Capital of Burma, Rangoon (96.17E 16.77N) was the port through which all Lend-Lease supplies were shipped to China. It was also a major oil port, with a refinery and storage tanks for oil produced in the Irrawady Valley. The Irrawady Delta was ideal for rice production, and Burma was the third largest exporter of rice in the world prior to the Pacific War.
When war broke out, Rangood was protected by a battalion each of British regulars and Burmese native troops. The city came under air attack starting on 23 December 1941. It was evacuated by the British and occupied by the Japanese 33rd Division on 7 March 1942.
Following its conquest, Japan imported up to 560,000 tons of rice per year from Rangoon before the submarine blockade cut off shipments.
Climate Information:
Elevation 18'
Temperatures: Jan 89/65, Apr 97/76, Jul 85/76, Oct 88/76, record 106/68
Rainfall: Jan 0.3/0.1, Apr 2/2.0, Jul 26/22.9, Oct 10/7.1 == 103.0" per annum
References
The Pacific War Online Encyclopedia (c) 2007 by Kent G. Budge. Index