Arakan Yoma

Arakan Yoma, mountain chain in western Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) that divides the country's coastal region on the Bay of Bengal from the interior region known as Upper Myanmar. Arakan Yoma runs north to south, and most of its mountains have elevations between 915 m (3,000 ft) and 1,525 m (5,000 ft). The northern extension of the chain is commonly known as the Chin Hills and forms part of the border between Myanmar and India. The Chin Hills contain Mount Victoria (3,053 m/10,016 ft), Arakan Yoma's highest point. Arakan Yoma has a core of old crystalline rocks surrounded by sedimentary rocks. Broadleaf, evergreen, and bamboo forests cover the coastal slopes. Forests of teak, one of Myanmar's most valuable products, grow on the eastern slopes below a height of 915 m (3,000 ft). Annual rainfall is 5,100 mm (200 in) along the coast but less than 1,020 mm (40 in) on the eastern slopes. Wildlife found in Arakan Yoma includes bears, elephants, leopards, and tigers.