Myanmar
Country Guide

Explore Myanmar

Myanmar with its capital Nay Pyi Taw is located in Asia (Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal). It covers some 676,579 square kilometers (slightly smaller than Texas) with a population of 55,123,800. Burmese is the official language spoken by people in Myanmar. Bangladesh, China, India, Laos and Thailand are bordering countries.

Myanmar or Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar is considered to have 3 seasons. The hot season is usually from March-April, and temperatures would then cool off during the rainy season from May-October. The peak tourism season is the cool season from November-February. Temperatures can climb as high as 36°C in Yangon in the hot season while in the cool season, noontime temperatures are usually a more bearable 32°C, with night temperatures falling to around 19°C.

Popular Destinations in Myanmar

Administrative regions of Myanmar

• Ayeyawady Region
• Bago Region
• Chin State
• Kachin State
• Kayah State
• Kayin State
• Magway Region
• Mandalay Region
• Mon State
• Nay Pyi Taw
• Rakhine State
• Sagaing Region
• Shan State
• Taninthayi Region
• Yangon Region

About the country

The topography is central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands. The average density of population is about 81 per km². The climate in Myanmar can be described as tropical monsooncloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September), less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April). Potential natural disasters are destructive earthquakes and cyclones, flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September) and periodic droughts.

To reach someone Myanmar dial +95 prior to a number. The local cellular networks are operated on 900 MHz, 3G, 4G. Websites typically end with the top level domain ".mm". If you want to bring electric appliances (e.g. battery chaarger), keep in min the local 230 V - 50 Hz (plugs: A, C, D, G, I). The sign for the locally used currency Kyat is MMK.

Design consists of three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a large white five-pointed star that partially overlaps onto the adjacent colored stripes; the design revives the triband colors used by Burma from 1943-45, during the Japanese occupation.

Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing an unknown number of people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. In early May 2008, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. Legislative elections held in November 2010, which the NLD boycotted and were considered flawed by many in the international community, saw the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the contested seats. The national legislature convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN were former or current military officers, the government initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms included releasing hundreds of political prisoners, signing a nationwide cease-fire with several of the country's ethnic armed groups, pursuing legal reform, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, AUNG SAN SUU KYI was elected to the national legislature in April 2012 and became chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Burma served as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014. In a flawed but largely credible national legislative election in November 2015 featuring more than 90 political parties, the NLD again won a landslide victory. Using its overwhelming majority in both houses of parliament, the NLD elected HTIN KYAW, AUNG SAN SUU KYI’s confidant and long-time NLD supporter, as president. Burma's first credibly elected civilian government after more than five decades of military dictatorship was sworn into office on 30 March 2016.

Geography

Area
Total (World Rank: 41)	676,578	sq km
Land (World Rank: 40)	653,508	sq km
Water (World Rank: 25)	23,070	sq km
Forest (World Rank: 195)	0.50	%
Comparative	slightly smaller than Texas
Coastline
1930
Landborder
6522
Elevation
Highest point (World Rank: 18)	5,870	m
Agricultural land
Total (World Rank: 165)	19.20	%
Arable (World Rank: 72)	16.50	%
Permanent crops (World Rank: 86)	2.20	%
Permanent pastures (World Rank: 195)	0.50	%
Irrigated land (World Rank: 26)	22,950	sq km
Map reference
Southeast Asia
Environment
Issues	- and water - deforestation - inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease - industrial pollution of air - soil
Agreement party	- Biodiversity - Climate Change - Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol - Desertification - Endangered Species - Law of the Sea - Ozone Layer Protection - Ship Pollution - Tropical Timber 83 - Tropical Timber 94
Hazzards	- destructive earthquakes and cyclones - flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September) - periodic droughts
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Climate
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

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People

Population
Total (World Rank: 24)	55,123,800
Deathrate (World Rank: 112)	0.74	%
Birthrate (World Rank: 95)	1.81	%
Growthrate (World Rank: 120)	0.91	%
Migration rate (World Rank: 115)	-0.15	%
Fertility rate (World Rank: 99)	2.17	%
Median age
Male (World Rank: 137)	27.40
Female (World Rank: 124)	29.00
Age structure
0 14 male (World Rank: 24)	7,567,980
0 14 female (World Rank: 24)	7,233,580
15 24 male (World Rank: 21)	4,917,290
15 24 female (World Rank: 21)	4,865,260
25 54 male (World Rank: 26)	11,426,900
25 54 female (World Rank: 24)	11,922,700
55 64 male (World Rank: 30)	1,930,250
55 64 female (World Rank: 28)	2,213,260
65 x male (World Rank: 34)	1,327,810
65 x female (World Rank: 34)	1,718,740
Health
Infant mortality rate (World Rank: 51)	3.58	%
Life expectancy total (World Rank: 164)	68	years
Life expectancy female (World Rank: 167)	70	years
Life expectancy male (World Rank: 159)	67	years
Physicians per 1000 (World Rank: 126)	0.57
Hospital bed per 1000 (World Rank: 166)	0.60
Sanitation access total (World Rank: 128)	77.40	%
Obesity adult (World Rank: 172)	5.80	%
Drinking water access (World Rank: 160)	80.60	%

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Energy

Electricity
Production (World Rank: 85)	15,480,000,000	kWh
Consumption (World Rank: 84)	12,910,000,000	kWh
Source fossil (World Rank: 180)	33.90	%
Source nuclear (World Rank: 22)	65.90	%
Source renew (World Rank: 150)	0.30	%
Crude oil
Production (World Rank: 75)	15,000	bbl / day
Exports (World Rank: 67)	2,814	bbl / day
Imports (World Rank: 85)	29	bbl / day
Proved reserves (World Rank: 66)	139,000,000	bbl
Refined products
Production (World Rank: 95)	15,870	bbl / day
Consumption (World Rank: 84)	91,000	bbl / day
Import (World Rank: 66)	73,260	bbl / day
Natural gas
Production (World Rank: 33)	17,500,000,000	m³
Consumption (World Rank: 65)	4,766,000,000	m³
Export (World Rank: 18)	13,910,000,000	m³
Carbon footprint
15000000

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Nation

Budget
Military (World Rank: 15)	4	% of GDP
Health (World Rank: 188)	2	% of GDP
Surplus (World Rank: 114)	-3	% of GDP
National symbol
chinthe
National colours
yellow
Adjective
Burmese
Noun
Burmese (singular and plural)
Background
Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing an unknown number of people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. In early May 2008, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. Legislative elections held in November 2010, which the NLD boycotted and were considered flawed by many in the international community, saw the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the contested seats. The national legislature convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN were former or current military officers, the government initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms included releasing hundreds of political prisoners, signing a nationwide cease-fire with several of the country's ethnic armed groups, pursuing legal reform, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, AUNG SAN SUU KYI was elected to the national legislature in April 2012 and became chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Burma served as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014. In a flawed but largely credible national legislative election in November 2015 featuring more than 90 political parties, the NLD again won a landslide victory. Using its overwhelming majority in both houses of parliament, the NLD elected HTIN KYAW, AUNG SAN SUU KYI’s confidant and long-time NLD supporter, as president. Burma's first credibly elected civilian government after more than five decades of military dictatorship was sworn into office on 30 March 2016.
Flag description
design consists of three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a large white five-pointed star that partially overlaps onto the adjacent colored stripes; the design revives the triband colors used by Burma from 1943-45, during the Japanese occupation

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Economy

Gdp
Purchasing power parity (World Rank: 54)	303,300,000,000	USD
Real growth rate (World Rank: 26)	6.10	%
Per capita purchasing power parity (World Rank: 161)	5,800	USD
Source agriculture (World Rank: 27)	25.60	%
Source industry (World Rank: 47)	34.70	%
Source service (World Rank: 212)	39.60	%
Labourforce
Total (World Rank: 28)	22,130,000
In poverty (World Rank: 75)	25.60	%
Products
Industries	- agricultural processing - cement - construction materials - copper - fertilizer - garments - gems - iron - jade - natural gas - oil - pharmaceuticals - tin - tungsten - wood - wood products
Agriculture	- beans - fish - fish products - groundnuts - hardwood - pulses - rice - sesame - sugarcane
Exports	- beans - clothing - fish - gems - jade - minerals - natural gas - pulses - rice - wood products
Imports	- cement - construction materials - fabric - fertilizer - food products� edible oil - machinery - petroleum products - plastics - transport equipment

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Communication

Phone
Landline total (World Rank: 93)	514,385
Landline per 100 (World Rank: 207)	1.00
Mobile per 100 (World Rank: 155)	86.00
Assessment	0
Internet
Users (World Rank: 39)	14,264,300
Population (World Rank: 173)	25.10	%

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Transport

Air
Airports paved (World Rank: 54)	36.00
Airports unpaved (World Rank: 88)	28.00
Heliports (World Rank: 18)	11.00
Rail
Total length (World Rank: 39)	5,031
Road
Total length (World Rank: 93)	34,377
Water
Total length (World Rank: 10)	12,800

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