Table of Contents Chapter 1 1 Country Overview 1 Country Overview 2 Key Data 4 Burma (Myanmar) 5 Asia 6 Chapter 2 8 Political Overview 8 History 9 Political Conditions 12 Political Risk Index 57 Political Stability 71 Freedom Rankings 87 Human Rights 98 Government Functions 102 Government Structure 104 Principal Government Officials 115 Leader Biography 125 Leader Biography 125 Foreign Relations 128 National Security 140 Defense Forces 142 Chapter 3 145 Economic Overview 145 Economic Overview 146 Nominal GDP and Components 149 Population and GDP Per Capita 151 Real GDP and Inflation 152 Government Spending and Taxation 153 Money Supply, Interest Rates and Unemployment 154 Foreign Trade and the Exchange Rate 155 Data in US Dollars 156 Energy Consumption and Production Standard Units 157 Energy Consumption and Production QUADS 159 World Energy Price Summary 160 CO2 Emissions 161 Agriculture Consumption and Production 162 World Agriculture Pricing Summary 164 Metals Consumption and Production 165 World Metals Pricing Summary 167 Economic Performance Index 168 Chapter 4 180 Investment Overview 180 Foreign Investment Climate 181 Foreign Investment Index 184 Corruption Perceptions Index 197 Competitiveness Ranking 208 Taxation 217 Stock Market 218 Partner Links 218 Chapter 5 220 Social Overview 220 People 221 Human Development Index 222 Life Satisfaction Index 226 Happy Planet Index 237 Status of Women 246 Global Gender Gap Index 249 Culture and Arts 259 Etiquette 259 Travel Information 260 Diseases/Health Data 272 Chapter 6 278 Environmental Overview 278 Environmental Issues 279 Environmental Policy 280 Greenhouse Gas Ranking 281 Global Environmental Snapshot 292 Global Environmental Concepts 304 International Environmental Agreements and Associations 318 Appendices 342 Bibliography 343 Burma (Myanmar) Chapter 1 Country Overview Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 1 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Country Overview BURMA (MYANMAR) The military authorities ruling this country have changed the historic name - Burma - to Union of Myanmar or Myanmar. Although the new name is used in conventional practice today, it was never endorsed by a sitting legislature. CountryWatch references this country by both the historic and conventional names in its materials, however, the lack of legitimization in regard to the conventional usage should be duly noted. Britain conquered Burma in 1824 and annexed it into its Indian Empire towards the end of the 19th century. Located in Southeastern Asia between Bangladesh and Thailand, Burma gained its independence from Britain in 1948. Following a period of stability under a democratic, parliamentary government, constitutional disputes and persistent division among political and ethnic groups contributed to the government's weak hold on power. A coup in 1962 abolished the constitution and established a military government with socialist policies. Since then, Burma has been under military rule. Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the country's elections of 1990 but was never allowed to take power, and Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1991, spent most of the last decade under house arrest for her political efforts. (See Note below). Elections in 2010 were intended to return the country to good standing in the global community although Burma's record on this front remains mixed. Burma is endowed with fertile soil and has important offshore oil and gas deposits. It is also the world's largest exporter of teak and a principal source of jade, pearls, rubies and sapphires. However, long-term economic mismanagement under military rule has prevented the economy from developing in line with its potential. The country suffers from pervasive government controls, inefficient economic policies, and widespread poverty. Editor's Note: Born in 1945, Aung San Suu Kyi was the daughter of Burma's independence hero, General Aung San, who was assassinated in 1947. Suu Kyi was educated at Oxford University in the United Kingdom. In the 1980s, when she returned to Burma (also known as Myanmar), she became embroiled in popular unrest against the ruling dictator of the time, Ne Win. In 1989, as the military junta declared martial law, Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest. Nevertheless, Suu Kyi's Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 2 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the country's elections a year later in 1990. She was never allowed to take power and the military junta -- which controlled Myanmar (Burma) for decades -- refused to transition the country to civilian democratic rule. Once known as State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC, the leadership body of the ruling military junta changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 1997. Although landmark elections were held in 2010, they were boycotted by Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy and condemned by the international community for being a sham, aimed only at reinforcing the power of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party. Nevertheless, the military authorities of Burma (Myanmar) have insisted that the elections were emblematic of Burma's (Myanmar's) transition from military rule to a civilian democracy. For her part, Aung San Suu Kyi has spent most of the last decade under house arrest for her political efforts, which were aimed at pressing the ruling forces on the return to legitimate and transparent democracy. Although she was released for a short period of time in the mid-1990s with limited freedom, by the year 2000, Suu Kyi was subjected to almost continuous detention until her release in November 2010. Even after her arrest, she was not allowed to contest the 2010 elections. In 2013, there has been a thrust for change and reform in Burma (Myanmar), largely attributable to emerging engagement with the Obama administration in the United States. One consequence of that path toward more meaningful political reform has been the inclusion of Aung San Suu Kyi in the political process. In addition to the re-registering her National League for Democracy as a legitimate political party was the fact that Suu Kyi would contest the 2012 parliamentary by- elections. By the start of April 2012, Suu Kyi re-entered the realm of elected politics having won a seat in the country's parliament. For her steadfast efforts to advance legitimate and transparent democracy in Burma (Myanmar), Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 3 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Key Data Key Data Region: Asia Population: 56320208 Tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, Climate: June to Sept.); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, Dec. to April) Languages: Burmese Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas Holiday: Independence Day is 4 January (1948), Martyr's Day is 19 July Area Total: 678500 Area Land: 657740 Coast Line: 1930 Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 4 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Burma (Myanmar) Country Map Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 5 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Asia Regional Map Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 6 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 7 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Chapter 2 Political Overview Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 8 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) History Editor's Note: The military authorities ruling this country have changed the historic name - Burma - to Union of Myanmar or Myanmar. Although the new name is used in conventional practice today, it was never endorsed by a sitting legislature. CountryWatch references this country by both the historic and conventional names in its materials, however, the lack of legitimization in regard to the conventional usage should be duly noted. Early History Between the first century before the common era (B.C.E.) and the ninth century of the common era (C.E.), speakers of Tibeto-Burman languages known as the Pyu were establishing city- kingdoms in Burma (now known as Myanmar). To the south of the Pyu lived the Mon who founded the ancient city of Thaton, and they became dominant in southern Burma during this period. Between the first and fourth centuries C.E., the overland trade route between China and India passed through Burma's borders, and as a result, Thaton's prosperity and importance increased. While the Indian merchants brought with them precious cargoes, they also brought to Burma their religious, political and legal ideas. This influx of foreign influence, however, did not change Burma. Given its geographic isolation-surrounded by mountains on three sides and the sea on a fourth- Burma was able to withstand assimilation and keep it culture largely intact. In mid-11th century, Anawrhta came to the throne in northern Burma and the core of modern-day Burma had been united into a single kingdom centered at Pagan. Late in the 13th century, the Pagan kingdom was divided and in 1486 the Ava dynasty was firmly established. The Ava dynasty put its priority on unifying the Burmese, Shan and Mon peoples of the region, but internal disunity left this goal unrealized. By the end of the 16th century, the Ava dynasty was resurrected, which led to the unification of Burma (Myanmar) Review 2016 Page 9 of 354 pages Burma (Myanmar) Burma in the 17th century. Meanwhile, the British and the Dutch came to Burma vying with the Portuguese and the French for dominance of the region. During the next century, Burma was at war with all these European powers and with Siam (now Thailand) and China as well. In the 19th century, there were three Anglo-Burmese wars with the British invading Burma for its wealth. In the 1819 war, the British obtained some Burmese territory, and in 1852 the British controlled the lower Burma. In 1885, Burma was finally annexed to the British Empire and became a province of India, a colony of the British itself.

Load more