Attribute | Value |
---|---|
Geography | |
Area | 676,578 km² |
Continent | Asia |
Land area | 653,508 km² |
Water area | 23,070 km² |
Land boundaries | 6,522 km |
Border countries |
|
Coastline | 1,930 km |
Mean elevation | 702 m |
Lowest point | 0 m |
Highest point | 5,870 m |
People | |
Population | 56,590,071 |
Official languages |
|
Religion | Buddhist |
Government | |
Long country name | Union of Burma |
Short country name | Burma |
Long local name | Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) |
Short local name | Myanma Naingngandaw |
Former name |
|
Government type | Parliamentary republic |
Capital | Rangoon |
Economy | |
GDP (PPP) | 329,800,000,000 USD |
GDP (OER) | 67,280,000,000 USD |
GDP (real growth rate) | 6.8 % |
GDP - per capita (PPP) | 6,300 USD |
Gross national saving | 17.7 % of GDP |
Labor force | 22,300,000 |
Unemployment rate | 4 % |
Population below poverty line | 25.6 % |
Budget revenues | 9,108,000,000 USD |
Budget expenditures | 11,230,000,000 USD |
Military expenditures | 2.93 % of GDP |
Taxes and other revenues | 13.5 % of GDP |
Budget surplus or deficit | -3.2 % of GDP |
Public debt | 33.6 % of GDP |
Inflation rate | 4 % |
Central bank discount rate | 9.95 % |
Commercial bank prime lending rate | 13 % |
Stock of narrow money | 18,780,000,000 USD |
Stock of broad money | 18,780,000,000 USD |
Stock of domestic credit | 28,240,000,000 USD |
Market value of publicly traded shares | Add |
Current account balance | -2,900,000,000 USD |
Exports | 9,832,000,000 USD |
Imports | 15,780,000,000 USD |
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold | 4,924,000,000 USD |
External debt | 6,594,000,000 USD |
National currency | kyats |
National currency (code) | MMK |
National currency (symbol) | K |
National currency rate to USD | 1 |
Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century, and several minority ethnic groups continue to maintain independent armies and control territory within the country today, in opposition to the central government. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated all the groups within the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, following major battles on its territory during World War II, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Since independence, successive Burmese governments have fought on-and-off conflicts with armed ethnic groups seeking autonomy in the country’s mountainous border regions.