1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Texas
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)
Coastline
1,930 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
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, Desertification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geographic coordinates
22 00 N, 98 00 E
Geography--note
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
Irrigated land
10,680 sq km (1993 est.)
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
Land use
arable land: 15% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 49% other: 34% (1993 est.)
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Map references
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Natural resources
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas
Terrain
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 36% (male 8,883,099; female 8,542,087) 15-64 years: 60% (male 14,343,888; female 14,293,233) 65 years and over: 4% (male 906,517; female 1,112,478) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
28.48 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
12.39 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Mon 2%, Indian 2%, other 5%
Infant mortality rate
76.25 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 54.74 years male: 53.24 years female: 56.32 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.1% male: 88.7% female: 77.7% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese
Net migration rate
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
48,081,302 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
1.61% (1999 est.)
Religions
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist beliefs 1%, other 2%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.63 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular--yin) and 7 states (pyine-mya, singular--pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*
Capital
Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Constitution
3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been approved
Country name
conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US 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
Data code
BM
Executive branch
chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note--the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note--the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister
Flag description
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
Government type
military regime
Independence
4 January 1948 (from UK)
International organization participation
AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador TIN WINN chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: New York Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Kent M. WIEDEMANN embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521) mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
Judicial branch
limited; remnants of the British-era legal system 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 Unity Party or NUP SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social eight minor legal parties Political pressure groups and leaders: National Coalition individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; United Wa State Army or UWSA; Karen National Union or KNU; several Shan factions; All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF
Legal system
does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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 convened election results: percent of vote by party--NA%; seats by party--NLD 396, NUP 10, other 79
National holiday
Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Economy
Agriculture--products
paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; hardwood
Budget
revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)
Currency
1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Debt--external
$4.3 billion (1997 est.)
Economic aid--recipient
$156.9 million (1995)
Economy--overview
Burma has a mixed economy with private activity dominant in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with substantial state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy industry, and the rice trade. Government policy in the last 10 years, 1989-98, has aimed at revitalizing the economy after three decades of tight central planning. Thus, private activity has markedly increased; foreign investment has been encouraged, so far with moderate success; and efforts continue to increase the efficiency of state enterprises. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the volume of black-market trade. A major ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal stability. Although Burma remains a poor Asian country, its rich resources furnish the potential for substantial long-term increases in income, exports, and living standards. The short-term outlook is for continued sluggish growth because of internal unrest, minimal foreign investment, and the large trade deficit.
Electricity--consumption
3.75 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
3.75 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 61.33% hydro: 38.67% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
kyats (K) per US$1--6.1163 (January 1999), 6.3432 (1998), 6.2418 (1997), 5.9176 (1996), 5.6670 (1995), 5.9749 (1994); unofficial--310-350 (1998)
Exports
$940 million (1997)
Exports--commodities
pulses and beans, teak, rice, rubber, hardwood
Exports--partners
India 17%, Singapore 14%, China 11%, Thailand 9%, Japan 4% (1997)
Fiscal year
1 April--31 March
GDP
purchasing power parity--$56.1 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 59% industry: 11% services: 30% (1997 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$1,200 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
1.1% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$2.2 billion (1997)
Imports--commodities
machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products
Imports--partners
Singapore 30%, Japan 17%, China 10%, Thailand 10%, Malaysia 7% (1997)
Industrial production growth rate
9.2% (FY95/96 est.)
Industries
agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
50% (1998 est.)
Labor force
18.8 million (FY95/96 est.)
Labor force--by occupation
agriculture 65.2%, industry 14.3%, trade 10.1%, government 6.3%, other 4.1% (FY88/89 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
NA%
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios
NA
Telephone system
meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station--1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones
122,195 (1993 est.)
Television broadcast stations
2 (1998 est.)
Televisions
88,000 (1992 est.)
Transportation
Airports
80 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 11 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 69 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 32 (1998 est.)
Heliports
1 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 41 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 464,478 GRT/695,923 DWT ships by type: bulk 14, cargo 20, container 2, oil tanker 3, passenger-cargo 2 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Japan owns 2 ships, US 3 (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Railways
total: 3,740 km narrow gauge: 3,740 km 1.000-m gauge (1997)
Waterways
12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Military and Security
Military branches
Army, Navy, Air Force
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$3.904 billion (FY97/98)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
2.1% (FY97/98)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 12,475,987 females age 15-49: 12,224,947 (1999 est.) note: both sexes liable for military service Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 6,660,309 females age 15-49: 6,510,730 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 496,912 females: 477,803 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
Disputes--international
sporadic conflict with Thailand over alignment of border
Illicit drugs
world's largest producer of illicit opium (cultivation in 1998--130,300 hectares, a 16% decline from 1997; potential production--1,750 metric tons, down 26% due to drought and the first eradication effort since the current government took power in 1987) and a minor producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of serious government commitment and resources continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; growing role in the production of methamphetamines for regional consumption