Myanmar - Union of Myanmar - Country Profile - Burma - Asia ___ Myanmar - Burma Destination Myanmar. Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia, also known as Burma, its also called the Golden Land. With an area of 676,578 km² the country is almost twice the size of Germany or slightly smaller than the U.S. state of Texas . Myanmar is bordered in north and northeast by China , in east by Laos and Thailand , in south by the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal and in west by Bangladesh and India . With 5,881 m (19,295 ft) Mount Hkakabo Razi in Kachin state on the border tri-point with China and India is the highest elevation in Myanmar and Southeast Asia's highest mountain. Main rivers are the Chindwin and the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) river. Myanmar has a population of 51.4 million people (2014 census). Largest city, former capital, and the economic center of Myanmar is Yangon , capital is since 2005 the planned city of Naypyidaw . Spoken languages are Burmese.

On this pages you will find comprehensive information about Myanmar, or Burma in its diversity, its geography, economy, people, culture, environment, government and history. You will have access to newspapers from Myanmar and you will find travel and tourism information. Landscape near Mrauk U a town in in northern Rakhine State. Image © nationsonline.org Capital City since 6 November 2005: Naypyidaw (Nay Pyi Taw) Other Cities: Yangôn (Rangoon, pop. 5 million), Mandalay (pop. 700 000) Government: Type: nominally civilian government (since 29th March 2011, when Burma's military handed over power). The new political system came into effect after an election in November 2010. Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988 when latest junta took power). Burma has been under military authority since 1962. Geography: Location: Southeast Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Area : 676,578 km² (261,228 square miles). Terrain: A land of hills and valleys rimmed in the north, east and west by mountain ranges forming a giant horseshoe. Enclosed within the mountaion barriers are the flat lands of Ayeyarwaddy, Chindwin and Sittaung River valleys where most of the country's agricultural land and population are concentrated. Climate: Tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April). People: Nationality: Burmese. Population : 51.4 million (2014 census) Ethnic groups: according to Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs there are 8 Major National Ethnic Races in Myanmar, which all comprises different ethnic groups: the Kachin, the Kayah, the Kayin, the Chin , the Mon, the Bamar, the Rakhine, and the Shan.

according to the CIA World Factbook the ethnic groups are: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Arakanese 4%, Chinese 3%, Mon 2%, Indian 2%, other 5%. Religions: Buddhism (89.2%), Christianity (5.0%), Islam (3.8%), Hinduism (0.5%), Spiritualism (1.2%) and others (0.2%). Languages : Burmese; Myanmar is a union of 135 ethnic groups with their own languages and dialects. Literacy: 90% (2003 official Government of Burma statistics); estimates of functional literacy are closer to 30% Natural resources: Timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, limestone, precious stones like jade, ruby and sapphires, natural gas, hydropower, and some petroleum. Agriculture Products: Rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane, hardwood, fish and fish products. Industries: Agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement.

Former Flag of Myanmar (1974 - 2010) Background: Previously an independent kingdom, Burma was annexed by the British Empire into the colony of India in 1886. The occupation brought social, economic, cultural and administrative changes to the once-feudal society. The Japan ese Empire invaded and occupied the country during World War II but it was returned to British control until independence in 1948. From 1962 to 2011, the country was ruled by a military junta with absolute power. The name of the country was changed in 1989 by the ruling military government, officially recognized by the United Nations. Some national governments, such as Canada , the United Kingdom , the United States , and much of the Burmese population do not recognize this name change, since they do not recognize the military government. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the military junta refused to hand over power.

Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG San Suu Kyi, has been set under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, and was again placed under house detention in September 2000; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed. In 2011 the military junta was dissolved following a general election in 2010 and a civilian government has been installed. Aungsan, Burmese, Karen and Suukyi fonts available for Mac and PC. Mural paintings, Hpo Win Daung Caves, Monywa Images © Nations Online Project Business & Economy Since the transition to a civilian government in 2011, Burma has begun an economic overhaul aimed at attracting foreign investment and reintegrating into the global economy. The government’s commitment to reform, and the subsequent easing of most Western sanctions, has begun to pay dividends. Burma’s abundant natural resources, young labor force, and proximity to Asia’s dynamic economies have attracted foreign investment, actually more an invasion of foreign interests and badly needed money. Transportation Myanmar - The New York Times The New York Times Myanmar News about Myanmar, including commentary and archival articles published in The New York Times.

More The Republic of the Union of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is the second largest country in Southeast Asia and boasts a population of more than 50 million. Myanmar emerged from British colonial rule in 1948, and remained under military control long after General Ne Win overthrew the civilian government in a 1962 coup. The country’s modern history has been marred by persistent human rights violations, ethnic strife, cronyism and failed Soviet-style economic management that has resulted in widespread poverty. Starting in 2010, Myanmar’s military began to adopt gradual reforms that moved the country closer to a liberal democratic system, eventually releasing thousands of political prisoners, including dissident leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi . This reduced authoritarianism prompted an easing of international sanctions and widespread hope of improvement in the country, though strong concerns remain about the treatment of the Rohingya Muslim minority . In November, 2015, Myanmar held what were widely viewed as its first open elections, marking a landslide victory for the party of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. U Htin Kyaw, a close confidant of Aung San Suu Kyi, was elected president in March, 2016.

Keep up to date on breaking news in Myanmar and explore our extensive archive below. Real lives A better start for Myanmar’s poorest children Mya Thidar Aung was born in prison while her mother served a sentence for petty crime. Fortunately, her mother was released from jail six days after she was born. However, her mother’s time in prison had already taken its toll on Mya’s health: she was born underweight due to her mother’s poor prison diet, while the unhygienic conditions in jail left both mother and daughter covered in scabies. Three years later, Mya Thidar Aung was still covered with scabies, undernourished and filthily clad when her mother brought her to the Barma Aye nursery school located within the State High School 15 in Dawbon township, near Yangon, the capital of Myanmar. She was sullen, quiet and withdrawn. But six months later, it is difficult to believe that this is the same child. Now Mya Thidar Aung has gained weight and she comes to the nursery school clean and neatly dressed. The scabies is gone and Mya Thidar Aung plays happily with the other children.

Hers is only one of the many success stories from the UNICEF-supported pilot integrated early childhood care and development (ECCD) networking project in Myanmar. ECCD is a new concept in Myanmar. Traditionally, children are brought up by their parents or relatives who have little knowledge about how to stimulate their intellectual or emotional development. Parents tend to focus on their children’s physical development. Children from poor families are more severely affected as they are usually left by their parents in the care of other siblings or simply left unattended while the parents work. UNICEF and Pyinnya Tazaung, a national non-governmental organization (NGO), collaborate with the Department of Education to provide early childhood care and development activities for 50 of the most deprived children in a pilot catchment area near Yangon. Two teachers were trained in ECCD to provide psycho-social stimulation for children using play and interaction with other children. Every day, the children receive a nutritious meal of 500 calories as supplementary feeding and a daily dose of vitamin A. In addition, children are de-wormed every six months and are taught about basic hygiene and sanitation.

Support groups have been set up to teach parents about the basics of hygiene and sanitation and the importance of play and stimulation for their children. Maung Thura was three months old when his father died in a car accident. Shortly afterwards, his mother was arrested by the police and sent to jail. His grandmother took him in while his big sister, a year older, was sent to live with an aunt in Shwepyithar township. Though she had brought up children of her own, the grandmother did not know anything about early childhood development. She often left the baby alone at home while she went to work. Sometimes she would feed the baby a little gruel when he cried. When Maung Thura was brought to the ECCD Centre in State Primary School 36 in Hlaingtharya township, his head and upper body were unusually large while his lower body was emaciated, which are clear signs of acute malnutrition. He could not stand, walk or talk, even though he was already two years old. Under the loving care of Daw Sein Sein (one of the trained teachers), who de-wormed him and fed him nutritious food, Maung Thura began to show marked physical improvements.

At the ECCD centre, Maung Thura’s interaction with other children has helped him come out of his shell. He has begun to talk and started calling his caregiver ‘Mummy’. Daw Sein Sein really felt like a proud mother when, after a couple of months, Maung Thura took his first steps. Now, two years and nine months old, Maung Thura is growing up in a healthy and stimulating environment. Maung Thura’s own mother was released from jail recently and was grateful for the care that her child had been given. Her release means that she can now participate as a parent in the ECCD programme, learning how best to care for her child in the freedom of her own home. Myanmar country profile - BBC News BBC News Read more about sharing. Close share panel Myanmar, also known as Burma, was long considered a pariah state while under the rule of an oppressive military junta from 1962 to 2011. The generals who ran the country suppressed almost all dissent - symbolised by the house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi - and stood accused of gross human rights abuses, prompting international condemnation and sanctions.

A gradual liberalisation process has been under way since 2010. The country is expected to see a major shift after the government changed hands early in 2016. The dominance of the largest ethnic group, the Burman or Bamar people, over the country's many minorities has been fuelling a series of long-running rebellions, although a gradual peace process yielded a draft ceasefire deal in 2015. Republic of the Union of Myanmar Capital: Nay Pyi Taw Area 676,552 sq km (261,218 sq miles) Major language Burmese, minority languages Major religions Buddhism Life expectancy 64 years (men), 68 years (women) UN President: Htin Kyaw Image copyright EPA Htin Kyaw was sworn in as president in March 2016, ushering in the first democratically elected government into office after decades of military rule. Rightfully, the job belonged to Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been the face of the pro-democracy movement and who endured decades of house arrest and harassment by military rulers without ever giving up on her non-violent campaign to unseat them.

But Suu Kyi was barred by the constitution from becoming president, and she made it clear that whoever sits in that chair will be her proxy. She has said repeatedly she will run the government from behind the scenes. Htin Kyaw will be remembered by history as the first civilian president for Myanmar and the head of its first government to be elected in free and fair polls. The military retains considerable amount of power in the government and parliament. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Aung San Suu Kyi symbolised opposition to military rule MEDIA Image copyright AFP Myanmar's media have seen a gradual easing of strict state controls imposed after the 1962 military coup. Under reforms introduced since 2011 by a new government, Myanmar has unblocked international news websites, emigre news websites and YouTube. In 2012, it lifted pre-publication censorship for the press and allowed privately-owned daily newspapers to publish. But the state still controls the main broadcasters and publications. Image caption The ruined city of Pagan, capital of the Kingdom of Pagan 1057 - King Anawrahta founds the first unified Myanmar state at Pagan and adopts Theravada Buddhism.

1531 - Toungoo dynasty reunites country as Burma. 1885-86 - Burma comes under British rule. 1948 - Burma becomes independent. 1962 - The military junta takes over, initially in the shape of a single-party socialist system. 1990 - Opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) wins landslide victory in elections, but the military ignores the result. 2011 - The military hands over to a nominally civilian government following elections the previous year. 2015 - Elections. Opposition National League for Democracy - led by Aung San Suu Kyi - wins enough seats in parliament to form a government. The World Factbook — Central Intelligence Agency Background: Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen.

NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and 1991 Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing an unknown number of people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations.

In early May 2008, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. Legislative elections held in November 2010, which the NLD boycotted and were considered flawed by many in the international community, saw the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the contested seats. The national legislature convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN were former or current military officers, the government initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms included releasing hundreds of political prisoners, signing a nationwide cease-fire with several of the country's ethnic armed groups, pursuing legal reform, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society.

At least due in part to these reforms, AUNG SAN SUU KYI was elected to the national legislature in April 2012 and became chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Burma served as chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014. In a flawed but largely credible national legislative election in November 2015 featuring more than 90 political parties, the NLD again won a landslide victory. Using its overwhelming majority in both houses of parliament, the NLD elected HTIN KYAW, AUNG SAN SUU KYI’s confidant and long-time NLD supporter, as president. Burma's first credibly elected civilian government after more than five decades of military dictatorship was sworn into office on 30 March 2016.

Geography :: BURMA party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes; the north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important commercial waterway People and Society :: BURMA Population: 56,890,418 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2016 est.) country comparison to the world: 25 noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese Executive branch: chief of state: President HTIN KYAW (since 30 March 2016); Vice Presidents MYINT SWE (since 30 March 2016) and HENRY VAN THIO (since 30

 March 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President HTIN KYAW (since 30 March 2016); Vice Presidents MYINT SWE (since 30 March 2016) and HENRY VAN THIO (since 30 March 2016) note: a parliamentary bill creating the position of "state counselor" was signed into law by President HTIN KYAW on 6 April 2016; a state counsellor serves the equivalent term of the president and is similar to a prime minister in that the holder acts as a link between the parliament and the executive branch state counsellor: State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); she concurrently serves as minister of foreign affairs and minister for the office of the president cabinet: Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates become vice-presidents

 (president elected for a 5-year term); election last held on 15 March 2016 (next to be held in 2021) election results: HTIN KYAW elected president; Assembly of the Union vote: HTIN KYAW 360, MYINT SWE 213, HENRY VAN THIO 79 (652 votes cast) Legislative branch: description: bicameral Assembly of the Union or Pyidaungsu consists of an upper house - the House of Nationalities or Amyotha Hluttaw, (224 seats; 168 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed and 56 appointed by the military; members serve 5-year terms) and a lower house - the House of Representatives or Pyithu Hluttaw, (440 seats; 330 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 appointed by the military; members serve 5-year terms) elections: last held on 8 November 2015 (next to be held in 2020) election results: Upper House - percent

 of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 135, USDP 11, ANP 10, SNLD 3, ZCD 2, TNP 2, independent 2, other 3, military appointees 56; Lower House - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 255, USDP 30, ANP 12, SNLD 12, PNO 3, TNP 3, ZCD 2, LNDP 2, independent 1, other 3, canceled due to insurgence 7, military appointees 110 Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges) judge selection and term of office: chief justice and judges nominated by the president, with approval of the Lower House, and appointed by the president; judges normally serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts: High Courts of the Region; High Courts of the State; Court of the Self-Administered Division; Court of the Self-Administered Zone; district and township courts; special courts (for juvenile

, municipal, and traffic offenses); courts martial Political parties and leaders: All Mon Region Democracy Party or AMRDP [NAING NGWE THEIN] Arakan National Party or ANP [Dr.

AYE MAUNG] (formed from the 2013 merger of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party and the Arakan League for Democracy) National Democratic Force or NDF [KHIN MAUNG SWE] National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SAN SUU KYI] National Unity Party or NUP [THAN TIN] Pa-O National Organization or PNO [AUNG KHAN HTI] Shan Nationalities Democratic Party or SNDP [SAI AIK PAUNG] Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN HTUN OO] Ta'ang National Party or TNP [AIK MONE] Union Solidarity and Development Party or USDP [THAN HTAY] Zomi Congress for Democracy or ZCD [PU CIN SIAN THANG] numerous smaller parties Thai border: Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC Federation of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor advocates) United Nationalities Federal Council or UNFC inside Burma: Kachin Independence Organization Karen National Union or KNU Karenni National People's Party or KNPP United Wa State Army or UWSA 88 Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) several other Chin, Karen, Mon

, and Shan factions note: many restrictions on freedom of expression have been relaxed by the government; a limited number of political groups, other than parties, are approved by the government International organization participation: ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO chief of mission: Ambassador AUNG LYNN (since 16 September 2016) chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 name: "Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End

 of the World, Myanmar) lyrics/music: SAYA TIN note: adopted 1948; Burma is among a handful of non-European nations that have anthems rooted in indigenous traditions; the beginning portion of the anthem is a traditional Burmese anthem before transitioning into a Western-style orchestrated work Economy :: BURMA Economy - overview: Since the transition to a civilian government in 2011, Burma has begun an economic overhaul aimed at attracting foreign investment and reintegrating into the global economy.

Economic reforms have included establishing a managed float of the Burmese kyat i The government’s commitment to reform, and the subsequent easing of most Western sanctions, led to accelerated growth in 2013 and 2014. In 2015, growth slowed because of political uncertainty in an election year, summer floods, and external factors, inclu Despite these improvements, living standards have not improved for the majority of the people residing in rural areas. Burma remains one of the poorest countries in Asia – approximately 26% of the country’s 51 million people live in poverty.

The previous Military service age and obligation: 18-35 years of age (men) and 18-27 years of age (women) for voluntary military service; no conscription (a 2010 law reintroducing conscription has not yet entered into force); 2-year service obligation; male (ages 18-45) and female (ages 18-35) professionals (including doctors, engineers, mechanics) serve up to 3 years; service terms may be stretched to 5 years in an officially declared emergency; Burma signed the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on 15 August 1991; on 27 June 2012, the regime signed a Joint Action Plan on prevention of child recruitment; in February 2013, the military formed a new task force to address forced child conscription; approximately 600 children have been released from military service since the signing of the joint action plan (2015) Transnational Issues :: BURMA Disputes - international: over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries; the Naf River on the border with

 Bangladesh serves as a smuggling and illegal transit route; Bangladesh struggles to accommodate 29,000 Rohingya, Burmese Muslim minority from Arakan State, living as refugees in Cox's Bazar; Burmese border authorities are constructing a 200 km (124 mi) wire fence designed to deter illegal cross-border transit and tensions from the military build-up along border with Bangladesh in 2010; Bangladesh referred its maritime boundary claims with Burma and India to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea; Burmese forces attempting to dig in to the largely autonomous Shan State to rout local militias tied to the drug trade, prompts local residents to periodically flee into neighboring Yunnan Province in China; fencing along the India-Burma international border at Manipur's Moreh town is in progress to check illegal drug trafficking and movement of militants; over 100,000 mostly Karen refugees and asylum seekers fleeing civil strife, political upheaval, and economic stagnation in Burma were living in remote camps in Thailand near the border as of April 2016 Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 644,000 (government offensives against armed ethnic minority groups near its borders with China

 and Thailand) (2015) stateless persons: 938,000 (2015); note - Rohingya Muslims, living in Rakhine State, are Burma's main group of stateless people; the Burmese Government does not recognize the Rohingya as a "national race" and stripped them of their citizenship under the 1982 Citizenship law, categorizing them as "non-national" or "foreign residents"; under the Rakhine State Action Plan drafted in October 2014, the Rohingya must demonstrate their family has lived in Burma for at least 60 years to qualify for a lesser naturalized citizenship and the classification of Bengali or be put in detention camps and face deportation; native-born but non-indigenous people, such as Indians, are also stateless; the Burmese Government does not grant citizenship to children born outside of the country to Burmese parents who left the country illegally or fled persecution, such as those born in Thailand note: estimate does not include stateless IDPs or stateless persons in IDP-like situations because they are included in estimates of IDPs (2015) Trafficking in persons: current situation: Burma is a source country for men, women

, and children trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and for women and children subjected to sex trafficking; Burmese adult and child labor migrants travel to East Asia, the Middle East, South Asia, and the US, where men are forced to work in the fishing, manufacturing, forestry, and construction industries and women and girls are forced into prostitution, domestic servitude, or forced labor in the garment sector; some Burmese economic migrants and Rohingya asylum seekers have become forced laborers on Thai fishing boats; some military personnel and armed ethnic groups unlawfully conscript child soldiers or coerce adults and children into forced labor; domestically, adults and children from ethnic areas are vulnerable to forced labor on plantations and in mines, while children may also be subject to forced prostitution, domestic service, and begging tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Burma does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking, but it is making significant efforts to do so; the government has a written plan that, if implemented, would constitute making a significant effort toward meeting the minimum standard for eliminating human trafficking; in 2014, law enforcement continued to investigate and prosecute cross-border trafficking offenses but did little to address domestic trafficking; no civilians or government officials were prosecuted or convicted

 for the recruitment of child soldiers, a serious problem that is hampered by corruption and the influence of the military; victim referral and protection services remained inadequate, especially for men, and left victims vulnerable to being re-trafficked; the government coordinated anti-trafficking programs as part of its five-year national action plan (2015) Illicit drugs: world's third largest producer of illicit opium with an estimated production in 2012 of 690 metric tons, an increase of 13% over 2011, and poppy cultivation in 2012 totaled 51,000 hectares, a 17% increase over 2011; production in the United Wa State Army's areas of greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94.5% of Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption (2013) Burma Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs Fact Sheet January 13, 2017 More information about Burma is available on the

 Burma Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet.

U.S.-BURMA RELATIONS The United States supports a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic Burma that respects the human rights of all its people. Elections in November 2010 led to a peaceful transition from sixty years of military rule to a quasi-civilian government headed by former President Thein Sein. Under former President Thein Sein, the previous Government of Burma initiated a series of political and economic reforms which resulted in a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms include the release of many political prisoners and child soldiers, the signing of a cease-fire agreement with eight major non-state ethnic groups, greater enjoyment of freedom of expression, including by the press, and parliamentary by-elections in 2012 in which pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), won 43 of the 45 contested seats. In historic elections in November 2015, the NLD won a majority of the total seats in the national parliament and in most state and regional parliaments.

Despite some structural problems, including the reservation of 25 percent of parliamentary seats for the military; the disfranchisement of groups of people who voted in previous elections, including the Rohingya; and the disqualification of candidates based on arbitrary application of citizenship and residency requirements, this election represented an incredible step forward in Burma’s democratic transition. The new national parliament sat February 1, 2016, and National League for Democracy member Htin Kyaw was inaugurated as president on March 30, 2016. President Htin Kyaw’s inauguration, and the formation of a democratically elected, civilian-led government were momentous steps for Burma’s democratic transition. In two of its first major initiatives, the new government released two waves of political prisoners, including five well-known journalists and 69 student activists held on politically motivated charges, though others remain in jail. These actions demonstrated the new government’s ability to realize its commitment to human rights issues. The United States has employed a calibrated engagement strategy to recognize the positive steps undertaken to date and to incentivize further reform.

The guiding principles of this approach have been to support Burma’s political and economic reforms; promote national reconciliation; build government transparency, and accountability and institutions; empower local communities and civil society; promote responsible international engagement; and strengthen respect for and protection of human rights and religious freedom. As part of our calibrated approach to support further reform, the United States has restored full diplomatic relations, re-established a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission in country, supported new grant and lending operations and technical assistance by international financial institutions, and eased economic and investment sanctions against Burma. Senior U.S. government officials have traveled to the country to meet with the Government of Burma, political parties, civil society, human rights activists, religious and ethnic leaders, and youth, demonstrating the United States’ continuing support to Burma in its democratic reform efforts. While the country has made significant progress, major institutional and political challenges remain, including completing the national reconciliation process with various ethnic groups, strengthening respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, releasing remaining political prisoners, and improving the conditions in Rakhine State, particularly those facing members of the Rohingya population.

Additionally, more progress needs to be made to reduce the military’s role in politics, move from cease-fires to political dialogue, and to improve rule of law and government accountability. The United States continues to emphasize to the Government of Burma the importance of promoting values of tolerance, diversity, and peaceful co-existence, and for the Burmese military to completely end military ties with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The military government changed the country name to "Myanmar" in 1989. U.S. Assistance to Burma The United States has a long-standing commitment to improving the lives of the people of Burma. After the USAID Mission was closed in 1989, the United States continued to deliver emergency humanitarian assistance along the Thailand-Burma border, including through NGO partners for Burmese refugees and asylum seekers in the refugee camps on the border. The United States resumed targeted health programs in 1998. In 2008, U.S. assistance efforts scaled up in response to the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis. Burma's ongoing reforms led to the re-establishment of the USAID Mission in 2012. Carefully integrated with U.S.

diplomatic efforts, U.S. development assistance focuses on deepening and sustaining key political and economic reforms, ensuring that the democratic transition benefits everyday people, and mitigating division and conflict. Since 2012, the United States has provided over $500 million to support Burma’s transition, advance the peace process, and improve the lives of millions, including by assisting communities affected by violence and combatting hate speech and communal violence. More than 1.1 million people have improved food security, and over 300,000 impoverished farming families have increased their agricultural productivity with better access to technology, markets and new investments. New entrepreneurs are benefiting from the economic reform process, which has increased access to information and communications technology. Over 20 public-private partnerships with leading U.S. corporations, information and communications technology companies, and foundations work to develop small and medium enterprises, improve healthcare, and bring new technologies to Burma. In preparation for the historic elections in 2015, the United States trained more than 7,300 political party members and partnered with over 300 civil society organizations on voter education and observation, strengthening public participation in Burma’s overall reform process.

In FY 2015, the United States provided more than $50 million to address humanitarian needs in Burma, including among internally displaced persons throughout the country and vulnerable Burmese refugees and asylum seekers in the region. In response to the maritime migrant crisis in May and June 2015, the United States provided more than $6 million towards the emergency appeals from the International Organization for Migration and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and helped provide temporary shelter, emergency relief items, and health, nutrition, and psychosocial assistance. During the heavy seasonal rainfall in July and August 2015 and Tropical Cyclone Komen, which caused significant flooding and landslides throughout the country and affected more than 1.6 million people, the United States provided more than $5 million in humanitarian assistance to all affected communities, working with local officials and international relief partners to distribute essential supplies and services to the emergency shelters in the worst-affected areas and assist in early recovery efforts. The United States continues to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable communities along the Thailand-Burma border and in Rakhine, Kachin, and Shan States. In addition to USAID, many other U.S.

agencies provide assistance and training in Burma, including the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of the Treasury, and U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Bilateral Economic Relations In recognition of Burma's political and economic reform progress, the United States has taken concrete steps to accelerate broad-based economic growth and support the political reform process. The United States played an instrumental role in supporting renewed engagement from multilateral development banks, which re-started operations in 2013. Over the past three years, U.S. development partners at the World Bank and Asian Development Bank have committed more than $3.8 billion to critical needs in Burma’s infrastructure and human services. In July 2012, the United States issued general licenses that, subject to certain limitations, authorize the exportation of U.S. financial services to Burma and authorize new U.S. investment in Burma, thus permitting the first new U.S. investment in Burma in nearly 15 years.

In September 2012, the United States removed President Thein Sein and Speaker Shwe Mann from the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. In October 2012, the United States took action under H.R. 6431 to allow the U.S. Executive Directors at international financial institutions (IFIs) to vote in favor of the provision of assistance for Burma by the IFI, paving the way for new grant and lending operations. In November 2012, the United States issued a waiver and general license to ease the ban on the importation of products of Burma into the United States, with the exception of jadeite and rubies mined or extracted from Burma and articles of jewelry containing them, for the first time in almost a decade. The July 28, 2013 expiration of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act’s (BFDA) ban on imports from Burma removed the underlying statutory basis for the general import ban. Shortly thereafter, the President issued Executive Order 13651 to remove the general import ban from Executive Order 13310 and to maintain the previously described restrictions associated with jadeite and rubies.

In 2013, the United States issued a general license to authorize U.S. persons to conduct most transactions – including opening and maintaining financial accounts and conducting a range of other financial services – with four of Burma’s major financial institutions: Asia Green Development Bank, Ayeyarwady Bank, Myanmar Economic Bank, and Myanmar Investment and Commercial Bank. In December 2015, the United States issued a six-month general license to authorize most transactions ordinarily incident to the export of goods, technology, and non-financial services to or from Burma provided that the exportation is not to, from, or on behalf of SDNs or otherwise blocked persons. The U.S. government encourages responsible investment in Burma as part of an overall strategy to encourage economic growth and improve the standard of living for the people of Burma. The United States plays a leading role by enhancing human capacity and promoting global standards throughout Southeast Asia due to the quality of private investment. U.S. companies will continue to play a critical role in supporting broad-based, sustainable development in Burma and are helping the country progress toward a more open, inclusive, and democratic society.

Burma's Membership in International Organizations Burma became a member of the United Nations in 1948 following independence from the United Kingdom, and a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1997. Burma was the chair of ASEAN for 2014, its first chairmanship in 17 years as an ASEAN member state. Burma and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the UN, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Bilateral Representation The U.S. Ambassador to Burma is Scot Marciel ; other principal embassy officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List. Burma maintains an embassy in the United States at 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel.: (202) 332-3344; fax: (202) 332-4351.

More information about Burma is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here: Myanmar: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities Aung San Suu Kyi's Opposition Party Wins 2015 Landmark Election Geography Slightly smaller than Texas, Myanmar occupies the Thailand/Cambodia portion of the Indochinese peninsula. India lies to the northwest and China to the northeast. Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand are also neighbors. The Bay of Bengal touches the southwest coast. The fertile delta of the Irrawaddy River in the south contains a network of interconnecting canals and nine principal river mouths. Government Military regime. History The ethnic origins of modern Myanmar (known historically as Burma) are a mixture of Indo-Aryans, who began pushing into the area around 700 B.C. , and the Mongolian invaders under Kublai Khan who penetrated the region in the 13th century. Anawrahta (1044–1077) was the first great unifier of Myanmar.

In 1612, the British East India Company sent agents to Burma, but the Burmese doggedly resisted efforts of British, Dutch, and Portuguese traders to establish posts along the Bay of Bengal. Through the Anglo-Burmese War in 1824–1826 and two subsequent wars, the British East India Company expanded to the whole of Burma. By 1886, Burma was annexed to India, then became a separate colony in 1937.

Question: Republic of the Union of Myanmar is better known as what country?
Answer: Burma