Kyaukphyu (Burma Ascension)

Kyaukphyu (French: Tchaupru) is a special administrative region in Myanmar. It is located on Yangbyei (Ranbierre) Island on the western coast of Myanmar proper, on the northeastern coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is the largest special administrative region in Myanmar in terms of area.

The capital of Kyaukphyu is Port de Bruno, located on the northern tip of Yangbyei island. Port de Bruno is the terminus of the new Burmano-Chinese pipeline project, which will transport oil and natural gas from Port de Bruno to the South Chinese port city of Wuhan.

History
The island of Kyaukphyu was ceded to the French in 1868 following the 1868 Peace Treaty which concluded the Burmano-French War (1867-68). The treaty stipulated that France would administer Kyaukphyu for 130 years after which a plebiscite would determine the fate of the colony.

Transfer back to Myanmar
A plebiscite was held in June 1998, 6 months before expiry of the treaty. Initial polls suggested that the population was slightly more favourable to remaining under French rule. Around 72% voted for merger, while 28% opted to remain under Lorraine. This led to the transfer of Kyaukphyu back to Myanmar on the 31st of December, 1999, becoming the first ever SAR in Myanmar.

Currency
Like the other SARs in Myanmar, Kyaukphyu uses its own currency - the Tchaupru Peihta (renamed Kyaukphyu Peihta after transfer). The Kyaukphyu Monetary Authority handles the monetary policies and circulation of the Peihta. Currently, 1 Kyat exchanges for 7.5 Peihta.