Myanmar

Myanmar is a geographical and cultural region in Southeast Asia, in the area claimed by the former Republic of the Union of Myanmar; It is bordered in the north by the Hengduan Mountains, in the west by the Eastern Himalayas, in the south and southwest by the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, and in the east by Thailand (along the Tenasserim Hills, Dawna Range, Moei and Salween rivers).
As one of the few nations not directly involved in the Great War, Myanmar was not hit by nuclear bombardments, as one of the least affected regions in the world, with many states being able to trace back their lineage to various pre-war factions. It is also the host of some of the best preserved historical artifacts and arhitectural marvels in the world, such as the Shwedagon Pagoda, or the great Pakhannge Monastery.
== Geography ==
Myanmar has a total area of 678,500 square kilometres (262,000 sq mi). It lies between latitudes 9° and 29°N, and longitudes 92° and 102°E. Myanmar has 1,930 km (1,200 mi) of contiguous coastline along the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea to the southwest and the south. Hkakabo Razi, located in the Kachin Confederation, is the highest point in Myanmar, at 5,881 metres (19,295 ft). Many mountain ranges, such as the Rakhine Yoma, the Bago Yoma, the Shan Hills and the Tenasserim Hills exist within Myanmar, all of which run north-to-south from the Himalayas. The mountain chains divide Myanmar's three river systems, which are the Irrawaddy, Salween (Thanlwin), and the Sittaung rivers. The Irrawaddy River, Myanmar's longest river at nearly 2,170 kilometres (1,348 mi), flows into the Gulf of Martaban. Fertile plains exist in the valleys between the mountain chains.
=== Climate ===
Much of the country lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, in the monsoon region of Asia, with its coastal regions receiving over 5,800 mm (228.34 in) of rain annually. Annual rainfall in the delta region is approximately 3200 mm (125.98 in), while average annual rainfall in the dry zone in central Myanmar is less than 400 mm (15.74 in). The northern regions of Myanmar are the coolest, with average temperatures of 19 °C (66 °F). Coastal and delta regions have an average maximum temperature of 34 °C (93 °F).
=== Biodiversity ===
Myanmar is a biodiverse country with more than 11,000 plant, 160 mammal, 520 bird, 112 reptile, and 91 amphibian species, and 42 terrestrial ecosystems including tropical and subtropical vegetation, seasonally inundated wetlands, shoreline and tidal systems, and alpine ecosystems. The region was significantly affected by climate change and nuclear radiation, leading to the extinction of thousands of unique local species. The deforestation rate of Myanmar has increased to about 0.85% per year, contributing to increasing soil erosion and declining agricultural output. The main factors contributing to this rise are logging, land disputes and extensive agriculture.
=== Major Cities ===
Following a large population exodus during the great famines, many of Myanmar's cities are underpopulated, as most of the population lives in rural areas. Major urban cities include:
# Yangon, the largest city, situated in the Irradawy Delta
# Mandalay, the second largest city in Myanmar
# Naypyidaw, the capital of the Republic of Myanmar
# Mawlamyine, capital of the Mon Republic
# Taunggyi, the largest Shan city
# Myitkyina, capital of the Kachin Wupong
# Sittwe, capital of the Rakhine United State
== Economy ==
The economy of Myanmar is mostly focused around agricultural products, notably including rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, watermelon, avocado sugarcane, hardwood, and fish. Most agriculture is done in rural areas by subsistence farmers, using rudimentary techniques.
The drug trade is another highly profitable branch of the economy, being one of the world's largest producers of methamphetamines, and growing 20% of global opium, being part of the so-called Golden Triangle. Cartels such as Lahu and Thu Sa are highly influential in the region, cooperating with smugglers and farmers al throughout Myanmar. Local groups even encourage this drug trade, especially heroin production, being a highly fruitful industry.
The region is plentiful with natural resources. Mining is quite developed, especially around precious stones, including sapphires, pearls, jade and rubies, which are highly valued due to their purity and hue. Other metal deposits such as silver, gold, lead, zinc, tin are plentiful, but have been unexploited. There are notable oil and gas deposits in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal. Myanmar has large hydropower potential (over 34,000 megawatts), along the Salween, Shweli, N'Mai, N'Mai, Mali and Irrawaddy rivers. Notable dams are the Yeywa and Shweli Dams, however due to little maintenance they have degraded considerably, presenting multiple fisures, while their electric production potential has slowly declined.
== Demographics ==
Myanmar has an estimated population of about 6.5 million people, most of whom are concentrated along the Irrawaddy River, especially in the Irrawaddy Valley, between the Rakhine Yoma and the Shan Plateau, and the Irrawaddy Delta, being the most valuable agricultural areas around. Large population centers also reside around the coastline of the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, while the mountainous north, including the Shan Plateau, are less populated. 
=== Vital Statistics ===
Urbanisation has stagnated at about 18% of the population living in towns and cities. Most people carry out subsistence agriculture in rural areas.
Education is limited to small village schools, most teachers are bhuddist clergymen. The literacy rate is at around 70% for men and 64% for women. 
Undernourishment is a major problem, over half of children under the age of 5 are underweight.
=== Ethnic Groups ===
Myanmar is a highly diverse region, with over 100 unique ethnic groups. The Burman make up over 57% of the population, followed by the Shan (12%), Karen (9%), Burmese Chinese (6%), Mon (3%), Kayah (2.5%), Rakhine (2.5%), Kachin (2%), and other various groups.
=== Religious Affiliation ===
The majority religious group is Buddhism, at 81% of the population, of whom over 75% follow the Theravada school. Other major buddhist teaching are the Mahayana, Mahāsāṃghika revivalist movement, and other various post-war schools. There are over 65k members of the Sagha (clergy), most of whom are part of Thudhamma Nikaya, the largest monastic order in the region. The supreme bhuddist religious authority is the Thathanabaing, the head of the Sangha, currently The Venerable Ashin Ottam, advised by the Sudhamma Council, seated in the Pakhannge Monastery. Buddhism is closely tied to nat worship, local venerated spirits.
Significant religious minorities include Christian protestants among the Kachin, Chin, Karen and Karenni people; Sunni Muslims, among the Rohingyas and Kamein of Arrakan, Panthay in the northern mountains, and various Indian and Malay descendants in the south. Following the deluge there has also been a sharp rise in folk religion and tribal animist beliefs. 
No	Religious Group	%
1 	Buddhism 	81%
2 	Christianity 	6.5%
4 	Islam 	5%
4 	Hinduism 	0.5%
5 	Folk Religions 	5%
6 	Non religious 	2%
==History==
=== End of the Tatmadaw Military Junta ===
Despite not being a direct target of nuclear bombardments, Myanmar suffered just as much as the rest of the world, while international supply chains came to a halt, a great famine gripped the nation as agriculture in the Irrawaddy Delta was insufficient.
Tensions in the civil war rose sharply, as the faltering Tatmadaw military junta was unable to continue suplying its troops far away from the capital city of Naypyidaw, being forced to retreat to the Central Lowlands. This led to various ethnic separatist groups, such as the Kachin Independence Army, Karen National Liberation Army, Shan State Army, oficially achieving independence. Soon, the conflict spilled over into the surrounding countries, as Karen militias continued their conflict in neighbouring Thailand, and Kachin soldiers raided the Chinese borderlands.
In a matter of weeks, a migrant crisis struck the region, as many Chinese from Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi fled towards Southeast Asia. Infrastructure and communications soon broke down, leading to the breakdown of pre-war alliances as the entirety of Myanmar collapsed. The Peace of Monywa was signed between the National Unity Government and the Tatmadaw Junta, oficially establishing a ceasefire. During the chaos, more local militias took power, cartels became de facto independent states, and the formerly allied secessionist states turned on each other.
Following the sharp rise in anti-clerical violence and ethnic uprisings, Thudhamma Nikaya, the largest Bhuddist monastic order, together with their devotees, retreated to the safe haven of the Pakhannge Vihāra. The State Committee governing the Sangha was dissolved, and the seat of the Thathanabaing, the head of the Sangha, together with the Sudhamma Council, was brought back, having supreme authority over religious doctrine and the ecclesiastical administration.
=== The Years of Sulfur ===
The period between the signing of the Peace of Monywa and the outbreak of the 2nd Myanmar civil war in late 2109, is known in local historiography as the "Years of Sulfur", this has been attributed to both the post-war societal collapse, as well as the reopening of the Sagaing Fault, which led to significant volcanic emissions from the Singu Plateau.
Following the Great Famine, the Chinese migrant crisis, and the collapse of the centralized government, the population of Myanmar decreased by over 80%. This rapidly led to another cascade of local crises, and the end of the weak post-war ethnic states. The Rakhine United State was one of the first such nations to splinter, as the western Rohingya Muslims declared the Rohingya Islamic Republic, and the Communist Party of Arrakan began their own insurgency. The Kachin Independence Army was replaced by the Kachin Liberation Army following a series of internal conflicts. In a similar manner, the Shan State soon split between the Northern Shan State and the Southern Shan State Army. There was also a sharp growth in drug smuggling throughout the region, especially from the powerful Lahu and Thu Sa Cartels.
The self-proclaimed descendants of King Thibaw, an ancient Burmese monarch entombed in Ratnagiri, led a militant Theravada bhudist army on a 2 year-long march from India, reaching Myanmar in early 2108. Following their overthrowing of the State of Burma in 2109 the dynasty stabilized along the Chindwin river, still facing anti-monarchy guerillas.
=== Current Day ===
Following rising tensions during the first half of 2109, the ceasefire established by the Peace of Monywa was finally broken, as Tatmadaw forces crossed the northern border against the People’s Defense Armed Forces, kicking off the 2nd Myanmar civil war. As regional tensions rose further, other local wars were rekindled, most notably the Shan Plateau Conflict and the Arrakan civil war.
== Culture ==
A diverse range of indigenous cultures exist in Myanmar, with majority culture primarily Buddhist and Bamar. Bamar culture has been influenced by the cultures of neighbouring countries, manifested in its language, cuisine, music, dance and theatre. The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of Theravada Buddhism.
In villages, the monastery is the centre of cultural life. Monks are venerated and supported by the lay people. A novitiation ceremony called shinbyu is the most important coming of age events for a boy, during which he enters the monastery for a short time. Girls have ear-piercing ceremonies at about the same time.
The most popular sports, practiced in the entire country, are football and chinlone, martial arts such as Lethwei (burmese boxing), Bando, Banshay, and Pongyi thaing are also widely respected.
Category:Asia
Category:Countries in Asia