Myanmar
GEOGRAPHY
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand. Strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes; the north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important commercial waterway
Area total 676,578 sq. km (land 653,508 sq km; water 23,070 sq km)
Land boundaries 6,522 km (Bangladesh 271 km, China 2129 km, India 1468 km, Laos 238 km, Thailand 2416 km)
Coastline 1,930 km
Capital City: Rangoon (Yangon); note - Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital
etymology: Rangoon (Yangon) is a compound of "yan" signifying "enemies" and "koun" meaning "to run out of" and so denoting "End of Strife"; Nay Pyi Taw translates as: "Great City of the Sun" or "Abode of Kings"
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)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Elevation: highest point: Gamlang Razi 5,870 m; lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
PEOPLE AND SOCIETY
Population: 57,069,099 (July 2021 est.)
Nationality: Burmese
Languages: Burmese (official)
note: minority ethnic groups use their own languages
Ethnic Groups: Burman (Bamar) 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
note: government recognizes 135 indigenous ethnic groups
Religions: Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2014 est.)
DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE
0-24 years: 43%
25-54 years: 43%
55+ years: 14%
Median age: 29 years
Urbanization - 31% of total population (2021)
Population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated
NATIONAL IDENTITY
COUNTRY NAMES
conventional long form: Myanmar
conventional short form: Myanmar
local long form: Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
Independence: 4 January 1948 (from Great Britain)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
Government Type: Parliamentary Republic
Administrative Divisions
7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing), 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne), 1 union territory
regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon)
states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine, Shan
union territory: Nay Pyi Taw
Flag Description
Design consists of three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a large white five-pointed star that partially overlaps onto the adjacent colored stripes; the design revives the triband colors used by Burma from 1943-45, during the Japanese occupation
National anthem
name: "Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World, Myanmar)
lyrics/music: SAYA TIN
National symbol(s): chinthe (mythical lion); national colors: yellow, green, red, white
ECONOMY
agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments; jade and gems
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 1,730 Myanmar Kyat (MMK), 2021 est
COMM
International: country code - 95
Internet country code - .mm
Mobile cellular subscriptions: 63,877,526 (113 per 100 inhabitants, 2019 est.)
Internet users total: 17,064,985 (31% of population, 2018 est.)
SOURCE: CIA World Factbook
