The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c15.40

v1.c15.40

The geography of Burma is of a simple design. It consists of four parallel ranges of mountain striking southward, and three long intervening valleys. The easternmost range separates Burma and the drainage to the Indian ocean from Siam and the drainage to the Pacific ocean. This great divide is continued through the Malay peninsula almost to Singapore, only one degree north of the equator. The westernmost range divides Burma from India proper, and then follows the west coast of Burma to Cape Negrais. This range is continued over the bed of the ocean, and reappears in the long chain of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In its entirety it has a graceful waving lie upon the map, curving first to the west, then to the east, and then again to the west. The two intervening ranges separate the Salween, Sittang, and Irrawaddy valleys.