A nationalist, he was expelled by the British authorities from the Univ. of Rangoon law school in...

Aung San Suu Kyi, 1945–, Burmese political leader; grad. Oxford Univ. The daughter of assassinated (1947) nationalist general U Aung San, who is regarded as the founder of modern Myanmar, she ...

Toungoo or Taungu, town, S Myanmar, on the Sittoung River. It is a railway junction. From the late 14th cent. it was the center of one of the three chief states of Myanmar; in the late 16th ce...