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Myanmar is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. It is also known as Burma or the Union of Burma by many organizations and states. On 4 January 1948, Burma achieved independence from the United Kingdom as the "Union of Burma". Subsequent name changes were on 4 January 1974, to the “Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma”; 23 September 1988, to the "Union of Burma" and on 18 June 1989, the “Union of Myanmar” was adopted by the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Myanmar is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. One-third of Myanmar's total perimeter, 1,930 km (1,199 mi), forms an uninterrupted coastline.
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Full country name : Union of Myanmar (Burma became Myanmar in 1989 after the State Law and Order Restoration Council decided that the old name implied the dominance of Burmese culture; the Burmese are just one of the many ethnic groups in the country) |
Area : 671,000 sq km (416,020 sq mi) |
Population : 45 million (growth rate 2.1%) |
Capital city : Yangon (Rangoon) (pop 4 million) |
People : 65% Burmese, 10% Shan, 7% Karen, 4% Rakhine and Chin, Kachin, Mon, Chinese, Indian and Assamese minorities |
Language : Burmese, also Karen, Chin, Shan and Kachin dialects |
Religion : 87% Theravada Buddhist, 5% Christian, 4% Muslim, 3% animist |
Government : Military council |
Head of state & Prime Minister : General Than Shwe |
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Currency : Kyat |
GDP : US$67 billion |
GDP per head : US$1500 |
Annual growth : 1.1% |
Inflation : 30% |
Major products/industries : teak, rice, jute and illegal opium poppies |
Major trading partners : Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan, India |
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Visas : Entry into Myanmar requires a passport valid for at least six months from the time of entry. 28-day tourist visas are issued and cost US$18 |
Health risks : cholera, dysentery, hepatitis, malaria, rabies, typhoid |
Time : UTC plus 6.5 hours |
Electricity : 230V, 50 Hz (when it's working) |
Weights & measures : Imperial with local variations |
| Climate wise, the best season for visiting Myanmar is November to February, when it rains least and isn't too hot. If you're hitting the hill stations or the Rakhine coast, try March to May - on the other hand, Bagan and Mandalay are intolerable during these months. Myanmar is least crowded in May, June and September. |
Festivals are drawn-out, enjoyable affairs and generally take place or culminate on full-moon days. There's often a country fair atmosphere about these celebrations, and they may feature stalls, pwes, music and boxing bouts. Independence Day on 4 January is marked by a seven-day fair in Yangon. Around the middle of April, the three-day Thingyan (water festival) starts the Burman new year. This is the height of the hot season, and it is sensibly celebrated by throwing buckets of cold water at anyone who dares venture into the streets. Girls chase boys through the streets, covering their bound victims in soot and parading them about; later, cows and fish are dressed up, adorned and set free by processions of dancing drummers. In October, the sober three-month Buddhist 'Lent' ends and the Festival of Light celebrates Buddha's return from heaven. For three days Myanmar is lit up by fire balloons and paper lanterns and families make offerings at the local pagoda. |
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