MYANMAR
ACCOMMODATION: HOTEL, RESORT, GUESTHOUSE
Full country name: Union of
Myanmar (Burma became Myanmar in 1989 after the State Law and Order
Restoration Council decided that the old name implied the dominance
of Burmese culture; the Burmese are just one of the many ethnic
groups in the country)
Area: 671,000 sq km (416,020 sq mi)
Population: 45 million (growth rate 2.1%)
Capital city: Yangon (Rangoon) (pop 4 million)
People: 65% Burmese, 10% Shan, 7% Karen, 4% Rakhine and Chin,
Kachin, Mon, Chinese, Indian and Assamese minorities
Language: Burmese, also Karen, Chin, Shan and Kachin dialects
Religion: 87% Theravada Buddhist, 5% Christian, 4% Muslim, 3%
animist
Government: Military council
Head of state & Prime Minister: General Than Shwe
GDP: US$67 billion
GDP per head: US$1500
Annual growth: 1.1%
Inflation: 30%
Major products/industries:teak, rice, jute and illegal opium
poppies
Major trading partners: Singapore, Thailand, China, Japan,
India
Since 1962 Myanmar has been under the
military rule of the State Peace & Development Council (SPDC) -
formerly known as the State Law & Order Restoration Council (Slorc)
- an abominable military junta. Dissent of any sort is suppressed,
and political prisoners are jailed for expressing their opinions
publicly. A number of these prisoners have died in custody.
Travellers wishing to learn more about political prisoners in
Myanmar should go to Amnesty International's.
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and National League for Democracy (NLD)
leader Aung San Suu Kyi advocates boycotting all forms of travel to
the country as a means of isolating the government and forcing
reform. Inside Myanmar, there are a number of people who support her
stance. This pro-boycott group argues that much of the money from
tourism goes directly and indirectly into the pockets of the very
generals who continue to deny Burmese citizens the most-basic civil
rights. However, others involved with Burmese politics, including
many current or former members of the NLD, feel that a travel
boycott of Myanmar is counterproductive. They maintain that tourism
is not only economically helpful, but vital to the pro-democracy
movement for the two-way flow of information it provides.
Prospective travellers should monitor events in Myanmar and weigh up
the arguments in support and opposition to travel.
All cities in Myanmar
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