Arakan Range

Arakan Range, mountain chain in western Myanmar (previously called Burma) that divides the country's coastal region on the Bay of Bengal from the interior region known as Upper Myanmar. The Arakan Range runs north to south, and most of its mountains have elevations between 914 m (3,000 ft) and 1,524 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 contains Mount Victoria (3,053m/10,016 ft), the range’s highest point. The Arakan Range 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 the country's most valuable products, grow on the eastern slopes below a height of about 915 m (3,000 ft). Annual rainfall is about 5,100 mm (200 in) along the coast but less than about 1,020 mm (40 in) on the eastern slopes. Wildlife found in the range includes bears, elephants, leopards, and tigers.