Location

Myanmar, officially called the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also known as  Burma, is   the   largest country in South East Asia having its border with China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand  on the  southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. The total area of the country is 676,552 square km (261,218 square miles) with over  2,000 kilometers (1,243 mi) of coast line.

Climate

Myanmar has three main seasons, hot, rainy and cold season. Hot season is from March to May, rainy season is from June to October and cold season is from November to February. The  tropical monsoon is usually cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers and less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter.

Natural resources

Myanmar is a country rich in jade and gems, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources. Myanmar is rich in natural resources such as petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, and hydropower.

People and religion

Myanmar is made up of 135 national races, of which the main national races are Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Bamar, Mon, Rakhine and Shan. Population is estimated to be over 60 million. The nationality is Myanmar. There are more than 100 ethnic groups in Myanmar. Some of the Ethnic groups are listed as Akha, Palaung, Padaung, Naga, Taron, Eng and many more near extinct tribes. The  religions  are  Buddhist, Christian, Hindu  and  Muslim. The major language is Myanmar, but minority ethnic groups have their own languages.  English is widely spoken and understood.

History

The  earliest  primates  known  today as Pondaung Man , resided in Pondaung , northern Myanmar about 40 million years ago .  After those era , many city  states  emerged , and  then  came the 3 empires.  In the third century BC , Myanmar was already unified into one strong empire. The first Myanmar Empire was created by King Anawrahta of the Bagan Dynasty (1044-1077 AD). The second Myanmar Empire was created by King Bayinnaung of the Taungoo Dynasty (1551-1581 AD) . The  third  Myanmar  Empire was led by  King   Alaungpaya  of  the  Konbaung  Dynasty (1752-1760 AD).  These  three  great  kings  were  well-known  in  the  Myanmar  history  for  their bravery and good leadership.  In 1885 , King Thibaw , Queen SupayaLatt  and  the  royal  family  were taken  to  Ratanagiri , India and Myanmar fell under the British Rule. Myanmar became a British Colony from 1885 until 1948.

Neighbouring Countries

Myanmar has many neighbouring countries, Bangladesh is located in the West, India in the Northwest, China in the Northeast, Laos and Thailand in the East.

General Information

• The country code is +95, and the internet access code is .mm.
• Time Zone = MMT (UTC+6:30)
• International airports are in Yangon and Mandalay.
• The country is divided into states, divisions, townships, wards and villages.
• Business Hours is usually from 9am to 5pm for private companies and 9:30-4:30 for government offices. Working days are from Monday through Friday. Public holidays are also included.
• Major Credit cards are not widely accepted. Cash is always more convenient. National currency is Kyat.
• Electricity is 220 volts AC, 50Hz.
• Taxis are available everywhere. There are over 250 Buses lines running through Yangon everyday. For exclusive transport, there are car rental services.
• Domestic highway bus terminals are Aung-Yadanar and Sawbwargyi-Gone, both about 10 miles from downtown Yangon.
• Common local unit of weight is peiktha (viss), which equals to 3.6 pounds.
• Most common unit of measure is feet and inches.
• Clothing should be light, casual cotton wear, sandals or slippers are best for summer.
• A cardigan or light jerkin for winter and quick drying clothes and an umbrella during the rainy season.