Mandalay is located on the Irrawaddy River in the inland of north-central Myanmar. It is the capital of mandalay province, the second largest city in Myanmar, and the last dynasty in Myanmar, namely the Kampong Dynasty. It is named after its back on Mount Mandalay. The Pali name of Mandalay is "Rotona Rabbit Inserted into the Capital", which means "City of Treasure". It was named after Myanmar monarch Mindong 1857. Because Awa, a famous ancient capital in Myanmar's history, is in its suburbs, overseas Chinese living in Myanmar call it Wacheng. Mandalay is the main settlement of China people in Myanmar, also known as Hua Cheng.

Mandalay is listed as a United Nations World Cultural Heritage, and there are many historical sites to see. The Irrawaddy River flows from the west of the city, and the city streets are horizontal and vertical, with numbers as street names. There is also a movie of the same name.