Myanmar

by: U Min Than Thoung Presented at the Third SEAMOLEC GB Meeting (23-26 September 1999)

INTRODUCTION

Myanmar borders with China in the north, Laos and Thailand in the east, and Bangladesh and India in the west. Myanmar has about 2,300 kilometers of coastline in the west and south along the Bay of Bengal. The area of Myanmar is 676,578 square kilometers of which about 48 percent is covered by forests and more than half the land is mountainous. Central and lower Myanmar consists of valleys or flat plains with hills, but the northern and eastern parts are hilly and mountainous. Three mountain ranges, beginning from the eastern extremity of the Himalayan mountain range, run parallel to each other from north to south.

The population of the Union of Myanmar in 1998 is estimated at 47.25 million. Of the total estimated population the male and female population were 23.46 million and 23.79 million respectively. The population growth rate is 1.84%. The proportion of population under 15 years has declined from 38.28% to 33.58% in the decade 1985-86 to 1995-96. In 1995-96, it was estimated that 64.09% of the population was engaged in the agricultural sector, 8.43 % in the industrial sector, the various productive sectors employed 10.10%, the services sector accounted for 4.4%; and the trade sector employed 9.75%. Being an agricultural country, the largest portion of the workforce was employed in agriculture. In 1996-97, out of the total estimated employment of 21.95 million, the male labour force was 13.57 million and female labour force was 8.38 million. It is expected that the population will reach the mark of 50 million by the year of 2000.

There are 135 ethnic groups and the major ethnic groups in descending order by size of population are: Bamar, Shan, Kayin, Rakhine, Mon, Chin, Kachin and Kayah. Myanmar is divided administratively into the following 7 States and 7 Divisions:

• The States and Divisions are subdivided into 64 Districts and 324 Townships.

• The States are territorially larger than the Divisions but are less populous and homogenous since they provide homelands for the hill tribes.

Myanmar history dates back to the early 11th Century when king Anawrahta unified the country and founded the First Myanmar Empire in Bagan more than 20 years before the Norrnan Conquest of England in 1066. The Bagan Empire encompassed the areas of the present-day Myanmar and the entire Menam Valley in Thailand and lasted two centuries. The Second Myanmar Empire was founded in mid 16th Century by King Bayinnaung. King Alaungpaya founded the last Myanmar Dynasty in 1752 and it was during the zenith of this Empire that the British moved into Myanmar. Like India, Myanmar became a British colony but only after three Anglo-Myanmar Wars in 1825, 1852 and 1885.

During the Second World War, Myanmar was occupied by the Japanese from 1942 till the return of the Allied Forces in 1945. Myanmar has become a sovereign independent state since 4th January 1948 after 62 years under the colonial administration. It is remarkable to note that Myanmar is the country that regained her independence first though she was the last country occupied by the British in this region.

One of the major interests in Myanmar is the religious structure of Pagodas and Myanmar is often referred as Land of Pagodas because of the countless Pagodas built all over the country. Pagodas and monasteries have been built and rebuilt during the past 1,000 years. The most famous pagoda is Shwedagon, in the capital Yangon, with its spire rising to a height of 99.5 meters. It is one of the oldest Buddhist Shrines and one of the wonders of the world. Another place of historical interest is Bagan, which is 193 km south of Mandalay (the second largest city) in Upper Myanmar. Bagan is an ancient city, which had about four million pagodas and is one of the richest archaeological sites in Asia. In addition, there are many interesting places in Myanmar such as Mandalay Palace, Inle Lake in the Shan State, Napali Beach in Rakhine State, the Mingun Bell near Mandalay, which is the second largest bronze cast bell in the world among others.

The Myanmar currency is the Kyat, which comprises 100 Pyas. The official exchange rate is between Kyats 6 and 7 per US$ 1.00.

Myanmar is basically an agricultural country and rice is her nationals staple food as well as a significant item of export. Other products of export are rice products, pulses, beans, rubber, teak and hardwood.

There are four daily newspapers in Myanmar language namely Myanmar Alin, Kyemon (the Mirror),  Myodaw (Yangon evening tabloid) and YadanabonThe New Light of Myanmar  is the daily newspaper in English.

Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV) Department is state owned and the TV station in Yangon uses direct transmission, microwave and satellite relays. Its downlink carries Myanmar Programs into many neighbouring countries. TV Myanmar broadcast news, information, entertainment and advertisements in Myanmar and English. Radio Myanmar broadcasts in English, Myanmar and languages of the main national ethnic races. Another TV channel is the Myawaddy TV Program  which operates parallel with TV Myanmar Program.