SPAMfighter information about
Burma
| The data on this page is obtained from The World Factbook. |
 Communications information
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| SPAMfighters: | 97 |
| Internet users: | 78,000 (2005) |
| Internet hosts: | 42 (2006) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): |
1 note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000) |
| Internet country code: | .mm |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 476,200 (2005) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 183,400 (2005) |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment: barely meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is fair domestic: NA international: country code - 95; satellite earth station - 2, Intelsat (Indian Ocean), and ShinSat |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 1, FM 1 (2004) |
| Radios: | 4.2 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 2 (2004) |
| Televisions: | 320,000 (2000) |
 Geographical information
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| Location: | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand |
| Geographic coordinates: | 22 00 N, 98 00 E |
| Map references: | Southeast Asia |
| Area: |
total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Texas |
| Land boundaries: |
total: 5,876 km border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km |
| Coastline: | 1,930 km |
| Maritime claims: |
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin |
| 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 extremes: |
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower |
| Land use: |
arable land: 14.92% permanent crops: 1.31% other: 83.77% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 18,700 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts |
| Environment - current issues: | deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease |
| Environment - international agreements: |
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 |
| Geography - note: | strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes |
 People information
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| Population: |
47,382,633 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 and death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 26.4% (male 6,335,236/female 6,181,216) 15-64 years: 68.5% (male 16,011,723/female 16,449,626) 65 years and over: 5.1% (male 1,035,853/female 1,368,979) (2006 est.) |
| Median age: |
total: 27 years male: 26.4 years female: 27.6 years (2006 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 0.81% (2006 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 17.91 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Death rate: | 9.83 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) |
| Sex ratio: |
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2006 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: |
total: 61.85 deaths/1,000 live births male: 72.68 deaths/1,000 live births female: 50.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population: 60.97 years male: 58.07 years female: 64.03 years (2006 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 1.98 children born/woman (2006 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 1.2% (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 330,000 (2003 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | 20,000 (2003 est.) |
| Nationality: |
noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese |
| Ethnic groups: | Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% |
| Religions: | Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2% |
| Languages: | Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 85.3% male: 89.2% female: 81.4% (2002) |
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Governmental information
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| Country name: |
conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the United States Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the United States Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw |
| Government type: | military junta |
| Capital: |
name: Rangoon (Yangon) geographic coordinates: 16 47 N, 96 10 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) note: Naypyidaw is being established as a government center |
| Administrative divisions: |
7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne) divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon states: Chin State, Kachin State, Kayah State, Kayin State, Mon State, Rakhine State, Shan State |
| Independence: | 4 January 1948 (from UK) |
| National holiday: | Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947) |
| Constitution: | 3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; national convention convened in 1993 to draft a new constitution but collapsed in 1996; reconvened in 2004 but does not include participation of democratic opposition |
| Legal system: | has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal |
| Executive branch: |
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992) head of government: Prime Minister, Gen SOE WIN (since 19 October 2004) cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by the SPDC; military junta, so named 15 November 1997, assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) elections: none |
| Legislative branch: |
unicameral People´s Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never allowed by junta to convene election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 392 (opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), other 60 |
| Judicial branch: | remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive |
| Political parties and leaders: | National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (pro-regime) [THA KYAW] (at last report); Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; and other smaller parties |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the People´s Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or KNU; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary] |
| International organization participation: | APT, ARF, AsDB, 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), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d´Affaires MYINT LWIN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351 consulate(s) general: New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d´Affaires Shari VILLAROSA embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521) mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 379-880, 379-881 FAX: [95] (1) 256-018 |
| Flag description: | red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, 14 white five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions and seven states |
 Economical information
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| Economy - overview: | Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. The junta took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism," but those efforts stalled, and some of the liberalization measures were rescinded. Burma does not have monetary or fiscal stability, so the economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation, multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, and a distorted interest rate regime. Most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the government of Burma´s attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy, the United States imposed new economic sanctions against Burma - including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by United States persons. A poor investment climate further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. The most productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries, especially oil and gas, mining, and timber. Other areas, such as manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating health and education systems, and corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 shuttered the country´s 20 private banks and disrupted the economy. As of December 2005, the largest private banks operate under tight restrictions limiting the private sector´s access to formal credit. Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large as the official economy. Burma´s trade with Thailand, China, and India is rising. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, better investment and business climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote foreign investment, exports, and tourism. |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | $80.11 billion (2005 est.) |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | $7.464 billion (2005 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 5.2% (2005 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | $1,700 (2005 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 56.4% industry: 8.2% services: 35.3% (2005 est.) |
| Labor force: | 27.75 million (2005 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture: 70% industry: 7% services: 23% (2001) |
| Unemployment rate: | 5% (2005 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 25% (2000 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 20.2% (2005 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $473.3 million expenditures: $716.6 million; including capital expenditures of NA (FY04/05 est.) |
| 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; natural gas |
| Industrial production growth rate: | NA% |
| Electricity - production: | 7.393 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel: 44.5% hydro: 43.4% nuclear: 0% other: 12.1% (2002) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 6.875 billion kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2003) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2004) |
| Oil - production: | 18,500 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
| Oil - consumption: | 32,000 bbl/day (2003 est.) |
| Oil - exports: | 3,356 bbl/day (2003) |
| Oil - imports: | 49,230 bbl/day (2003) |
| Natural gas - production: | 9.98 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 1.569 billion cu m (2003 est.) |
| Current account balance: | $700 million (2005 est.) |
| Exports: |
$3.111 billion f.o.b. note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh (2004) |
| Exports - commodities: | clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice |
| Exports - partners: | Thailand 44.3%, India 12.3%, China 6.8%, Japan 5% (2005) |
| Imports: |
$3.454 billion f.o.b. note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2004) |
| Imports - commodities: | fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products |
| Imports - partners: | China 28.8%, Thailand 21.8%, Singapore 18.3%, Malaysia 7.6% (2005) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $763 million (2005 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $6.99 billion (2005 est.) |
| Currency (code): | kyat (MMK) |
| Currency code: | MMK |
| Exchange rates: |
kyats per United States dollar - 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004), 6.0764 (2003), 6.5734 (2002), 6.6841 (2001) note: these are official exchange rates; unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by year-end 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar |
| Fiscal year: | 1 April - 31 March |
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Transportations information
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| Airports: | 85 (2006) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 21 over 3,047 m: 8 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2006) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 64 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 32 (2006) |
| Heliports: | 1 (2006) |
| Pipelines: | gas 2,224 km; oil 558 km (2006) |
| Railways: |
total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) |
| Roadways: |
total: 27,000 km paved: 3,200 km unpaved: 23,800 km (2005) |
| Waterways: | 12,800 km (2005) |
| Merchant marine: |
total: 34 ships (1000 GRT or over) 402,699 GRT/620,642 DWT by type: bulk carrier 8, cargo 20, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3, specialized tanker 1 foreign-owned: 9 (Germany 5, Japan 4) (2006) |
| Ports and terminals: | Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe |
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Military information
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| Military branches: | Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (2005) |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes (2004) |
| Manpower available for military service: |
males age 18-49: 12,268,850 females age 18-49: 12,469,771 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: |
males age 18-49: 7,946,701 females age 18-49: 8,543,705 (2005 est.) |
| Manpower reaching military service age annually: |
males age 18-49: 469,841 females: 455,689 (2005 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $39 million (FY97) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 2.1% (FY97) |
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Information about transnational issues
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| Disputes - international: | over half of Burma´s population consists of diverse ethnic groups with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities; ethnic Karens flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops; in 2005 Thailand sheltered about 121,000 Burmese refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern over China´s construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote Burmese uplands |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | IDPs: 550,000-1,000,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, Tavoyan, and Mon) (2005) |
| Illicit drugs: | remains world´s second largest producer of illicit opium (estimated production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003 due to eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900 hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); 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; currently under Financial Action Task Force countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate money-laundering controls (2005) |
