Syriam

Syriam, town and port, southwestern Myanmar (Burma). It is situated on the Yangon River, a tributary of the Irrawaddy River, opposite Yangon (Rangoon). Formerly part of the Mon kingdom, Syriam subsequently became a port of the Portuguese and French. In 1756 Alaungpaya (1714–60), the Myanmar king, conquered the Mon and their French allies, whom he put into slavery; the town was destroyed in these actions and had little significance until the 20th century, when the British began drilling for oil in the Irrawaddy basin near Chauk and sent the oil to Syriam for refining. Asphalt gathering for the weatherproofing of houses was a traditional petroleum-related activity of Mon workers. Oil production declined during World War II when Japan occupied the country, from 1941 to 1945, and again as Burma declared its independence from Britain in 1948. The Syriam refinery was restored in 1957 and underwent expansion in 1979 with Japanese assistance. In 1979 a pipeline was completed between Syriam and the Mann oil field. Syriam has a tanker terminal, and oil exploration is carried on in the Gulf of Martaban. Paved roads extend from Syriam to Yangon and Pegu. Pop. (1993 est.) 56,654.