The Central Basin is arbitrarily defined as the basin of the Ayeyawady beginning at Shwebo. (Shwebo is not on the river though Kyaukmyaung, 30 km (18 mi) away is). The basin ends at Myanaung the apex of the Delta about 80 km (50 mi) below Pyay. This is the heartland of Myanmar, loaded with history, replete with religious edifices, ambient with Myanmar's spiritual and cultural life, rich with productive activities, criss-crossed with a network of infrastructural facilities, a plethora of breath-taking scenery, and through it all flows the magnificent Ayeyawady.

The Ayeyawady which has passed through the third defile suddenly swings round a right-angled bend to the west in the Shwebo area The river broadens out into the Mandalay alluvial plain and once again swings to the west, below Sagaing opposite Mandalay. The river flows through the dry belt of Myanmar, an area which is in the rain shadow of the western Yoma. It wanders irregularly in this zone, bordered by alluvial plains or now and then by precipitous cliffs as at Lanywa and Yenangyaung where the cliffs rise 27-30 m. (90'- 100') above high-water level

As it courses through the dry zone, delivering precious water to the fields, it swings again to the west to receive the main tributary, the Chindwin, which has risen in the north western hills. At Bagan it swings around Myanmar9s famous volcano Mt. Popa. Here the fall is slight, about 10 cm (4") per mile and the current slow. It is still 750 km (470 mi) from Yangon.

Below Thayetmyo, the crest of the Rakhing Yoma approaches within 80-90 km (50-60 mi) of the crest of the Bago Yoma and the spurs from the two ranges are thrown towards the centre of the valley.

The Ayeyawady receives water from the Shweli flowing in from the Shan highlands, the Meza on the right bank, the Myitnge on the left, the Mu on the right. The Chindwin is navigable as far as Hamlin, 640 km (400 mi) upriver from the confluence.

In the central belts several chaungs join the river from the right as well as the left The central zone is also the area of the greater number of dams and reservoirs for irrigation. Water is also pumped from the river for irrigation. In some areas, ground water is tapped. A special department has been set up for the greening of the dry areas.

The Central Basin also includes the Sittaung River which flows east of the Bago Yoma and enters the Gulf of Muttama. Sittaung's tributaries are short, swift streams quickly filling up with flash floods.

The dry zone of the Central Basin receives little rain Myingyan receives 75-100 cm (29"-39"). Rainfall increases outward in all directions from the dry zone. The Sittaung valley receives over 250cm (97.5") Bago has about 132 days of rain a yew; Pyay about 88 days.

Elephant, tiger, wild boar, deer, monkey, gibbon, gaur are found in the jungles. The Ayeyawady dolphin draws the interest of scientists.

Fossils of the 40-million year old Pondaungia Coterie, Amphipethacus Mogaungenisis and Amhipeticus Bahinensis have been found together with fossils of rhinos, alligators, turtles and fish in the Pondaung-Ponnya area in the north-west of the Central Basin. Millions of years ago the foothills of the Pondaung-Ponnya range were sea-shore, the Bago Yoma an archipelago. The areas between the Bago Yoma and Shan highlands was the Eastern Gulf of Myanmar and the sea between Bago Yoma and Western Yoma was the Western Gulf of Myanmar The embryonic Ayeyawady was in the Kachin highlands.

The hills alt clad with teak and popular hardwoods: the fields are under three crops of paddy, cotton, oilseeds, pulses, tobacco, sugar cane and bamboo. The ground yields oil and natural gas, man makes industrial products and handicrafts.

There is an elaborate network of roads and railways which are daily being built, extended or upgraded.

The Ayeyawady used to be spanned by one bridge at Inwa-Sagaing, destroyed by retreating British forces and rebuilt by the Myanmar Government Now the State Peace and Development Council has opened two bridges at Pyay and Maubin to traffic and three others are under construction at Waingmaw (Myitkyina), Chauk in central Myanmar and Nyaungdon in the Delta. Bago Yoma Circle Line has been completed. Rail and road has been extended to Bagan, the unique cultural site of the 11th and 12th centuries. Airports have been extended and new international airports are being constructed for Yangon and Mandalay. The number of boats plying the Ayeyawady, Chindwin and Thanlwin has been augmented.

New religious edifices have been erected, old palaces and monasteries reconstructed or renovated to their historical splendour.

The majority of the population is Bama. There arc Kadu, Kanan, Shan, Naga in the northern areas and Kayin and Mon scattered.