Lashio

Lashio is the largest town in northern Shan State, Myanmar, about 200 kilometres north-east of Mandalay. It is situated on a low mountain spur overlooking the valley of the Yaw River. Loi Leng, the highest mountain of the Shan Hills, is located 45 km to the south-east of Lashio.Lashio is the administrative center of Lashio Township and Lashio District; before April 2010, it was also the administrative center of Shan State. The population grew from approximately 5000 in 1960 to 88,590 in 1983. It was estimated at approximately 131,000 in 2009.The population is made up of mostly Shan, Chinese and Burmans.