Mogok


Mogok is a city in the Pyin Oo Lwin District of Mandalay Region of Myanmar, located north of Mandalay and north-east of Shwebo.

History

Mogok is believed to have been founded in 1217 by three lost hunters who discovered rubies at the base of a collapsed mountain. According to the tale, the hunters returned to their home in Momeik and offered the precios stones to the local saopha who established a village in what would become modern-day Mogok.
In 2018, the Mogok commemorated the 800th anniversary of the city's founding.

Geography

At in elevation, the city has a fairly temperate climate year-round, and is home to Bamar, Shan, Lisu, Palaung, and Karen ethnic groups, as well as Chinese, Indians and Gurkhas.
The city is composed of two towns, Mogok and Kyat Pyin. Mogok is four miles long and two miles wide. It is situated in a valley surrounded by a large number of mountains. Kyatpyin lies about southwest of Mogok. Tourists that travel to this area need a special authorization and a guide person.

Economy

Mogok and other villages nearby have been famous since ancient times for its gemstones, especially ruby and sapphire, but semi-precious stones such as spinel, lapis lazuli, garnet, moonstone, peridot and chrysoberyl are also found. The gems are found in alluvial marble gravels by means of panning, tunneling and digging pits by hand. There is little mechanization of the mining. The gravels derive from the metamorphosed limestones of the Mogok metamorphic belt.
Gems are sold in markets in Mogok; however, foreigners require special permits to visit the town, and purchase/export of gems from Myanmar at non-government licensed dealers is illegal.
90% of a certain version of the world's rubies come from Myanmar. There are many other ruby sources in the world such as Sri Lanka and various places in Africa. Only in terms of quality Mogok rubies are best. The red stones from there are prized for their purity and hue. Thailand buys the majority of Myanmar's gems. The "Valley of Rubies", the mountainous Mogok area, north of Mandalay, is noted as the original source of ruby including the world's finest "pigeon's blood" rubies as well as the world's most beautiful sapphires in "royal" blue.

Health care