Myanmar

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Myanmar

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Pyedawngsu Myanma Naingngan/Union of Myanmar Area 676,577 sq km/261,226 sq mi Capital Yangon (formerly Rangoon) (and chief port) Language Burmese (official), English, tribal dialects Religion Hinayana Buddhist 89%, Christian 5%, Muslim 4%, animist 1.5% Time difference GMT +6.5 Major holidays 4 January, 12 February, 2, 27 March, 1 April, 1 May, 19 July, 1 October, 25 December; variable: New Year (Burmese), Thingyan (April, 4 days), end of Buddhist Lent (October), Full Moon days


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Mandalay, Mawlamyine, Bago, Pathein, Taunggyi, Sittwe, Manywa Physical features over half is rainforest; rivers Irrawaddy and Chindwin in central lowlands ringed by mountains in north, west, and east Airports two international airports and 21 domestic airports; total passengers carried: 1.1 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 4,677 km/2,906 mi Roads total road network: 28,200 km/17,523 mi, of which 12.2% paved (1996 est); passenger cars: 5.8 per 1,000 people (1999)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state Than Shwe from 1992 Head of government Soe Win from 2004 Political system military Political executive military Administrative divisions seven states and seven divisions Political parties National Unity Party (NUP), military-socialist ruling party; National League for Democracy (NLD), pluralist opposition grouping Death penalty retains the death penalty for ordinary crimes but can be considered abolitionist in practice Armed forces 379,500; plus two paramilitary units totalling 107,300 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 9 (2004 est) Education spend (% GDP) 1.3 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 0.5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency kyat GDP (US$) 8.9 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 7 (2006 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 1,850 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 26.3% (2006 est) Unemployment 5% (2005 est) Labour force 70% agriculture, 7% industry, 23% services (2003 est) Foreign debt (US$) 6.8 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners China, Thailand, India, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea Resources natural gas, petroleum, zinc, tin, copper, tungsten, coal, lead, gems, silver, gold Industries food processing, beverages, cement, fertilizers, plywood, petroleum refining, textiles, paper, motor cars, tractors, bicycles Exports gas, teak, rice, pulses and beans, rubber, hardwood, prawns, fish and fish products, textiles and garments. Principal market: Thailand 44.5% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, refined mineral oils, raw materials, base metals and manufactures, fabrics, consumer goods. Principal source: China 28.4% (2005) Arable land 14.9% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, sugar cane, maize, groundnuts, pulses, rubber, tobacco; fishing; forest resources (teak and hardwood) – teak is frequently felled illegally and smuggled into Thailand; cultured pearls and oyster shells are part of aquacultural fish production


POPULATION

Population 51,008,700 (2006 est) Population growth rate 0.9% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 75 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 31 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 29%, 15–59 63%, 60+ 8% (2005 est) Ethnic groups Burmans, who predominate in the fertile central river valley and southern coastal and delta regions, constitute the ethnic majority, comprising 72% of the total population. Out of more than 100 minority communities, the most important are the Karen (7%), Shan (6%), Indians (6%), Chinese (3%), Kachin (2%), and Chin (2%). The indigenous minority communities, which predominate in mountainous border regions, show considerable hostility towards the culturally and politically dominant Burmans. There are also minority groups of Indians, Tamils, and Chinese. Life expectancy 59 (men); 65 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 106 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 5 Literacy rate 89% (men); 81% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 3 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 0.6 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 1.3 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 37,000 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 95 (urban); 74 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 0.8 (2004 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 0.2 (2004 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 65 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 7 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 0.6 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 0.1 (2004 est)


CHRONOLOGY

3rd century BC Sittoung valley settled by Mons; Buddhism introduced by missionaries from India. 3rd century AD Arrival of Burmans from Tibet. 1057 First Burmese Empire established by King Anawrahta, who conquered Thaton, established capital inland at Pagan, and adopted Theravada Buddhism. 1287 Pagan sacked by Mongols. 1531 Founding of Toungoo dynasty, which survived until mid-18th century. 1755 Nation reunited by Alaungpaya, with port of Rangoon as capital. 1824–26 First Anglo-Burmese war resulted in Arakan coastal strip, between Chittagong and Cape Negrais, being ceded to British India. 1852 Following defeat in second Anglo-Burmese war, Lower Burma, including Rangoon, was annexed by British. 1886 Upper Burma ceded to British after defeat of Thibaw in third Anglo-Burmese war; British united Burma, which was administered as a province of British India. 1886–96 Guerrilla warfare waged against British in northern Burma. early 20th century Burma developed as a major rice, teak and, later, oil exporter, drawing in immigrant labourers and traders from India and China. 1937 Became British crown colony in Commonwealth, with a degree of internal self-government. 1942 Invaded and occupied by Japan, who installed anti-British nationalist puppet government headed by Ba Maw. 1945 Liberated from Japanese control by British, assisted by nationalists Aung San and U Nu, formerly ministers in puppet government, who had formed the socialist Anti Fascist People's Freedom League (AFPFL). 1947 Assassination of Aung San and six members of interim government by political opponents. 1948 Independence achieved from Britain as Burma, with U Nu as prime minister. Left Commonwealth. Quasi-federal state established. 1958–60 Administered by emergency government, formed by army chief of staff Gen Ne Win. 1962 Gen Ne Win reassumed power in left-wing army coup; he proceeded to abolish federal system and follow the ‘Burmese way to socialism’, involving sweeping nationalization and international isolation, which crippled the economy. 1973–74 Adopted presidential-style ‘civilian’ constitution. 1975 Opposition National Democratic Front formed by regionally-based minority groups, who mounted guerrilla insurgencies. 1987 Student demonstrations in Rangoon as food shortages worsened. 1988 Government resigned after violent student demonstrations and workers' riots. Gen Saw Maung seized power in military coup; over 2,000 killed. 1989 Martial law declared; thousands arrested including advocates of democracy and human rights. Country renamed Myanmar, and its capital Yangon. 1990 Landslide general election victory for opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) ignored by military junta; NLD leaders U Nu and Suu Kyi, daughter of Aung San, placed under house arrest. 1991 Martial law and human-rights abuses continued. Suu Kyi, still imprisoned, awarded Nobel Peace Prize. Pogrom against Muslim community in Arakan province in southwest Myanmar. Western countries imposed sanctions. 1992 Saw Maung replaced as head of state by Than Shwe. Several political prisoners liberated. Martial law lifted, but restrictions on political freedom remained. 1993 Ceasefire agreed with Kachin rebels in the northeast. 1995 Suu Kyi released from house arrest; her appointment as NLD leader declared illegal. NLD boycotted constitutional convention. 1996 Suu Kyi held first party congress since her release; 200 supporters detained by government; major demonstrations in support of Suu Kyi. 1997 Admission to Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) granted, despite US sanctions for human-rights abuses. 1998 Japan resumed flow of aid, which had been stopped in 1988. Military junta ignored pro-democracy roadside protests by Aung San Suu Kyi and broke up student demonstrations. 300 members of the opposition NLD released from detention. 2000 Aung San Suu Kyi forced to give up pro-democracy roadside protest after nine days and placed under house arrest for two weeks. 2001 Government began talks with Suu Kyi; released 84 members of NLD from prison. 2002 Government released Aung San Suu Kyi from almost 20 months of house arrest. Her release widely seen as move to get US and European Union (EU) sanctions against regime eased. 2003 Following clashes between government and opposition supporters, Aung San Suu Kyi taken into ‘protective custody’. Khin Nyunt became prime minister. After visit by UN human rights envoy, five senior NLD leaders released from house arrest. 2004 Truce between government and Karen National Union (one of main ethnic groups fighting government) announced. Amid reports of power struggle, Prime Minister Nyunt replaced and put under house arrest. As part of wider amnesty, some leading dissidents released from prison. Giant tidal waves hit coast; 59 people died and more than 3,000 left homeless. 2004–07 Government launched convention to draft new constitution as part of ‘road map’ to democracy, despite boycott by NLD. It adjourned July 2004 and resumed Feb 2005, still without participation by main opposition and ethnic groups. Talks ended Jan 2006 without any clear outcome, and Sept 2007 the government declared constitutional talks complete and closed convention. 2005 At least 23 people killed after three explosions in shopping areas in capital. Government to move to new site near town of Pyinmana. 2006 New capital Nay Pyi Taw hosted Armed Forces Day parade as first official event. 2007 Diplomatic ties with North Korea restored after break of 24 years. Buddhist monks held series of antigovernment protests. Aung San Suu Kyi made first public appearance since 2003; she was allowed to meet monks protesting in Rangoon. Authorities began to crack down on protests, and eventually calm returned to city under heavy military presence. International outrage voiced and UN envoy Ibrahim Gambari met with Aung San Suu Kyi and ruling military leaders. Thousands of monks and civilian protesters reportedly rounded up remained unaccounted for in early October. Generals cut off access to the Internet, perceived as jeopardizing their crackdown on protesters.


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