km in the northwesternmost part of mainland Southeast Asia. According to the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems categories and criteria more than a third of Myanmar's land area has been converted to anthropogenic ecosystems over the last 2–3 centuries, and nearly half of its ecosystems are threatened. [144] Regions are predominantly Bamar (that is, mainly inhabited by Myanmar's dominant ethnic group). They are mainly targeted or deceived by brokers into making them believe that better opportunities and wages exist for them abroad. The kingdom was a protectorate of the Bengal Sultanate at different time periods.[57]. 3. [190] Myanmar imports most of its weapons from Russia, Ukraine, China and India. The lower house consists of 330 members who are directly elected and 110 who are appointed by the armed forces. [333] Historically, Myanmar has had high literacy rates. On 27 March 2006, the military junta, which had moved the national capital from Yangon to a site near Pyinmana in November 2005, officially named the new capital Naypyidaw, meaning "city of the kings".[83]. It is approximated at least nine different ways: as three syllables /ˈmiː.ənmɑːr/, /miˈænmɑːr/, /ˌmaɪ.ənˈmɑːr/, /maɪˈɑːnmɑːr/, /ˈmaɪ.ænmɑːr/; or as two syllables /ˌmjænˈmɑːr/, /ˈmjænmɑːr/, /ˌmjɑːnˈmɑːr/ (listen), /ˈmjɑːnmɑːr/. Myanmar (English pronunciation below; Burmese: မြန်မာ [mjəmà])[nb 1] or Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar,[nb 2] is a country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar, also known as Burma, is in South East Asia. Online Burmese Keyboard (Myanmar) Note. The official language is Burmese, spoken by the people of the plains and, as a second language, by most people of the hills. During this time, the United Nations and several other organisations have reported consistent and systematic human rights violations in the country. [2][25] In English, the country is popularly known as either Burma or Myanmar. Although Burma is considered by some to be part of South Asia (the many influences from proximity can be seen), it is officially a member of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). [243] Several activists in exile, including Thee Lay Thee Anyeint members, have returned to Myanmar after President Thein Sein's invitation to expatriates to return home to work for national development. The English name of the city … In regards to communications infrastructure, Myanmar is the last ranked Asian country in the World Economic Forum's Network Readiness Index (NRI) – an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies. Also called Burma, Myanmar is comprised of over 100 different nationalities. Python Patrol is a no-cost training program that aims to create a network of trained individuals throughout south Florida who know how to identify Burmese pythons, report sightings, and in some cases, capture and humanely kill the snakes. Rice accounts for 97% of total food grain production by weight. THE BURMESE IS A PLAYFUL AND LOVING CAT. These were the first openly contested elections held in Myanmar since the 1990 general election (which was annulled[114]).The results gave the NLD an absolute majority of seats in both chambers of the national parliament, enough to ensure that its candidate would become president, while NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi is constitutionally barred from the presidency.[114][115]. Through collaboration with the International Rice Research Institute 52 modern rice varieties were released in the country between 1966 and 1997, helping increase national rice production to 14 million tons in 1987 and to 19 million tons in 1996. Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia. President Barack Obama praised the former general for political and economic reforms and the cessation of tensions between Myanmar and the United States. [25] The military is very influential in Myanmar, with all top cabinet and ministry posts usually held by military officials. The name of the country of Burma (or Myanmar, as it is now officially known) is associated with the dominant ethnic group, the Burmese. Taipei American Chamber of Commerce; Topics Magazine, Analysis, November 2012. The breadth of this empire was short-lived. Myanmar lost some of its recent conquests but was basically unscathed. Myanmar's education system is modelled after that of the United Kingdom. Until 2013, Burma was one of only three countries in the world where you couldn't buy a Coca-Cola; Cuba and North Korea were the other two. As a major battleground, Burma was devastated during World War II by the Japanese invasion. Almost all aspects of society (business, media, production) were nationalised or brought under government control under the Burmese Way to Socialism,[77] which combined Soviet-style nationalisation and central planning. Rubies are the biggest earner; 90% of the world's rubies come from the country, whose red stones are prized for their purity and hue. For several weeks, junta troops fought against ethnic minorities including the Han Chinese,[89] Wa, and Kachin. Asia. [257][258] In addition, decades of civil war and unrest have contributed to Myanmar's current levels of poverty and lack of economic progress. Since the democratic transition began in 2011, there has been continuous violence as 280 people have been killed and 140,000 forced to flee from their homes in the Rakhine state. In 1989 the country’s official English name, which it had held since 1885, was changed from the Union of Burma to the Union of Myanmar; in the Burmese language the country has been known as Myanma (or, more precisely, Mranma Prañ) since the 13th century. The goal of the Burmese constitutional referendum of 2008, held on 10 May 2008, is the creation of a "discipline-flourishing democracy". What Does Burmese Python Meat Taste Like? Some regions in Burma are still closed to travelers. The debate goes on about the use of these two names, but in the vernacular, most people use /ba-ma/ while /myan-ma/ is used in literary or formal style. The persecution of Burmese Indians, Burmese Chinese and other ethnic groups after the military coup headed by General Ne Win in 1962 led to the expulsion or emigration of 300,000 people. In the 18th century, Burmese rulers, whose country had not previously been of particular interest to European traders, sought to maintain their traditional influence in the western areas of Assam, Manipur and Arakan. The resounding victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy in the 2015 general election raised hope for a successful culmination of this transition. [53], By the 9th century, several city-states had sprouted across the land: the Pyu in the central dry zone, Mon along the southern coastline and Arakanese along the western littoral. The change was rejected by many world governments due to the junta's messy history of civil war and human rights violations. The 2015 elections and the victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's party helped open up international relations and tourism, making the name "Myanmar" more acceptable. Myanmar is a nation with a multiplicity of ethnic groups, more than130 distinct ethnic groups are recognized by the Burmese government. [153], Previously and currently analysed data, as well as future projections on changes caused by climate change predict serious consequences to development for all economic, productive, social, and environmental sectors in Myanmar. Religious edifices and orders have been in existence for many years. Burmese ျမန္ မာစကား (written Burmese) ျမန္ မာစကား (spoken Burmese) Pronunciation: IPA: or IPA: [mjəmà zəɡá] Region: Burma, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore: Ethnicity: Bamar people Despite large gaps in information for some ecosystems, there is a large potential to develop a comprehensive protected area network that protects its terrestrial biodiversity. It neighbours Thailand, Laos, Bangladesh, China and India. These restricted areas require special permits to enter and should be avoided. The primary Tai–Kadai language is Shan. Myanmar lacks adequate infrastructure. The renaming remains a contested issue. Where is Myanmar? On 23 June 1997, Myanmar was admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Burmese pythons are established in the park due to accidental or intentional release of captive pet animals. In 2007 German professor Bassam Tibi suggested that the Rohingya conflict may be driven by an Islamist political agenda to impose religious laws,[236] while non-religious causes have also been raised, such as a lingering resentment over the violence that occurred during the Japanese occupation of Burma in World War II—during this time period the British allied themselves with the Rohingya[237] and fought against the puppet government of Burma (composed mostly of Bamar Japanese) that helped to establish the Tatmadaw military organisation that remains in power as of March 2013. British Burma began exporting crude oil in 1853. [2] The government of Canada has in the past used Burma,[27] such as in its 2007 legislation imposing sanctions[28] but as of August 2020 generally uses Myanmar. [274], Many U.S. and European jewellery companies, including Bulgari, Tiffany and Cartier, refuse to import these stones based on reports of deplorable working conditions in the mines. Naturalised citizenship is only given to those who have at least one parent with one of these types of Burmese citizenship or can provide "conclusive evidence" that their parents entered and resided in Burma prior to independence in 1948. In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis caused extensive damage in the densely populated rice-farming delta of the Irrawaddy Division. [248], Following Thein Sein's first ever visit to the UK and a meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron, the Myanmar president declared that all of his nation's political prisoners will be released by the end of 2013, in addition to a statement of support for the well-being of the Rohingya Muslim community. [357] Myanmar is the primary subject of a 2007 graphic novel titled Chroniques Birmanes by Québécois author and animator, Guy Delisle. However, the military junta refused to cede power[82] and continued to rule the nation as SLORC until 1997, and then as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) until its dissolution in March 2011. Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Reference to Casualty and Other Figures, 1500–2000. [314][315], A large majority of the population practices Buddhism; estimates range from 80%[316] to 89%. This indicates some form of communication between groups in Myanmar and other places, possibly through trade. One of the first to study western art was Ba Nyan. [22] The name Burma has been in use in English since the 18th century. [252] Since August 2017 Doctors Without Borders have treated 113 Rohingya refugee females for sexual assault with all but one describing military assailants. [13] In the 2015 election, Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a majority in both houses. The capital of Burma was moved from Yangon (formerly Rangoon) to Naypyidaw in 2005. Its trade and secular administrative reforms built a prosperous economy for more than 80 years. In 2009, a documentary about Burmese videojournalists called Burma VJ was released. Pagan's rulers and wealthy built over 10,000 Buddhist temples in the Pagan capital zone alone. [132], International development and aid partners -- business, non-governmental, and governmental -- hinted at suspension of partnerships with Myanmar. Hunters can kill Burmese pythons and other invasive reptiles on private lands all year, without a permit or hunting license. [67] Beginning in late 1944, allied troops launched a series of offensives that led to the end of Japanese rule in July 1945. The refugee camps are under the care of the Thai-Burma Border Consortium (TBBC). [247] A 2011 report by the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations found that, while contact with the Myanmar government was constrained by donor restrictions, international humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) see opportunities for effective advocacy with government officials, especially at the local level. Early civilisations in Myanmar included the Tibeto-Burman-speaking Pyu city-states in Upper Burma and the Mon kingdoms in Lower Burma. [298] There are nine permanent refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, most of which were established in the mid-1980s. The British took control of southern Burma at that time and added the rest of the country to its Indian sphere after the Third Anglo-Burmese War in 1885. Myanmar's deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been detained for two weeks, according to her party's spokesperson, two days after the country's powerful armed forces seized control in a coup. There are at least 108 different ethnolinguistic groups in Myanmar, consisting mainly of distinct Tibeto-Burman peoples, but with sizeable populations of Tai–Kadai, Hmong–Mien, and Austroasiatic (Mon–Khmer) peoples.[294]. After a parliamentary government was formed in 1948, Prime Minister U Nu embarked upon a policy of nationalisation and the state was declared the owner of all land. 23, 2019 , 2:00 PM. There are over 600,000 registered migrant workers from Myanmar in Thailand, and millions more work illegally. [79] There were sporadic protests against military rule during the Ne Win years, and these were almost always violently suppressed. [259], Both China and India have attempted to strengthen ties with the government for economic benefit in the early 2010s. [195][196][197][198] But in 2006 a divided United Nations General Assembly voted through a resolution that strongly called upon the government of Myanmar to end its systematic violations of human rights. A new constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma was adopted in 1974. [327][328] Although health care is nominally free, in reality, patients have to pay for medicine and treatment, even in public clinics and hospitals. [348] Football is played all over the country, even in villages, and its national team is ruled by the Myanmar Football Federation. Because pythons can grow to such unmanageable sizes, it was inevitable that some irresponsible owners would release the snakes into the wild. [14], Myanmar is a member of the East Asia Summit, Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN, and BIMSTEC, but it is not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. In a traditional village, the monastery is the centre of cultural life. [271], The major agricultural product is rice, which covers about 60% of the country's total cultivated land area. It is used all over the world for their skins and so they are frequently hunted in the wild. Burma, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia. In the west, a politically fragmented Arakan was under competing influences of its stronger neighbours until the Kingdom of Mrauk U unified the Arakan coastline for the first time in 1437. A cultural wonderland, a huge mix of ethnic groups, rich history, and stunning nature definitely make it a favourite of ours. There may be temperament differences between adult males and females. One of the larger species of snakes in the world is the Burmese Python. Tickets are still done the old-fashioned way: your name is written into a giant book with a pencil. The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party declared victory in the 2010 elections, stating that it had been favoured by 80 per cent of the votes; however, the claim was disputed by numerous pro-democracy opposition groups who asserted that the military regime had engaged in rampant fraud. Burmese contemporary art has developed quite rapidly on its own terms. Colonial architectural influences are most evident in major cities such as Yangon. •Lyrikline: Burmese poems, with translation (+ audio) • Northern Illinois university: Burmese texts & poems, with translation in English • Burmese classical poems selected and translated by Friedrich Lustig (1966) • the New Testament in Burmese by Adoniram Judson (1832) • Catechism of scripture history translated into Burmese, by Sarah Comstock (1842) [39], Myanmar is known with a name deriving from Burma as opposed to Myanmar in Spanish, Italian, Romanian, and Greek – Birmania being the local version of Burma in the Spanish language, for example. This political transition from a closely held military rule to a free democratic system is widely believed to be determining the future of Myanmar. It's located at the northeast edge of Southeast Asia and borders Thailand, Laos, China, Tibet, India, and Bangladesh. However, the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia unravelled soon after Bayinnaung's death in 1581, completely collapsing by 1599. Burmese soldiers are raping and murdering Muslims today, warns UN . [143], Myanmar is a biodiverse country with more than 16,000 plant, 314 mammal, 1131 bird, 293 reptile, and 139 amphibian species, and 64 terrestrial ecosystems including tropical and subtropical vegetation, seasonally inundated wetlands, shoreline and tidal systems, and alpine ecosystems. This territory became known as Lower Burma. Over the next sixty years, diplomacy, raids, treaties and compromises, known collectively as the Anglo-Burmese Wars, continued until Britain proclaimed control over most of Burma. [188] Controversy surrounding the Rohingya population also remains an issue between Bangladesh and Myanmar.[189]. Note: These coordinates are for the old capital of Yangon. [220] Human trafficking happens mostly to women who are unemployed and have low incomes. They don’t have venom but that doesn’t mean a bite won’t hurt! In a speech at Chatham House, he revealed that "We [Myanmar government] are reviewing all cases. The country was mostly closed off until relatively recently; the regime in charge didn't do much to attract visitors. [62] Nonetheless, the extent and pace of reforms were uneven and ultimately proved insufficient to stem the advance of British colonialism. iStock. [171], Sanctions imposed by the United States and European countries against the former military government, coupled with boycotts and other direct pressure on corporations by supporters of the democracy movement, have resulted in the withdrawal from the country of most U.S. and many European companies. Freshwater fish and shrimp have been incorporated into inland cooking as a primary source of protein and are used in a variety of ways, fresh, salted whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed. "[217] In September 2012, the Myanmar Armed Forces released 42 child soldiers, and the International Labour Organization met with representatives of the government as well as the Kachin Independence Army to secure the release of more child soldiers. With 139 countries reported on, Myanmar ranked number 133 overall in the 2016 NRI ranking.[354]. Females are intelligent, highly curious, active, and deeply emotionally involved with their human companions. The balance was upset when the Pyu came under repeated attacks from Nanzhao between the 750s and the 830s. Historian Thant Myint-U states, "This was out of a total population of only 13 million; it was equivalent to the United Kingdom today taking 2 million people a year." Myanmar's "Valley of Rubies", the mountainous Mogok area, 200 km (120 mi) north of Mandalay, is noted for its rare pigeon's blood rubies and blue sapphires. Females tend to demand center stage and take an active role in managing the household. [311][312][313] More than 200,000 Muslims have fled to Bangladesh over the last 20 years to escape persecution. The location of Burma, interesting facts, and what to expect traveling there. The first Burmese sound film was produced in 1932 in Bombay, India with the title Ngwe Pay Lo Ma Ya (Money Can't Buy It). [17] As of 2020[update], according to the Human Development Index, Myanmar ranks 147 out of 189 countries in human development. Political activists objected to the visit because of concerns over human rights abuses in Myanmar, but Obama assured Thein Sein that Myanmar will receive U.S. support. Film stars who had been involved in the political activities were banned from appearing in films. [242], The government has assembled a National Human Rights Commission that consists of 15 members from various backgrounds. Konbaung kings extended Restored Toungoo's administrative reforms and achieved unprecedented levels of internal control and external expansion. Burmese (မြန်မာစကား mien ma za ga) is the official and primary language of Myanmar. U Wisara, an activist monk, died in prison after a 166-day hunger strike to protest against a rule that forbade him to wear his Buddhist robes while imprisoned.[65]. Coconut and betel palm and rubber have been introduced. Forests, including dense tropical growth and valuable teak in lower Myanmar, cover over 49% of the country, including areas of acacia, bamboo, ironwood and Magnolia champaca. Overall, 170,000 to 250,000 Burmese civilians died during World War II. [295] 10% of the population are Shan. Some large Western retailers balk at gems from Burma due to labor conditions. The United States and European Union eased most of their sanctions in 2012. [320][321] Jehovah's Witnesses have been present since 1914[322] and have about 80 congregations around the country and a branch office in Yangon publishing in 16 languages. The Burmese python is now distributed across more than a thousand square miles of southern Florida, including all of Everglades National Park and areas to the north including Big Cypress National Preserve and Collier-Seminole State Forest. [184] In July 2019, UN ambassadors of 37 countries, including Myanmar, have signed a joint letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council defending China's treatment of Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang region. "Army's rape of Rohingya women sweeping, methodical: AP". The Burmese under British rule felt helpless, and reacted with a "racism that combined feelings of superiority and fear". Official figures for military spending are not available. The government of Burma makes little effort to eliminate human trafficking. [306] It is written in a script consisting of circular and semi-circular letters, which were adapted from the Mon script, which in turn was developed from a southern Indian script in the 5th century. [344] All male children in Buddhist families are encouraged to be a novice (beginner for Buddhism) before the age of twenty and to be a monk after the age of twenty. [276], Other industries include agricultural goods, textiles, wood products, construction materials, gems, metals, oil and natural gas. [202][203] In November 2012, Samantha Power, Barack Obama's Special Assistant to the President on Human Rights, wrote on the White House blog in advance of the president's visit that "Serious human rights abuses against civilians in several regions continue, including against women and children. This is exactly the reason … Be forewarned – Burmese cats can be addictive! [350] In April 2013, international media reports were published to relay the enactment of the media liberalisation reforms that we announced in August 2012. [335] Factors influencing Myanmar's high murder rate include communal violence and armed conflict. British colonial rule introduced Western elements of culture to Myanmar. Fertile plains exist in the valleys between the mountain chains. [186] "[97] Members of the United Nations and major international human rights organisations have issued repeated and consistent reports of widespread and systematic human rights violations in Myanmar. The United Nations General Assembly has repeatedly[204] called on the Burmese military junta to respect human rights and in November 2009 the General Assembly adopted a resolution "strongly condemning the ongoing systematic violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms" and calling on the Burmese military regime "to take urgent measures to put an end to violations of international human rights and humanitarian law. [256], The informal economy's share in Myanmar is one of the biggest in the world and is closely linked to corruption, smuggling and illegal trade activities. Artists born after the 1980s have had greater chances of art practice outside the country. For most of its independent years, the country has been engrossed in rampant ethnic strife and its myriad ethnic groups have been involved in one of the world's longest-running ongoing civil wars.