Country Facts Burma

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Geography | History | Politics | People & Culture | Climate | Arts | Religion | Economy
 

GEOGRAPHY

Myanmar is one of the largest countries in South East Asia, stretching over 2,000 km from North to South. It is twice the size of Vietnam, over a quarter larger than Thailand, and Myanmar is bigger than England and France combined.

Myanmar's coastline defines the eastern shore of the Bay of Bengal, running from the Bangladesh border in the northwest down to the Malay Peninsula and Thai territory in the southeast. Southern Myanmar consists largely of the western slopes of the Bilauktaung Range, which constitutes the northern base of the Malay Peninsula. Northern Myanmar, which comprises the great bulk of the country's area, consists largely of the broad river valley of the Irrawaddy. Originating high up in the very eastern extremity of the Himalayas, the Irrawaddy rushes down through great mountain gorges in northern Myanmar before spreading out into one of the largest river deltas in Asia.

Myanmar Country Map : (Burma) (Periplus Travel Maps) Our Price: $7.95

Both of Myanmar's principal cities--Yangon and Mandalay--are situated along the Irrawaddy, and the 1,000 mi (1,600 km) river is navigable for almost two thirds of its length. The Irrawaddy valley is surrounded by a great horseshoe of mountain ranges, which rise in the east to the highlands of the Shan Plateau.

 

HISTORY

Sometime in the first few centuries before Christ, a people called the Mons wound their way out of central Asia and down to the Thanlwin and Sittoung rivers. They spoke a dialect of the Mon-Khmer family of languages, and they were the first people known to inhabit what is now Myanmar. The Mons called the region the land of gold, practiced Buddhism, and traded with India's great king Ashoka. The Mons were not to be the only people in Mynamar for long. A few centuries later, the Pyu people arrived from Tibet, and they were followed by the Bamars who settled along the rich Irrawaddy river, which they controlled from Pagan. It was the Bamars who established the First Burmese Empire. Under King Anawrata, they conquered the Mon capital of Thaton and took a legendary 30,000 prisoners back to Pagan. The subtle appeal of the Buddhism the Mon practiced became a powerful conduit of their culture (a pattern seen in India as well) and Anawrata himself converted to Buddhism. The Bamars even adopted the Mon language. The Mons were not, apparently, very much appeased by these signs of cultural appreciation, as they later rebelled and killed Anawrata's son. They were quickly crushed by Kyanzitta, a Bamar general who soon assumed rulership. Kyanzitta's rise marked the beginning of Burma's golden age, when the bounty of rice irrigated by the Irrawady nourished civilization as it never had before. Thousands of temples were built, and the arts flourished. The kingdom's health didn't last long, however. Within a century, Kublai Khan appeared on the horizon, at the head of Mongol armies that were in their time the most powerful military forces on earth. The Khan's demand for tribute was met with defiance by the Burmese King Narathihapate, and the Mongol invasion started to roll in. Ironically, it was not the ferocious Mongols who posed the greatest threat to Narathihapate: he was poisoned by his son, who later lost the kingdom to the Mongols in 1287 at the battle of Vochan. The Mons and the Bamar withdrew to the South, where they founded the enchanting city of Bago. In the North, descendants of the Tai people, called the Shan, founded a kingdom at Innwa. Soon the Mons and the Shan went to war, at almost exactly the time the Europeans started moving into Asia.

It was Nicoto di Conti, a Venetian, who was the first European to encounter Myanmar. Di Conti visited Bago in 1435 and stayed for four months. In 1498, the Portugeuse Vasco de Gama found a sea route to India, opening wide the path to Asia. Soon the Portugeuse had a colony in India at Goa, which they used as a base for eastern trade. De Gama's countryman Anthony Correa made the first trade agreement in Myanmar with the viceroy of Martaban in 1519. The viceroy's king, Tabinshweti, disapproved of the agreement, which was settled without his consent. Tabinshweti attacked Martaban in 1541, and, surprisingly, 700 Portuguese fought on his side. The Loyalist Portuguese retreated to Rahkine, another of the region's kingdoms, and allied themselves with the monarch of Myohuang. In 1600, a Portuguese cabin-boy named Philip de Brito y Nicote came to Myanmar, beginning one of the most legendary tales in Burma's history. De Brito took a job with the king of Rahkine, who had by that time conquered Bago, and soon started constructing forts in the city. De Brito then took a trip to Goa, married the viceroy's daughter, and returned to Bago with men and weapons. As a wedding present to himself, he conquered Myanmar, declared himself king, and set about destroying Buddhist temples. De Brito ruled for 13 years, until the locals finally laid siege to his fortress. After 34 days the bastion fell, and the foreign tyrant was coolly impaled on a wooden stake, his grueling execution lasting three days. Despite the fall of De Brito's personal kingdom, the European presence in Myanmar was there to stay, especially that of the British. Along the with French and Dutch, the British had colonies in Myanmar by the mid-17th century, although a Bamar king named Alaungpaya kicked out both the French and the British later in the century. Alaungpaya conquered Rahkine, extending his border all the way to the Bengal border, until the British Raj in nearby India decided that he had come too close for their comfort. The British invaded Burma in 1819, conquering Rahkine, Tanintharyi, Assam, and Manipur. In 1852, they extended their control to Lower Burma. By 1886, they had annexed the entire country as a province of India and ruled it through the Raj. As Asian independence movements began to cause problems for the British empire around the turn of the century, the British decided that it might be wise to grant some degree of autonomy in Burma. The symbolic gesture was unsurprisingly insufficient, and in 1930 a Burman named Saya San led a major armed rebellion against the British. The revolt was quashed and San executed, but the experience did inspire Britain to make Burma a separate colony. This slight rise in status was not enough, however, for Thakin Aung San, a student leader who spoke out eloquently for independence. San was eventually arrested for his statements, but he escaped to China, where he collaborated with the Japanese. The Japanese made him promises of independence, provided he help them oust the British. In 1941, the Japanese and San did exactly that. In a legendary retreat, the British lost thousands of men, vowing to return. The allies were eventually able to take Burma back, but only after four years of incredibly arduous and deadly fighting. Aung San, who realized that the Japanese had their own imperialistic interests in his country, eventually sided with the allies.

The British granted independence to Burma in 1947, though they were worried that local fighting would erupt soon afterward. Aung San, who was ostensibly to have been the new leader, was assassinated the same year, and his colleague Thankin Nu became president. Thankin Nu stayed in power only briefly, asking General Ne Win to assume control as soon as the first signs of civil unrest erupted in 1958. Nu returned to power in 1960, partly because he promised the Mon and Rakhine semi-autonomy. Nu's refusal to grant the same status to the Shan and the Kayins prompted another rebellion in 1962, and this time General Ne Win assumed control without waiting to be asked. Ne Win, a radical communist, had Nu arrested and isolated the country, at the same time declaring the tatmadaw, or military government. After Nu was released in 1966, he fled the country and began to organize a rebellion. His forces managed to hold some land in 1971, but they were eventually thrown out. In 1981, Ne Win stepped down, granting amnesty to all political enemies. Nu returned home and died peacefully. In 1988, a huge demonstration led by students resulted in a violent crackdown by the tatmadaw, who agreed to democratic elections in 1989. When the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 60 percent of the votes, however, the tatmadaw declared the elections invalid, as no agreement had been reached on the role of the new leaders. Since that time the military government has made repeated gestures toward democratic government, although they have in fact taken no real steps in that direction. The democracy movement's current leader, Aung San Suu Kyi (the daughter of Aung San), was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 while under house arrest. Suu Kyi continues to lead the movement today.

POLITICAL SITUATION

The Military Government of this poor, mountainous country has been internationally criticized for its brutal suppression of the pro-democracy movement. Dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, spent more than six years under house arrest for her peaceful protests. The military has ruled Burma since 1962 and the current regime, run by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC, former SLORC), came to power in 1988 by suppressing an uprising against military rule that left thousands dead. The military regime has also had to fend off rebellion by nine mostly ethnic guerrilla groups. The government changed the name of the country to Myanmar in 1989 to acknowledge the country's non-Burmese ethnic groups.

Living Silence: Burma under the Military Rule by Christina Fink, Paperback - May 2001 Our Price: $19.95   Click on cover for more info and for purchase   More Books

People I met during my trip were very friendly and some talked about the political situation quite openly. Many were concerned about the still closed universities. However, most people seemed relativly content given the strict regime and the climate of intimidation and fear that no doubt exists, when people can be arrested and tortured at any time.

From the Amnesty International Report 2000: "The military continued to seize ethnic minority civilians for forced labour on infrastructure projects and for portering duties in the Shan, Kayin and Kayah States. Children from eight to 15 years were forced on a regular basis to work on a temple construction in Kunhing, Shan State, in January and February. Civilians were taken by the military for portering duties, carrying heavy loads for long periods, and were beaten if they could not keep up with the column. Forced labour was also reported in areas where cease-fires held, including the Mon and Kachin States, where teenaged children often worked on roads."

See Asiaphoto Linkpage for more information.

 

PEOPLE & CULTURE

Ethnically diverse, Myanmar is a nation of many races - some 130 ethnic groups make up its population of nearly 45 million. The majority of Myanmar's people are Bamars (from which the British coined the name Burma), but the Shan, Kachin, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine and others are also prominent throughout the country. The vast majority of Myanmar's people live in the lowland regions of this river valley, in the Irrawaddy basin. This fertile expanse, which sits within the tropical monsoon belt, is one of the world's great rice-growing regions. Myanmar's population includes dozens of different racial and ethnic groups, including the Mon, Burmans, Kachins, Chins, Shans, Rakhine, and Karens, each of which have historically dominated a particular area of the country. Although Burmese is the major and official language, more than a hundred local and regional dialects are spoken throughout Myanmar. Myanmar's ethnically diverse population is a result of three major migrations from Tibet and Central Asia, the cradle of humanity. The people of Myanmar are descendants of three main branches: The Mon-Khmer, the Tibeto-Burman, and the Thai-Chinese. The Kaya, Mon, Wa, La, Palaung, Pale, Yao, Riang, Padaung, Ylnbaw, Zayein, and others originated from the Mon-Khmer group, while the Shan, Kayin and Taungthu, etc., find their roots in the Thai-Chinese community. The Bamar, Chin, Kachin, Lolo, Rahkine, Kadu, Hpon, Maru, Lashi, Rawang, Azi, Nung, Daru, Yaw, Mro, Inthat, Naga, Gauri, Lisu, Lahu, among others, evolved from the Tibeto-Burman group. Kuthodaw Pagoda, in Mandalay, which houses the entire Buddhist scriptures carved onto 729 marble slabs is "The world's largest book". Built by King Mindon, it is indeed a rare and splendid sight. Myanmar's unique historical and cultural heritage dates back over 5,000 years. Evidence confirming the existence of stone age people has been found throughout the country. Early Myanmars were said to be Mons, and the first politically important inhabitants were the Pyu who date back to the early period of the Christian era. It was Bagan, however, which was founded in the 11th century, that gave rise to the dominant culture and civilization in Myanmar's history.

Myanmar has a population of about 48 million. It consists of some 130 ethnic groups, with their own languages and dialects. The term Myanmar embraces all national groups the Barmar, the Chin, the Kachin, the Kayah, the Kayin, the Mon, the Rakhine and the Shan. The Bamars make up 69 percent of the total population. Myanmar lies on the cross-road of two of the world’s great civilization--China and India, but its culture is neither that of India nor China exclusively, but a blend of both interspersed with Myanmar native traits and characteristics. Buddhism has great influence on daily life of the Myanmars. The people have preserved the traditions of close family ties, respect for the elders, and reverence for Buddhism. Myanmars are contented and cheerful even in the face of adversities and known for their simple hospitality and friendliness. Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Mon 2%, Indian 2%, other 5%

Growth rate:	1.84% (1996)
Birth rate:	30.01 births/1,000 (1996)
Death rate:	11.66 deaths/1,000 (1996)
Fertility rate:	3.83 children/woman (1996)
Male life expectancy:	54 (1996)
Female life expectancy:	57 (1996)
Infant mortality rate:	80.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996)

National Holidays & Festivals

JAN 4	Independence Day
FEB 12	Union Day
MAR 2	Peasant’s Day
MAR 12	Fullmoon Day of Tabaung
MAR 27	Armed Forces Day
APR 13-17	Thingyan Festival (Water Festival) and Myanmar New year Day
MAY 1	May Day (Workers’ Day)
MAY 10	Fullmoon Day of Kason
JUL 8	Beginning of Buddhist Lent
JUL 19	Martyrs’ Day
OCT 5	End of Buddhist Lent (Thadingyut Festival of Lights)
NOV 3	Tazaungdaing Festival of Lights
NOV 13	National Day
DEC 18	Kayin New Year Day
DEC 25	Christmas Day

 

CLIMATE

Myanmar's climate is tropical: during the cool season from late November through February, temperatures are pleasantly mild ranging from 21C to 28 C; the hot season from March to April can see the mercury reach as high as 45 C; and during the months of the rainy season, from May to October short rainstorms are frequent in the late afternoons.

The best time to visit Myanmar is from October to mid-May.
 

ARTS

The Art of Southeast Asia by Philip S. Rawson Our Price: $13.56   Click on cover for more info and for purchase   More Books

Myanmar is an enchanting country with a rich history in arts and crafts. Mandalay, the ancient capital and the glory of Myanmar Kings, represents the largest repository of Myanmar arts and crafts. Visitors can observe carvers of ivory, wood and stone, in addition to makers of gold leaf, silk weavers, silversmiths and bronze-casters, as they ply their respective trades according to the time-honored traditions of their forefathers. The pagodas, religious monuments, and major Buddhist sculptures seen all over Myanmar are authentic examples of the rich tradition of Bagan arts andcrafts and of prior eras of craftmanship so evident throughout Myanmar's history.

RELIGION

The first imperial capital of Myanmar, Bagan, was by the beginning of the 11th century A.D, a world centre of the Theravada Buddhism. Successive kings and their subjects choose to glorify their faith through the lavish and ambitious construction of monuments and Buddhist culture. Therevada Buddhism is the predominant religion with over 80 percent of the people embracing it. There are also Christians, Muslims, Hindus and some animists.

Major Religions Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist beliefs 1%, other 2%
 

ECONOMY

Myanmar is incredibly rich in natural resources. The imperial jade, the best pigeon blood rubies and the finest sapphires, all come from this soil of Myanmar. The fame of Myanmar Gems, Jade and Pearls has attracted many of the wealthiest jewel dealers in Asia and the world.

Myanmar teak is Asia and the world’s wonder, especially the sight of thousand of elephants and riders who each year extract more than a million tons of teak and other hardwoods from Myanmar’s deciduous monsoon forest, showing off Myanmar’s thriving elephant culture and its economic importance. Since late 1988 Myanmar has replaced the centrally planned economy to a more liberalized economic policy based on market-oriented economic system. In moving towards a more market-oriented economy, Myanmar has liberalized domestic and external trade promoting the role of private sector and opening up to foreign investment. Foreign Investment Law, New Central Bank of Myanmar Law, Financial Institutions of Myanmar law and Myanmar Tourism Law have been enacted and Chambers of Commerce have been reactivated. Myanmar is richly endowed with renewable and non-renewable energy resources which are being exploited by the state sector with the participation of local and foreign investors. Agriculture remains the main sector of the economy and measures have been taken to increase productivity, diversification of crop patterns, and revitalization of agriculture exports. Labor force: 16.0 million (1992) Unemployment rate: N/A Inflation Rate: 38% (1994) Gross domestic product (total value of goods and services produced annually): $41.4 billion (1994 est.) Budget: $10.0 billion (1995 est.) Debt: $5.5 billion (1996) Exports : $879.0 million (1996 est.), primarily pulses and beans, teak, rice, hardwood Imports: $1.5 billion (1996 est.), primarily machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products, consumer goods Defense spending: N/A Highways: 27,000 km (1995) Source: 1998 CIA World Factbook

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