Yoshi
09-03-2005, 19:24
Name: In 1989, the military government changed the name of The Union of Burma to The Union of Myanmar. The U.S. State Department does not recognize the name Myanmar or the military regime that represents it.
History: Previously an independent kingdom, in 1824-26, 1851-52 and 1885-86 Burma was invaded by the British Empire and became a part of India. The Japanese expelled the British with Aung San and occupied the country during World War II but it was retaken by the British in 1945.
In 1948 the nation became sovereign, as the Union of Burma, with U Nu as the first Prime Minister. Democratic rule ended in 1962 with a military coup d'etat led by General Ne Win. Ne Win ruled for nearly 26 years, bringing in harsh reforms. In 1990 free elections were held for the first time in almost 30 years, but the landslide victory of the NLD, the party of Aung San Suu Kyi was voided by the military, which refused to step down.
One of the top figures in Burmese history in the 20th century is Army founder and freedom figure General Aung San, a student-turned activist whose daughter is 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate and worldwide peace, freedom and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi of the NLD, now under house arrest. The third most recognised Burmese figure in the world is U Thant, who was UN Secretary General for two terms and highly respected throughout United Nations' history.
Map: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/maps/bm-map.gif
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Capital: Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon)
Bordering countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Thailand
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)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Environment - current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Population: 42,909,464, (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 growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected) Population growth rate: 0.42%, Birth rate: 18.11 births/1,000 population, Death rate: 12.15 deaths/1,000 population, Net migration rate: -1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - Risk Group: Estimated HIV+ in 1994: total population : 350 000 - 450 000, pregnant women : 175 000, prostitutes working in Burma : 25 %, prostitutes returning from Thailand : 80 %, injecting drug users : 60-70 %, (note - Burma's HIV/AIDS epidemic may be the largest in Southeast Asia, and, due to long denials from the junta, perhaps the worst neglected.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever, vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2004)
Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
Economy - overview: Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government controls, inefficient economic policies, and abject rural poverty. The junta 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 and some of the liberalization measures have been rescinded. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation and multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 legislative elections. Economic sanctions against Burma by the United States - including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons in response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy - further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the size of the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, a better investment climate and an improved political situation are needed to promote foreign investment, exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking crisis hit the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and disrupting the economy. As of January 2004, the largest private banks remained moribund, leaving the private sector with little formal access to credit.
Currency (code): kyat
Disputes - international: over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; 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; ethnic Karens flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops, in 2004 Thailand sheltered about 118,000 Burmese refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote Burmese uplands
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 600,000 - 1,000,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, and Mon) (2004)
Illicit drugs: remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium (estimated production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003 due to eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900 hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); 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; currently under Financial Action Task Force countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate money-laundering controls (2005)
Burma is one of the world's foremost producers of heroin. The military regime ruling the country not only profits from the export of heroin, they are dependant on that income to remain in power. The junta uses foreign investment to launder their profits from the drug trade. Meanwhile domestic heroin addiction rates skyrocket and fuel the spread of AIDS. (note - 60% of the heroin that enters the US comes from Burma)
Government: Military Junta
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ (International Court of Justice) jurisdiction
Chief of State: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. Than Shwe (since 23 April 1992), Head of Government: Prime Minister, Gen Soe Win (since 19 October 2004)
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 (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet, elections: none
History: Previously an independent kingdom, in 1824-26, 1851-52 and 1885-86 Burma was invaded by the British Empire and became a part of India. The Japanese expelled the British with Aung San and occupied the country during World War II but it was retaken by the British in 1945.
In 1948 the nation became sovereign, as the Union of Burma, with U Nu as the first Prime Minister. Democratic rule ended in 1962 with a military coup d'etat led by General Ne Win. Ne Win ruled for nearly 26 years, bringing in harsh reforms. In 1990 free elections were held for the first time in almost 30 years, but the landslide victory of the NLD, the party of Aung San Suu Kyi was voided by the military, which refused to step down.
One of the top figures in Burmese history in the 20th century is Army founder and freedom figure General Aung San, a student-turned activist whose daughter is 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate and worldwide peace, freedom and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi of the NLD, now under house arrest. The third most recognised Burmese figure in the world is U Thant, who was UN Secretary General for two terms and highly respected throughout United Nations' history.
Map: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/maps/bm-map.gif
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas
Capital: Rangoon (government refers to the capital as Yangon)
Bordering countries: Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, Thailand
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)
Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Environment - current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Population: 42,909,464, (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 growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected) Population growth rate: 0.42%, Birth rate: 18.11 births/1,000 population, Death rate: 12.15 deaths/1,000 population, Net migration rate: -1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - Risk Group: Estimated HIV+ in 1994: total population : 350 000 - 450 000, pregnant women : 175 000, prostitutes working in Burma : 25 %, prostitutes returning from Thailand : 80 %, injecting drug users : 60-70 %, (note - Burma's HIV/AIDS epidemic may be the largest in Southeast Asia, and, due to long denials from the junta, perhaps the worst neglected.)
Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever, vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria are high risks in some locations (2004)
Ethnic groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
Economy - overview: Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from government controls, inefficient economic policies, and abject rural poverty. The junta 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 and some of the liberalization measures have been rescinded. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including inflation and multiple official exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 legislative elections. Economic sanctions against Burma by the United States - including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on provision of financial services by US persons in response to the government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her convoy - further slowed the inflow of foreign exchange. Official statistics are inaccurate. Published statistics on foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and unofficial border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the size of the official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic relations with its neighbors, a better investment climate and an improved political situation are needed to promote foreign investment, exports, and tourism. In February 2003, a major banking crisis hit the country's 20 private banks, shutting them down and disrupting the economy. As of January 2004, the largest private banks remained moribund, leaving the private sector with little formal access to credit.
Currency (code): kyat
Disputes - international: over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups with substantial numbers of kin beyond its borders; 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; ethnic Karens flee into Thailand to escape fighting between Karen rebels and Burmese troops, in 2004 Thailand sheltered about 118,000 Burmese refugees; Karens also protest Thai support for a Burmese hydroelectric dam on the Salween River near the border; environmentalists in Burma and Thailand continue to voice concern over China's construction of hydroelectric dams upstream on the Nujiang/Salween River in Yunnan Province; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists from hiding in remote Burmese uplands
Refugees and internally displaced persons: IDPs: 600,000 - 1,000,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups near borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan, and Mon) (2004)
Illicit drugs: remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium (estimated production in 2004 - 292 metric tons, down 40% from 2003 due to eradication efforts and drought; cultivation in 2004 - 30,900 hectares, a 34% decline from 2003); 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; currently under Financial Action Task Force countermeasures due to continued failure to address its inadequate money-laundering controls (2005)
Burma is one of the world's foremost producers of heroin. The military regime ruling the country not only profits from the export of heroin, they are dependant on that income to remain in power. The junta uses foreign investment to launder their profits from the drug trade. Meanwhile domestic heroin addiction rates skyrocket and fuel the spread of AIDS. (note - 60% of the heroin that enters the US comes from Burma)
Government: Military Junta
Legal system: has not accepted compulsory ICJ (International Court of Justice) jurisdiction
Chief of State: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. Than Shwe (since 23 April 1992), Head of Government: Prime Minister, Gen Soe Win (since 19 October 2004)
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 (SLORC); the SPDC oversees the cabinet, elections: none