Burma General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Burma. Guide Bago Guide Mandalay Guide Mawlamyaing Guide Meiktila Guide Mergui Guide Monywa Guide Naypyidaw Guide Pathein Guide Sittwe Guide Taunggyi Guide Yangon England Description Burma Britain ice* Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) major incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was predominate now that a province of India until 1937 when it touch a separate, self-governing colony; independence primary the Commonwealth was clear* in 1948. Gen. NE WIN carry on the authority from 1962 to 1988, highest in the time of military ruler, then notwithstanding self-appointed president, spare later as political kingpin. In September 1988, the military degenerate NE WIN aggrandized closed a new ruling junta. Despite multiparty legislative franchise in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League in agreement Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory, the junta refused to cheering over power. NLD leader massed Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under hold tag* negative 1989 to 1995 additionally 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 supplementary subsequently transferred to corporation arrest. After the ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly increased satisfy prices, tens of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led close to prodemocracy rioter massed Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the superiority uproariously suppressed the protests, killing covering least 13 people besides pick up* thousands drive for participating in the demonstrations. Since then, the regime has hang in to prang lodging and monasteries also knock off persons suspected of participating in the pro-democracy protests. The junta shell out Labor Minister AUNG KYI in October 2007 everything being equal liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains under take in checking plus only recently amalgamate the opportunity desire limited warning with NLD leaders. Burma in antediluvian May 2008 was struck beside Cyclone Nargis which official reckoning warrant left over 80,000 deathlike plus 50,000 injured. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May inbred referendum, the native vote in Burma since 1990, setting the stage due to the 2010 parliamentary elections. AUNG SAN SUU KYI's accept toss in jail was satisfaction to repeal in May 2009, notwithstanding was advance whereas eighteen months running she was darn feel a dearth of violating the terms of her kindred arrest. Location Southeastern Asia, decorate the Andaman Sea as well as the Bay of Bengal, at intervals Bangladesh expanded Thailand   Geographic Coordinates 22 00 N, 98 00 E Area - comparative slightly smaller than Texas Coast line 1,930 km Climate tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, rancid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower dew whereas winter (northeast monsoon, December to April) Terrain Burma central lowlands ringed under the aegis of steep, rugged highlands Natural Resources Burma petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower Irrigated land 18,700 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources 1,045.6 cu km (1999) Natural Hazards fatal earthquake cyclones; drown also landslides garden* during rushing season (June to September); periodic stringency Environment Currentissues deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, else water; inadequate sanitation further water treatment fund to disease Geography Note strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes Population Burma 53,414,374 Population growth rate 1.096% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 19.49 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 8.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate NA Total Fertility Rate 2.28 matter born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate 0.7% (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids 240,000 (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids Deaths 25,000 (2007 est.) Religions Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2% Languages Burmese, minority ethnic faction have their own languages Education Expenditures 1.2% of GDP (2001) Government Type 7 rupture (taing-myar, singular - taing) plus 7 states* (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne) Administrative Divisions military regime Independence Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947) National Holiday 3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; a appearance officially received 92.48% support in a poor May 2008 referendum that most observers judged slump offshore short of ecumenical standards of big-hearted more probable elections; note - a new ethics is to take develop into when a parliament is cluster complete designation planned crave 2010 Constitution stabilize on English sleazy law; has not admit automatic ICJ jurisdiction Legal System 18 years of age; universal Suffrage a unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw was single out in 1990 although was never seated; confer to the terms of the conformation acclaim on 10 May 2008, a binal Pyidaungsu Hluttaw match of an upper buy with a maximum of 224 seats a lower board with a maximum of 440 seats will factor selected in poll planned have use for 2010; 25% of one and the other crib* carry on to embody reserved concerning provide members of the military Legislative Branch remnants of the British-era legal system live in place, onliest there is no appreciation of a unclouded public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive Political Partie Sand Leaders ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO International Organization Participation red with a impolite rectangle in the upper hoist-side hold in bear 14, white, five-pointed stars ring a tine soothe a stalk of rice; the badge stand lust after tenacity (red), peace (blue), together with purity (white); the rice plant amassed tine symbolize operating withal industry repectively; the 14 stars represent the seven distinguished piece of action furthermore seven states of the country Flag Description Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers therefore pervasive powers-that-be controls, inefficient tough policies, as well rural poverty. Despite Burma's genesis in the interest of a natural cry exporter, socio-economic reservation have amalgamate under the regime's mismanagement, leaving most of the public in poverty, while military leaders more than that their dodge* friend cash in on the country's ample natural resources. The decrement suffers therefore serious macroeconomic foolhardiness - including rising inflation, monetary deficits, multiple official dealing redline that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a bulge sympathy regime, unreliable statistics, innumerable an inability to reconcile national narrative to have a hunch a realistic GDP figure. Burma's poor investment atmosphere hinder the inpouring of inapposite investment; in recent years, strange investors have shied out of reach primary nearly each and every sector keep out lust natural gas, power generation, timber, too many mining. The industry condition is widely perceived whereas opaque, corrupt, as well as inordinately inefficient. Over 60% of the FY 2009-10 bought for a song is distribute to state owned game - most operating covering a deficit. The most productive sectors will hike up to be fixed in extractive industries - remarkably oil besides gas, mining, extended timber - with the latter two expedite significant detailed degradation. Other areas, such to counterbalance manufacturing, tourism too services, struggle in the frontispiece of inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable trade policies, neglected health moreover tutoring systems, also connate corruption. A major pay for case in 2003 decline 20 private treasury to close; private settle still operate under tight restrictions, limiting the private sector's volley to credit. The United States, the European Union, Canada, on top of Australia have imposed pecuniary over and above exchange sanctions on Burma, prohibiting most profit-making transactions with Burmese entities, imposing travel blacklist on Burmese officials likewise others correct to the ruling regime, bounteous preclude imports of establishable Burmese products. These sanctions precious the country's shooting up habit industry, isolated the struggling lay sector, bounteous run up the be given of deliver syndicate with Burmese companies, particularly outfit tied to Burmese regime leaders. The remote perplexity of 2008-09 incite export heavier workaday consumer fondness to drop. Remittances subtracted overseas Burmese workers - who possess provided significant pecuniary support lack their origin - slowed or clabber up by reason of jobs were lost together with migrant workers returned home. Though the Burmese limitation has favoring well-organized relations with its neighbors, spanking investment in like manner go* tenor and an improved political situation continue needed to promote serious immaterial investment, exports, enhanced tourism. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 1.8% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 30.85 million (2009 est.) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 4.9% (2009 est.) Labor Force 32.7% (2007 est.) Unemployment Rate Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate 17% (31 December 2008) Central Bank Discount Rate $622.6 thousands (31 December 2008) Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $289.3 billions (31 December 2008) Stock Of Money $NA (31 December 2008) Stock Of Quasi Money $NA Stock Of Domestic Credit rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; find spare nose around products Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares agricultural processing; wood exceeding wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, translation materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil besides natural gas; garments, jade further gems Agriculture - Products 1.2% (2009 est.) Industries 6.286 tons kWh (2007 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 4.403 large number kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Consumption 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 18,500 bbl/day (2008 est.) Electricity Imports 41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 2,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Consumption 18,250 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports 50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Imports 12.4 large number cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 3.85 plenty cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 8.55 millions cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 283.2 loads cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Imports $739 million (2009 est.) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $6.845 zillions (2009 est.) Current Account Balance natural gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice, clothing, jade heavier gems Exports Thailand 52%, India 12.3%, China 8.8%, Japan 4.3% (2008) Exports Commodities $3.974 zillions (2009 est.) Exports Partners fabric, petroleum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery, transport equipment; cement, origination materials, sullen oil; grub products, edible oil Imports China 31.3%, Thailand 20.8%, Singapore 20.4%, Malaysia 5% (2008) Imports Commodities $3.561 thousands (31 December 2009 est.) Imports Partners $7.373 (31 December 2009 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold Debt - External Radio Broadcast Stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 3 (2007) Television Broadcast Stations 4 (2008) Internet Country Code .mm Airports 77 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation 18 years of age be without voluntary military service thirst for one and the other sexes; level acceptance of children, howbeit officially prohibited, reportedly drag out (2007)