Myanmar

Myanmar

AREA	676,552 sq km (261,218 sq miles).
POPULATION	46,402,000 (1997).
POPULATION DENSITY	68.6 per sq km.
CAPITAL	Yangon (Rangoon).
CAPITAL POPULATION	2,513,023 (1983).
GEOGRAPHY	Myanmar is a diamond-shaped country extending 925km (575 miles) from east to west and 2100km (1300 miles) from north to south. It is bounded by China, Laos and Thailand in the east, by Bangladesh and India in the north and by the Indian Ocean in the west and south. The Irrawaddy River runs through the centre of the country and fans out to form a delta on the south coast; Yangon stands beside one of its many mouths. North of the delta lies the Irrawaddy basin and central Myanmar, which is protected by a horseshoe of mountains rising to over 3000m (10,000ft), creating profound climatic effects. To the west are the Arakan, Chin and Naga mountains and the Patkai Hills; the Kachin Hills are to the north; to the east lies the Shan Plateau, which extends to the Tenasserim coastal ranges. Intensive irrigated farming is practised throughout central Myanmar, and fruit, vegetables and citrus crops thrive on the Shan Plateau, but much of the land and mountains are covered by subtropical forest.
GOVERNMENT	Socialist Republic since 1974. Power assumed by the army in 1988. Head of State and Government: General Than Shwe since 1992.
LANGUAGE	The official language is Myanmar (Burmese). There are over 100 dialects spoken in Myanmar. English is spoken in business circles.
RELIGION	87% Theravada Buddhist. The remainder are Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Animist.
STANDARD TIME	GMT + 6.5.
ELECTRICITY	220/230 volts AC, 50Hz.

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