{"id":528,"date":"2024-08-20T07:32:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T07:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/demoat.goodcare.com.vn\/?p=528"},"modified":"2024-08-20T07:43:13","modified_gmt":"2024-08-20T07:43:13","slug":"myanmar-general-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/myanmar-general-information\/","title":{"rendered":"General Information"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Myanmar General Information<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
is a country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest<\/div>\n
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China to its northeast, Laos and Thailand<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Republic of the Union of Myanmar<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Flag<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

State Seal<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Capital<\/strong><\/td>\nNaypyidaw<\/a>\u00a019\u00b045\u2032N 96\u00b06\u2032E<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Largest city<\/strong><\/td>\nYangon<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Official languages<\/strong><\/td>\nBurmese<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Demonym(s)<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nBurmese \/ Myanma<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Area<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2022 Total<\/td>\n676,578 km2<\/sup>\u00a0(261,228 sq mi) (39th<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2022 Water (%)<\/td>\n3.06<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Population<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2022 2017 census<\/td>\n53,582,855 (2017) (26th<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u2022 Density<\/td>\n76\/km2<\/sup>\u00a0(196.8\/sq mi) (125th<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Currency<\/strong><\/td>\nKyat<\/a>\u00a0(K) (MMK<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Time zone<\/strong><\/td>\nUTC<\/a>+06:30 (MMT<\/a>)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Driving side<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nright<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Calling code<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n+95<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
ISO 3166 code<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nMM<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Internet TLD<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\n.mm<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n

Myanmar<\/strong>\u00a0(English pronunciation\u00a0below<\/a>;\u00a0Burmese<\/a>:\u00a0[mj\u0259m\u00e0]<\/a>) or\u00a0Burma<\/strong>, officially the\u00a0Republic of the Union of Myanmar<\/strong>, is a country in\u00a0Southeast Asia<\/a>. Myanmar is bordered by\u00a0Bangladesh<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0India<\/a>\u00a0to its northwest,\u00a0China<\/a>\u00a0to its northeast,\u00a0Laos<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Thailand<\/a>\u00a0to its east and southeast, and the\u00a0Andaman Sea<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Bay of Bengal<\/a>\u00a0to its south and southwest. With a size of 676,578 square kilometres (261,228 square miles), Myanmar is the largest of the\u00a0Mainland Southeast Asian<\/a>\u00a0states by area. As of 2017, the population is about 54 million. Its capital city is\u00a0Naypyidaw<\/a>, and its largest city is\u00a0Yangon<\/a>\u00a0(Rangoon). Myanmar has been a member of the\u00a0Association of Southeast Asian Nations<\/a>\u00a0(ASEAN) since 1997.<\/p>\n

Myanmar is a member of the\u00a0East Asia Summit<\/a>,\u00a0Non-Aligned Movement<\/a>,\u00a0ASEAN<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0BIMSTEC<\/a>, but not a member of the\u00a0Commonwealth of Nations<\/a>. It is a country rich in\u00a0jade<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0gems<\/a>, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources. Myanmar is also endowed with renewable energy; it has the highest solar power potential compared to other countries of the Great Mekong Subregion. In 2013, its GDP (nominal) stood at US$56.7 billion and its GDP (PPP<\/a>) at US$221.5 billion. The\u00a0income gap<\/a>\u00a0in Myanmar is among the widest in the world, as a large proportion of the economy is controlled by supporters of the former military government. As of 2016, Myanmar ranks 145 out of 188 countries in human development, according to the\u00a0Human Development Index<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Geography<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Myanmar has a total area of 678,500 square kilometres (262,000 sq mi). It lies between latitudes\u00a09\u00b0<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a029\u00b0N<\/a>, and longitudes\u00a092\u00b0<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0102\u00b0E<\/a>. As of February 2011, Myanmar consisted of 14 states and regions, 67 districts, 330 townships, 64 sub-townships, 377 towns, 2,914 Wards, 14,220 village tracts and 68,290 villages.<\/p>\n

Myanmar is bordered in the northwest by the\u00a0Chittagong Division<\/a>\u00a0of\u00a0Bangladesh<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Mizoram<\/a>, Manipur,\u00a0Nagaland<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Arunachal Pradesh<\/a>\u00a0states of India. Its north and northeast border is with the\u00a0Tibet Autonomous Region<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Yunnan<\/a>\u00a0for a Sino-Myanmar border total of 2,185 km (1,358 mi). It is bounded by\u00a0Laos<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Thailand<\/a>\u00a0to the southeast. Myanmar has 1,930 km (1,200 mi) of contiguous coastline along the\u00a0Bay of Bengal<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Andaman Sea<\/a>\u00a0to the southwest and the south, which forms one quarter of its total perimeter.<\/p>\n

In the north, the\u00a0Hengduan Mountains<\/a>\u00a0form the border with China.\u00a0Hkakabo Razi<\/a>, located in\u00a0Kachin State<\/a>, at an elevation of 5,881 metres (19,295 ft), is the highest point in Myanmar. Many mountain ranges, such as the\u00a0Rakhine Yoma<\/a>, the\u00a0Bago Yoma<\/a>, the\u00a0Shan Hills<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Tenasserim Hills<\/a>\u00a0exist within Myanmar, all of which run north-to-south from the\u00a0Himalayas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The mountain chains divide Myanmar’s three river systems, which are the\u00a0Irrawaddy<\/a>,\u00a0Salween (Thanlwin)<\/a>, and the\u00a0Sittaung<\/a>\u00a0rivers. The Irrawaddy River, Myanmar’s longest river, nearly 2,170 kilometres (1,348 mi) long, flows into the\u00a0Gulf of Martaban<\/a>. Fertile plains exist in the valleys between the mountain chains. The majority of Myanmar’s population lives in the Irrawaddy valley, which is situated between the Rakhine Yoma and the Shan Plateau.<\/p>\n

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Map of Myanmar and its divisions, including\u00a0<\/em>Shan State<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0<\/em>Kachin State<\/em><\/a>,\u00a0Rakhine State<\/a><\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>Karen State<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Administrative divisions<\/h3>\n

Myanmar is divided into seven states and seven regions, formerly called divisions. Regions are predominantly\u00a0Bamar<\/a>\u00a0(that is, mainly inhabited by the dominant ethnic group). States, in essence, are regions that are home to particular ethnic minorities. The administrative divisions are further subdivided into\u00a0districts<\/a>, which are further subdivided into townships,\u00a0wards<\/a>, and villages.<\/p>\n

Below are the number of districts, townships, cities\/towns, wards, village groups and villages in each divisions and states of Myanmar as of 31 December 2001<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
No.<\/strong><\/td>\nState\/Region<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nDistricts<\/strong><\/td>\nTown ships<\/strong><\/td>\nCities\/ Towns<\/strong><\/td>\nWards<\/strong><\/a><\/td>\nVillage groups<\/strong><\/td>\nVillages<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\nKachin State<\/a><\/td>\n4<\/td>\n18<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n116<\/td>\n606<\/td>\n2630<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nKayah State<\/a><\/td>\n2<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n79<\/td>\n624<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nKayin State<\/a><\/td>\n3<\/td>\n7<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n46<\/td>\n376<\/td>\n2092<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nChin State<\/a><\/td>\n2<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n9<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n475<\/td>\n1355<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nSagaing Region<\/a><\/td>\n8<\/td>\n37<\/td>\n37<\/td>\n171<\/td>\n1769<\/td>\n6095<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6<\/td>\nTanintharyi Region<\/a><\/td>\n3<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n63<\/td>\n265<\/td>\n1255<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7<\/td>\nBago Region<\/a><\/td>\n4<\/td>\n28<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n246<\/td>\n1424<\/td>\n6498<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8<\/td>\nMagway Region<\/a><\/td>\n5<\/td>\n25<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n160<\/td>\n1543<\/td>\n4774<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9<\/td>\nMandalay Region<\/a><\/td>\n7<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n259<\/td>\n1611<\/td>\n5472<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10<\/td>\nMon State<\/a><\/td>\n2<\/td>\n10<\/td>\n11<\/td>\n69<\/td>\n381<\/td>\n1199<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11<\/td>\nRakhine State<\/a><\/td>\n4<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n17<\/td>\n120<\/td>\n1041<\/td>\n3871<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12<\/td>\nYangon Region<\/a><\/td>\n4<\/td>\n45<\/td>\n20<\/td>\n685<\/td>\n634<\/td>\n2119<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13<\/td>\nShan State<\/a><\/td>\n11<\/td>\n54<\/td>\n54<\/td>\n336<\/td>\n1626<\/td>\n15513<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
14<\/td>\nAyeyarwady Region<\/a><\/td>\n6<\/td>\n26<\/td>\n29<\/td>\n219<\/td>\n1912<\/td>\n11651<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nTotal<\/strong><\/td>\n63<\/strong><\/td>\n324<\/strong><\/td>\n312<\/strong><\/td>\n2548<\/strong><\/td>\n13742<\/strong><\/td>\n65148<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Climate<\/h3>\n

Much of the country lies between the\u00a0Tropic of Cancer<\/a>\u00a0and the\u00a0Equator<\/a>. It lies in the\u00a0monsoon<\/a>\u00a0region of Asia, with its coastal regions receiving over 5,000 mm (196.9 in) of rain annually. Annual\u00a0rainfall<\/a>\u00a0in the\u00a0delta<\/a>\u00a0region is approximately 2,500 mm (98.4 in), while average annual rainfall in the Dry Zone in central Myanmar is less than 1,000 mm (39.4 in). The Northern regions of Myanmar are the coolest, with average temperatures of 21 \u00b0C (70 \u00b0F). Coastal and delta regions have an average maximum temperature of 32 \u00b0C (89.6 \u00b0F).<\/p>\n

Environment<\/h3>\n

Myanmar continues to perform badly in the global\u00a0Environmental Performance Index<\/a>\u00a0(EPI) with an overall ranking of 153 out of 180 countries in 2016; among the worst in the South Asian region, only ahead of Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The EPI was established in 2001 by the\u00a0World Economic Forum<\/a>\u00a0as a global gauge to measure how well individual countries perform in implementing the United Nations’\u00a0Sustainable Development Goals<\/a>. The environmental areas where Myanmar performs worst (ie. highest ranking) are\u00a0air quality<\/a>\u00a0(174), health impacts of environmental issues (143) and\u00a0biodiversity<\/a>\u00a0and habitat (142). Myanmar performs best (ie. lowest ranking) in\u00a0environmental impacts of fisheries<\/a>\u00a0(21), but with declining fish stocks. Despite several issues, Myanmar also ranks 64 and scores very good (ie. a high percentage of 93.73%) in environmental effects of the agricultural industry because of an excellent management of the\u00a0nitrogen cycle<\/a>.\u00a0<\/sup>Myanmar is one of the most highly vulnerable countries to climate change; this poses a number of social, political, economic and foreign policy challenges to the country.<\/p>\n

Wildlife<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Myanmar’s slow economic growth has contributed to the preservation of much of its environment and\u00a0ecosystems<\/a>. Forests, including dense tropical growth and valuable\u00a0teak<\/a>\u00a0in lower Myanmar, cover over 49% of the country, including areas of\u00a0acacia<\/a>,\u00a0bamboo<\/a>,\u00a0ironwood<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Magnolia champaca<\/em><\/a>.\u00a0Coconut<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0betel palm<\/a>\u00a0and rubber have been introduced. In the highlands of the north,\u00a0oak<\/a>,\u00a0pine<\/a>\u00a0and various\u00a0rhododendrons<\/a>\u00a0cover much of the land.<\/p>\n

Heavy logging since the new 1995 forestry law went into effect has seriously reduced forest acreage and wildlife habitat. The lands along the coast support all varieties of\u00a0tropical fruits<\/a>\u00a0and once had large areas of\u00a0mangroves<\/a>\u00a0although much of the protective mangroves have disappeared. In much of central Myanmar (the Dry Zone), vegetation is sparse and stunted.<\/p>\n

Typical\u00a0jungle<\/a>\u00a0animals, particularly tigers, occur sparsely in Myanmar. In upper Myanmar, there are\u00a0rhinoceros<\/a>,\u00a0wild water buffalo<\/a>,\u00a0clouded leopard<\/a>,\u00a0wild boars<\/a>,\u00a0deer<\/a>,\u00a0antelope<\/a>, and elephants, which are also tamed or bred in captivity for use as work animals, particularly in the\u00a0lumber industry<\/a>. Smaller mammals are also numerous, ranging from\u00a0gibbons<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0monkeys<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0flying foxes<\/a>. The abundance of birds is notable with over 800 species, including\u00a0parrots<\/a>,\u00a0myna<\/a>,\u00a0peafowl<\/a>,\u00a0red junglefowl<\/a>,\u00a0weaverbirds<\/a>,\u00a0crows<\/a>,\u00a0herons<\/a>, and\u00a0barn owl<\/a>. Among reptile species there are\u00a0crocodiles<\/a>,\u00a0geckos<\/a>,\u00a0cobras<\/a>,\u00a0Burmese pythons<\/a>, and turtles. Hundreds of species of\u00a0freshwater fish<\/a>\u00a0are wide-ranging, plentiful and are very important food sources. For a list of protected areas, see\u00a0List of protected areas of Myanmar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Tourism<\/h3>\n

Since 1992, the government has encouraged tourism in the country; however, fewer than 270,000 tourists entered the country in 2006 according to the Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board. Myanmar’s\u00a0Minister of Hotels and Tourism<\/a>\u00a0Saw Lwin has stated that the government receives a significant percentage of the income of private sector tourism services.<\/p>\n

The most popular available tourist destinations in Myanmar include big cities such as\u00a0Yangon<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Mandalay<\/a>; religious sites in\u00a0Mon State<\/a>,\u00a0Pindaya<\/a>,\u00a0Bago<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Hpa-An<\/a>; nature trails in\u00a0Inle Lake<\/a>,\u00a0Kengtung<\/a>,\u00a0Putao<\/a>,\u00a0Pyin Oo Lwin<\/a>; ancient cities such as\u00a0Bagan<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Mrauk-U<\/a>; as well as beaches in\u00a0Nabule<\/a>,\u00a0Ngapali<\/a>,\u00a0Ngwe-Saung<\/a>,\u00a0Mergui<\/a>. Nevertheless, much of the country is off-limits to tourists, and interactions between foreigners and the people of Myanmar, particularly in the border regions, are subject to police scrutiny. They are not to discuss politics with foreigners, under penalty of imprisonment and, in 2001, the Myanmar Tourism Promotion Board issued an order for local officials to protect tourists and limit “unnecessary contact” between foreigners and ordinary Burmese people.<\/p>\n

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Tourists in Myanmar<\/em><\/p>\n

The most common way for travellers to enter the country seems to be by air. According to the website\u00a0Lonely Planet<\/em><\/a>, getting into Myanmar is problematic: “No bus or train service connects Myanmar with another country, nor can you travel by car or motorcycle across the border \u2013 you must walk across.” They further state that “It is not possible for foreigners to go to\/from Myanmar by sea or river. There are a small number of border crossings that allow the passage of private vehicles, such as the border between\u00a0Ruili<\/a>\u00a0(China) to\u00a0Mu-se<\/a>, the border between\u00a0Htee Kee<\/a>\u00a0(Myanmar) and\u00a0Phu Nam Ron<\/a>\u00a0(Thailand)\u2014the most direct border between\u00a0Dawei<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Kanchanaburi<\/a>, and the border between\u00a0Myawaddy<\/a>\u00a0(Myanmar) and\u00a0Mae Sot<\/a>\u00a0(Thailand). At least one tourist company has successfully run commercial overland routes through these borders since 2013. “From\u00a0Mae Sai<\/a>\u00a0(Thailand) you can cross to\u00a0Tachileik<\/a>, but can only go as far as\u00a0Kengtung<\/a>. Those in Thailand on a visa run can cross to\u00a0Kawthaung<\/a>\u00a0but cannot venture farther into Myanmar.<\/p>\n

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U Bein Bridge<\/em><\/a>\u00a0in Mandalay.<\/em><\/p>\n

Flights are available from most countries, though direct flights are limited to mainly Thai and other ASEAN airlines. According to\u00a0Eleven<\/em><\/a>\u00a0magazine, “In the past, there were only 15 international airlines and increasing numbers of airlines have begun launching direct flights from Japan, Qatar, Taiwan, South Korea, Germany and Singapore. Expansions were expected in September 2013, but yet again are mainly Thai and other Asian-based airlines according to\u00a0Eleven Media Group<\/a>‘s\u00a0Eleven<\/em>, “Thailand-based\u00a0Nok Air<\/a>\u00a0and Business Airlines and Singapore-based\u00a0Tiger Airline<\/a>“.<\/p>\n

Ethnic groups<\/h3>\n

Myanmar is ethnically diverse. The government recognizes\u00a0135 distinct ethnic groups<\/a>. There are at least 108 different ethnolinguistic groups in Myanmar, consisting mainly of distinct\u00a0Tibeto-Burman<\/a>\u00a0peoples, but with sizable populations of\u00a0Tai\u2013Kadai<\/a>,\u00a0Hmong\u2013Mien<\/a>, and Austroasiatic (Mon\u2013Khmer) peoples.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Bamar<\/a>\u00a0form an estimated 68% of the population. 10% of the population are\u00a0Shan<\/a>. The Kayin make up 7% of the population.\u00a0<\/sup>The\u00a0Rakhine people<\/a>\u00a0constitute 4% of the population.\u00a0Overseas Chinese<\/a>\u00a0form approximately 3% of the population. Myanmar’s ethnic minority groups prefer the term “ethnic nationality” over “ethnic minority” as the term “minority” furthers their sense of insecurity in the face of what is often described as “Burmanisation”\u2014the proliferation and domination of the dominant Bamar culture over minority cultures.<\/p>\n

Languages<\/h3>\n

Myanmar is home to four major language families:\u00a0Sino-Tibetan<\/a>,\u00a0Tai\u2013Kadai<\/a>,\u00a0Austro-Asiatic<\/a>, and\u00a0Indo-European<\/a>.[315]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Sino-Tibetan languages are most widely spoken. They include\u00a0Burmese<\/a>,\u00a0Karen<\/a>,\u00a0Kachin<\/a>,\u00a0Chin<\/a>, and Chinese (mainly\u00a0Hokkien<\/a>). The primary Tai\u2013Kadai language is\u00a0Shan<\/a>.\u00a0Mon<\/a>,\u00a0Palaung<\/a>, and\u00a0Wa<\/a>\u00a0are the major\u00a0Austroasiatic<\/a>\u00a0languages spoken in Myanmar. The two major Indo-European languages are\u00a0Pali<\/a>, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism, and English. More than a hundred languages are spoken in total. Since many of them are known only within small tribes around the country, they may have been lost (many if not all) after a few generations.<\/p>\n

Burmese<\/a>, the mother tongue of the Bamar and official language of Myanmar, is related to\u00a0Tibetan<\/a>\u00a0and Chinese. It is written in a\u00a0script<\/a>\u00a0consisting of circular and semi-circular letters, which were adapted from the\u00a0Mon script<\/a>, which in turn was developed from a southern Indian script in the 5th century. The earliest known inscriptions in the Burmese script date from the 11th century. It is also used to write\u00a0Pali<\/a>, the sacred language of Theravada Buddhism, as well as several ethnic minority languages, including Shan, several Karen dialects, and Kayah (Karenni), with the addition of specialised characters and\u00a0diacritics<\/a>\u00a0for each language.<\/p>\n

The Burmese language incorporates widespread usage of\u00a0honorifics<\/a>\u00a0and is age-oriented. Burmese society has traditionally stressed the importance of education. In villages, secular schooling often takes place in\u00a0monasteries<\/a>. Secondary and tertiary education take place at government schools.<\/p>\n

Religion<\/h3>\n

A large majority of the population practices Buddhism; estimates range from 80% to 89%. According to\u00a02014 Myanmar Census<\/a>, 87.9% of the population identifies as Buddhists.\u00a0Therav\u0101da<\/a>\u00a0Buddhism is the most widespread. There are some 500,000 Buddhist monks and 75,000 nuns in this country of 54 million. Other religions are practised largely without obstruction, with the notable exception of some religious minorities such as the Rohingya people, who have continued to have their citizenship status denied and treated as illegal immigrants instead, and Christians in Chin State.<\/p>\n

According to 2014 census, 6.2% of the population identifies as Christian; 4.3% as Muslim; 0.8% as followers of tribal religions; 0.5% as\u00a0Hindus<\/a>; 0.2% as followers of other religions; and 0.1% follow no religion. According to the 2010 estimates of the\u00a0Pew Research Center<\/a>, 7% of the population is Christian; 4% is Muslim; 1% follows traditional\u00a0animistic<\/a>\u00a0beliefs; and 2% follow other religions, including\u00a0Mahayana Buddhism<\/a>,\u00a0Hinduism<\/a>, and\u00a0East Asian religions<\/a>. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been present since 1914 and have about 80 congregations around the country and a branch office in Yangon publishing in 16 languages. A tiny Jewish community in Yangon had a synagogue but no resident rabbi to conduct services.<\/p>\n

Although Hinduism is practised by 0.5% of the population, it was a major religion in Myanmar’s past. Several strains of Hinduism existed alongside both Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism in the Mon and\u00a0Pyu period<\/a>\u00a0in the first millennium, and down to the\u00a0Pagan period<\/a>\u00a0(9th to 13th centuries) when “Saivite<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Vaishana<\/a>\u00a0elements enjoyed greater elite influence than they would later do.\u00a0Burmese folk religion<\/a>\u00a0is practiced by many\u00a0Bamars<\/a>\u00a0alongside Buddhism.<\/p>\n

Culture<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A diverse range of indigenous cultures exist in Myanmar, with majority culture primarily\u00a0Buddhist<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Bamar<\/a>. Bamar culture has been influenced by the cultures of neighbouring countries, manifested in its language, cuisine, music, dance and theatre. The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of\u00a0Theravada Buddhism<\/a>. Considered the national epic of Myanmar, the\u00a0Yama Zatdaw<\/em><\/a>, an adaptation of India’s\u00a0Ramayana<\/em><\/a>, has been influenced greatly by Thai,\u00a0Mon<\/a>, and Indian versions of the play. Buddhism is practised along with\u00a0nat worship<\/a>, which involves elaborate rituals to propitiate one from a pantheon of 37 nats.<\/p>\n

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In a traditional village, the monastery is the centre of cultural life. Monks are venerated and supported by the lay people. A novitiation ceremony called\u00a0shinbyu<\/a>\u00a0is the most important\u00a0coming of age<\/a>\u00a0events for a boy, during which he enters the monastery for a short time. All male children in Buddhist families are encouraged to be a novice (beginner for Buddhism) before the age of twenty and to be a monk after the age of twenty. Girls have ear-piercing ceremonies at the same time. Burmese culture is most evident in villages where local festivals are held throughout the year, the most important being the\u00a0pagoda festival<\/a>. Many villages have a guardian nat, and superstition and taboos are commonplace.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An\u00a0Arakan<\/a>\u00a0(Rakhine) girl pours water at revellers during the Burmese New Year\u00a0Thingyan<\/a>\u00a0Water Festival in<\/em>\u00a0Yangon.<\/em><\/p>\n

British colonial rule introduced Western elements of culture to Myanmar. Myanmar’s education system is modelled after that of the United Kingdom. Colonial architectural influences are most evident in major cities such as\u00a0Yangon<\/a>. Many ethnic minorities, particularly the\u00a0Karen<\/a>\u00a0in the southeast and the Kachin and Chin who populate the north and northeast, practice Christianity. According to\u00a0The World Factbook<\/em><\/a>, the Burman population is 68% and the ethnic groups constitute 32%. However, the exiled leaders and organisations claims that ethnic population is 40%, which is implicitly contrasted with CIA report (official US report).<\/p>\n

Cuisine<\/h3>\n

Burmese cuisine is characterised by extensive use of fish products such as\u00a0fish sauce<\/a>,\u00a0ngapi<\/a>\u00a0(fermented seafood) and dried prawn.<\/p>\n

Mohinga<\/a>\u00a0is the traditional breakfast dish and is Myanmar’s national dish. Seafood is a common ingredient in coastal cities such as\u00a0Sittwe<\/a>,\u00a0Kyaukpyu<\/a>,\u00a0Mawlamyaing<\/a>\u00a0(formerly Moulmein),\u00a0Mergui<\/a>\u00a0(Myeik) and\u00a0Dawei<\/a>, while meat and poultry are more commonly used in landlocked cities like\u00a0Mandalay<\/a>. Freshwater fish and shrimp have been incorporated into inland cooking as a primary source of protein and are used in a variety of ways, fresh, salted whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed.<\/p>\n

Burmese cuisine also includes a variety of salads (a thoke<\/em><\/a>), centred on one major ingredient, ranging from starches like rice, wheat and rice noodles, glass noodles and vermicelli, to potato, ginger, tomato,\u00a0kaffir lime<\/a>, long bean,\u00a0lahpet<\/a>\u00a0(pickled tea leaves), and\u00a0ngapi<\/a>\u00a0(fish paste).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Media and communications<\/h3>\n

Due to Myanmar’s political climate, there are not many media companies in relation to the country’s population, although a certain number exists. Some are privately owned. All programming must meet with the approval of the censorship board.<\/p>\n

The Burmese government announced on 20 August 2012 that it would stop censoring media before publication. Following the announcement, newspapers and other outlets no longer required approved by state censors; however, journalists in the country can still face consequences for what they write and say.<\/p>\n

In April 2013, international media reports were published to relay the enactment of the media liberalisation reforms that we announced in August 2012. For the first time in numerous decades, the publication of privately owned newspapers commenced in the country.<\/p>\n

Internet<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Internet use is estimated to be relatively low compared to other countries. Myanmar’s internet used to be subject to censorship, and authorities viewed e-mails and posts on Internet blogs until 2012 when the government removed media censorship. During the strict censorship days, activity at internet cafes was regulated, and one blogger named\u00a0Zarganar<\/a>\u00a0was sentenced to prison for publishing a video of destruction caused by\u00a0Cyclone Nargis<\/a>\u00a0in 2008; Zarganar was released in October 2011.<\/p>\n

In regards to communications infrastructure, Myanmar is the last ranked Asian country in the World Economic Forum’s Network Readiness Index (NRI) \u2013 an indicator for determining the development level of a country’s information and communication technologies. With 139 countries reported on, Myanmar ranked number 133 overall in the 2016 NRI ranking.<\/p>\n

Money<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The official currency in Myanmar is the Burmese Kyat (MMT), pronounced like the English word ‘chat’. The Kyat is broken into 100 pyas, and you’ll find note denominations of K1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1.<\/p>\n

The Kyat is a closed currency, so we recommend either taking\u00a0Thai Baht<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0USD<\/a>\u00a0in. They are super strict though, so make sure your notes are in perfect conditions. By perfect we mean iron flat, no tears, marks or scratches.<\/p>\n

You will need the USD for your visa and national park fees, however, they are likely to accept THB for your purchases and give change in MMT. Myanmar itself is very cheap, so we recommend only taking smaller THB notes. This prevents you from getting ripped off if shop vendors don’t have enough change or shorthand you in the conversion from THB to MMT.<\/p>\n

Myanmar is a cash-based society, and there are limited to no ATMs, so be sure to get plenty of cash before you enter. You can buy USD and THB from Travel Money Oz before you depart Australia.<\/p>\n

It’s also important to highlight that if you are visiting more remote areas, money may have no use to you at all. Many of the outlying regions get no benefit from money unless they are travelling to the bigger cities (which they rarely do) so they may be more inclined to trade with you instead. By trade, we mean swapping a pen for a beer, or a pair of thongs for a meal. It sounds crazy to us, but it makes sense when you think about it. So, if you are planning to visit more remote towns on the mainland or in the archipelago, we recommend packing useful things you would be happy to trade. Think fans, pens, water bottles, solar torches, mosquito nets and bandaids – they are nothing to us but everything to them.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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Myanmar is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest China to its northeast, Laos and Thailand Republic of the Union of Myanmar Flag State Seal Capital Naypyidaw\u00a019\u00b045\u2032N 96\u00b06\u2032E Largest city Yangon Official languages Burmese Demonym(s) Burmese \/ Myanma Area \u2022 Total 676,578 km2\u00a0(261,228 sq mi) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-528","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-myanmar"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGeneral Information - ATT Travel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/attravel.vn\/en\/myanmar-general-information\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"vi_VN\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"General Information - ATT Travel\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Myanmar General Information is a country in Southeast Asia. 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