# Pathein

> city in Myanmar

**Wikidata**: [Q870103](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q870103)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pathein)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/pathein

## Summary
Pathein is the capital city of the Ayeyarwady Region in Myanmar. According to the 2014 census, it has a population of 287,071 and is situated at coordinates 16.7667°N, 94.7333°E within Pathein Township. The city operates on the UTC+06:30 time zone and sits 8 meters above sea level.

## Key Facts
- Official name: Pathein
- Alternative names: Bassein, バセイン, パセイン, Бассейн (город), Патейн, Пантейн, 바세인
- Country: Myanmar
- Population: 287,071 (2014 census, determined by demographic balance method)
- Coordinates: 16.766666666667°N, 94.733333333333°E
- Time zone: UTC+06:30
- Administrative role: Capital of Ayeyarwady Region; located in Pathein Township; part of Pathein District
- Elevation: 8 meters above sea level
- Instance of: city, town in Myanmar
- Wikipedia title: Pathein
- Wikipedia available in 39 languages, including English (en), Burmese (my), Chinese (zh), and Japanese (ja)
- Documented in historical encyclopedias: Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947), Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (as Bassein)
- Database identifiers: Fast ID 1298238, VIAF ID 136378607, Geonames ID 1328421, Freebase ID /m/04xnmv, OpenStreetMap node ID 26576187, Who's on First ID 1125783163, Yale LUX ID place/043bd0bd-7bda-4bc0-bea7-ad8854741eab, Museum Digital Place ID 25022, Online PWN Encyclopedia ID 3874837, Library of Congress Authority ID no2002078403, National Library of Israel J9U ID 987007475842705171, Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID place/Pathein, Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017) 1864050, GNS Unique Feature ID -410751, SNARC ID Colombian Championship 1959
- Media: Image available at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pathein.JPG; page banner at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Bassein,_late_1800s_(cropped).jpg
- Wikidata description: "city in Myanmar"
- Sitelink count on Wikidata: 43
- Class "city" (of which Pathein is an instance) has a sitelink count of 252
- Commons category: Pathein
- Quora topic: Pathein
- BBC Things ID: ff1c7142-8b68-410f-b6e8-9eed8b79028a
- Google Play store ID: Pathein
- Topic's main category: Category:Pathein

## FAQs
**What are the alternative historical names for Pathein?**  
Pathein is historically known as Bassein in English sources, and has various transliterations including バセイン (Japanese), Патейн (Russian), and 바세인 (Korean). These names appear in older encyclopedias like the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.

**Where is Pathein located and what is its administrative status?**  
Pathein is located in the Ayeyarwady Region of Myanmar at coordinates 16.7667°N, 94.7333°E. It serves as the regional capital and is part of both Pathein Township and Pathein District.

**What is the population of Pathein and when was it last counted?**  
The most recent official population figure is 287,071, recorded in the 2014 Myanmar census using a demographic balance determination method.

**How is Pathein represented in global knowledge databases?**  
Pathein is cataloged in numerous international databases, including Wikidata (sitelink count 43), Geonames (ID 1328421), and the Library of Congress (Authority ID no2002078403). It also has identifiers from VIAF, Freebase, and OpenStreetMap.

**Which major encyclopedias have entries on Pathein?**  
Pathein is documented in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947), Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, and the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica (under the name Bassein).

**How many Wikipedia language editions cover Pathein?**  
Pathein has Wikipedia articles in 39 languages, spanning from Arabic and German to Burmese, Chinese, and Japanese, reflecting its international recognition.

**What is the time zone and elevation of Pathein?**  
Pathein operates on UTC+06:30, which is standard for Myanmar. The city's elevation is 8 meters above sea level, based on Geonames data from 2017.

## Why It Matters
As the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, Pathein is a key administrative and governance center in Myanmar's delta region. Its population of nearly 300,000 makes it one of the significant urban areas in the country, likely serving as a hub for regional commerce, transportation, and services. The city's documentation in major historical encyclopedias (Great Soviet, Brockhaus, Britannica) underscores its long-standing importance, while its presence across 39 Wikipedia editions and dozens of global databases highlights contemporary relevance. The extensive set of identifiers—from VIAF to OpenStreetMap—reflects Pathein's integration into worldwide knowledge infrastructure, making it a reference point for research, logistics, and cultural studies related to Myanmar.

## Notable For
- **Regional Capital**: Sole capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, one of Myanmar's administrative divisions.
- **Population Benchmark**: Official 2014 census figure of 287,071 provides a key demographic reference.
- **Historical Name**: Known as Bassein in older English sources, a legacy of colonial-era nomenclature.
- **Encyclopedic Coverage**: Featured in three major historical reference works: Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Brockhaus and Efron, and 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.
- **Multilingual Presence**: Covered in 39 Wikipedia language editions, including less common languages like Shn (Shan) and Mnw (Mon).
- **Low Elevation**: At 8 meters above sea level, it is characteristic of the low-lying Ayeyarwady Delta.
- **Database Density**: Associated with over 15 distinct global identifiers (Fast ID, VIAF, Geonames, etc.), indicating high data integration.
- **Sitelink Prominence**: As a Wikidata item, it has 43 sitelinks; its class ("city") has 252 sitelinks, showing its representation within a broader category.

## Body

### Administrative Status
Pathein holds a triple administrative role: it is the capital of the Ayeyarwady Region, located within Pathein Township, and part of Pathein District. This hierarchy positions it as a primary urban center in southwestern Myanmar. The city is formally classified as both a "city" and a "town" in Myanmar, belonging to the class "city" which itself has 252 sitelinks across knowledge bases. Its Wikidata description succinctly states it is a "city in Myanmar."

### Demographics
The definitive population figure is 287,071, sourced from Myanmar's 2014 census. The determination method is noted as "demographic balance," indicating a standard statistical approach. The city's elevation is precisely 8 meters above sea level, as recorded by Geonames with a reference date of 2017-07-09. This low elevation is typical for settlements in the Ayeyarwady River delta.

### Geography
Pathein's geographic coordinates are 16.766666666667°N latitude and 94.733333333333°E longitude. These coordinates place it in the delta region of the Ayeyarwady River. The city observes the Myanmar Standard Time zone, which is UTC+06:30—a time zone shared across the country.

### Naming and Aliases
The official name is Pathein. It has numerous alternative names and transliterations across languages: Bassein (historical English), バセイン (Japanese), パセイン (Japanese alternate), Бассейн (город) (Russian, meaning "Bassein (city)"), Патейн (Russian alternate), Пантейн (Russian alternate), and 바세인 (Korean). This variety reflects its historical trade and colonial interactions.

### Historical Documentation
Pathein appears in three major historical encyclopedic sources:
- **Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1926–1947)**: A comprehensive Soviet-era reference work.
- **Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary**: A seminal 19th-century Russian encyclopedia.
- **Encyclopædia Britannica 11th edition (1911)**: Where it is listed under the name "Bassein." These entries confirm the city's recognition in global reference works for over a century.

### Digital and Cultural Presence
Pathein has a substantial digital footprint:
- **Wikipedia**: Articles exist in 39 language editions, including major ones like English, German, French, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Burmese (my). It also appears in regional languages such as Shn (Shan) and Mnw (Mon).
- **Wikimedia Commons**: A dedicated category "Pathein" houses media, with a specific image file (Pathein.JPG) and a historical page banner from the late 1800s.
- **Quora**: Has a dedicated topic page.
- **BBC Things**: Assigned ID ff1c7142-8b68-410f-b6e8-9eed8b79028a.
- **Google Play**: Listed as a place ID "Pathein."
- **Wikidata**: The item has a sitelink count of 43, meaning it is linked to 43 different Wikimedia project pages.

### Database Identifiers and Authority Records
Pathein is meticulously cataloged in global authority files:
- **Fast ID**: 1298238 (from the Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names).
- **VIAF ID**: 136378607 (Virtual International Authority File), linking to Library of Congress and National Library of Israel records.
- **Geonames ID**: 1328421.
- **Freebase ID**: /m/04xnmv (now-defunct but archived).
- **OpenStreetMap node ID**: 26576187, for mapping data.
- **Who's on First ID**: 1125783163 (a geographic database).
- **Yale LUX ID**: place/043bd0bd-7bda-4bc0-bea7-ad8854741eab (for historical place names).
- **Museum Digital Place ID**: 25022.
- **Online PWN Encyclopedia ID**: 3874837 (Polish Wikipedia's source).
- **Library of Congress Authority ID**: no2002078403.
- **National Library of Israel J9U ID**: 987007475842705171.
- **Encyclopædia Britannica Online ID**: place/Pathein.
- **Great Russian Encyclopedia Online ID (2017)**: 1864050 (under the name БАССЕЙН).
- **GNS Unique Feature ID**: -410751 (from the GEOnet Names Server).
- **SNARC ID**: Colombian Championship 1959 (anomalous; likely a data conflation error in the source).

### Media and Visual Resources
Two key visual assets are referenced:
- A contemporary photograph: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Pathein.JPG.
- A historical page banner: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Bassein,_late_1800s_(cropped).jpg, depicting the city in the late 19th century under its colonial name.

### Classification Context
Pathein is an instance of the class "city," which is defined as a "large human settlement." This class itself has a sitelink count of 252 across knowledge bases, indicating the breadth of data associated with the generic concept of a city. Pathein's own sitelink count of 43 reflects its specific documentation.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. GeoNames
4. BBC Things
5. Quora