2003 Edition

Administrative divisions

7 divisions* (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 6,091,220; female 5,840,968) 15-64 years: 67% (male 14,162,190; female 14,347,751) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 916,702; female 1,151,706) (2003 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products

Airports

80 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

over 3,047 m

2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)

total

8

Airports - with unpaved runways

over 3,047 m

2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16

total

72

under 914 m

34 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 20

Area

land

657,740 sq km

total

678,500 sq km

water

20,760 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

Background

Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention from September 2000 to May 2002 and again in May 2003; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed. Geography Burma

Birth rate

19.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)

revenues

$7.9 billion

Capital

Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)

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

Constitution

3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; progress has since been stalled

Country name

conventional long form

Union of Burma

conventional short form

Burma

former

Socialist Republic of the Union of 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

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 US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw

Currency

kyat (MMK)

Currency code

MMK

Death rate

12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Debt - external

$6.1 billion (2002 est.)

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Permanent Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ

embassy

581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)

mailing address

Box B, APO AP 96546

telephone

[95] (1) 379 880, 379 881

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission

Ambassador LINN MYAING

consulate(s) general

New York

Disputes - international

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

Economic aid - recipient

$99 million (FY98/99)

Economy - overview

Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including a steep inflation rate and an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the official economy.

Electricity - consumption

5.709 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

6.139 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

44.4%

hydro

55.6%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (2001)

Elevation extremes

highest point

Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

lowest point

Andaman Sea 0 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, Endangered Species, 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

Ethnic groups

Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Exchange rates

kyats per US dollar - 6.64 (2002), 6.75 (2001), 6.52 (2000), 6.29 (1999), 6.34 (1998)

Executive branch

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

chief of state

Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)

elections

none

head of government

Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the appointed Prime Minister, Gen. KNIN NYUNT (since 25 August 2003), is not the head of government

Exports

$2.7 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Exports - commodities

gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice

Exports - partners

Thailand 31.4%, US 13%, India 7.4%, China 4.7% (2002)

FAX

[1] (202) 332-9046

[95] (1) 256 018

chancery

2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

[1] (202) 332-9044

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March Communications Burma

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 Economy Burma

GDP

purchasing power parity - $73.69 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

60%

industry

9%

services

31% (2002 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.3% (2002 est.)

Geographic coordinates

22 00 N, 98 00 E

Geography - note

strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes People Burma

Government type

military regime

Heliports

1 (2002) Military Burma

Highways

paved

3,440 km

total

28,200 km

unpaved

24,760 km (1996 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.99% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

65,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

530,000 (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

32.4% (1998)

lowest 10%

2.8%

Illicit drugs

world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential production in 2002 - 630 metric tons, down 27% due to drought and, to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 77,000 hectares, a 27% decline from 2001); 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 government will and ability 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 This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003

Imports

$2.5 billion f.o.b. (2002)

Imports - commodities

machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products

Imports - partners

China 27%, Singapore 19.5%, Thailand 12%, Malaysia 9.1%, Taiwan 6.3%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2002)

Independence

4 January 1948 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer

Infant mortality rate

female

63.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

male

76.48 deaths/1,000 live births

total

70.35 deaths/1,000 live births

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

53.7% (2002 est.)

International organization participation

ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Internet country code

.mm

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 users

10,000 (2002) Transportation Burma

Irrigated land

15,920 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Labor force

23.7 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

total

5,876 km

Land use

arable land

14.53%

other

84.57% (1998 est.)

permanent crops

0.9%

Languages

Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages

Legal system

has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60

elections

last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened

Life expectancy at birth

female

57.56 years (2003 est.)

male

54.12 years

total population

55.79 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

77.7% (1995 est.)

male

88.7%

note

these are official statistics; estimates of functional literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.) Government Burma

total population

83.1%

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

Median age

female

25.9 years (2002)

male

24.8 years

total

25.3 years

Merchant marine

convenience

Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.)

note

includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of

ships by type

bulk 7, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1

total

33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 352,765 GRT/536,396 DWT

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$39 million (FY97)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.1% (FY97) Transnational Issues Burma

Military manpower - availability

females age 15-49

12,358,507

males age 15-49

12,349,921

note

both sexes liable for military service (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

females age 15-49

6,553,458 (2003 est.)

males age 15-49

6,566,122

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

females

455,422 (2003 est.)

males

453,420

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 January (1948)

Nationality

adjective

Burmese

noun

Burmese (singular and plural)

Natural gas - consumption

2.15 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

5.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

7.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

314.4 billion cu m (37257)

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, hydropower

Net migration rate

-1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Oil - consumption

38,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

14,170 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

142.5 million bbl (37257)

Pipelines

gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2003)

Political parties and leaders

National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties

Political pressure groups and leaders

All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of 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); several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA

Population

42,510,537

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 and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

25% (2000 est.)

Population growth rate

0.52% (2003 est.)

Ports and harbors

Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy

Radio broadcast stations

AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)

Radios

4.2 million (1997)

Railways

narrow gauge

3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)

total

3,955 km

Religions

Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

Sex ratio

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

under 15 years

1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Telephone system

domestic

NA

general assessment

meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good

international

satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

250,000 (2000)

Telephones - mobile cellular

8,492 (1997)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1998)

Televisions

320,000 (2000)

Terrain

central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Total fertility rate

2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate

5.1% (2001 est.)

Waterways

12,800 km

note

3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels