Burma has been under a strict military dictatorship, known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) for nearly a decade.
Opposition to that government has been led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest from 1989 to 1995 and won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her pro-democracy efforts.
In November 1997, that military government officially changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), and vowed to restore democracy. But Suu Kyi said it will take time to tell whether the government is sincere in its reform efforts or has merely changed its name.
The SLORC, which renamed the country Myanmar, came to power after troops killed hundreds of pro-democracy protesters in 1988. Two years later, it refused to acknowledge an election victory by the opposition, led by Suu Kyi.
Land and People | History |
| Travel | Financial | Weather
DEMOGRAPHICS
- Population:
- 46,821,943
- Average life span:
- 55 male, 59 female
- Average income (US$):
- $250
- GDP per capita (US$):
- $1,000
- Literacy rate:
- 83%
THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE
- Capital:
- Rangoon
- Size:
- 261,220 square miles (676,560 square km)
- Government type:
- Military
- Political leaders:
- Senior Gen. Than Shwe
- Religions:
- Buddhist (89%), Christian (4%), Muslim (4%)
- Languages:
- Burmese (official), minority languages
MODERN HISTORY
- 1272 -- Conquered by Mongol dynasty of China
- 1824-1884 -- After a series of wars, Britain rules Burma as part of colonial India.
- 1937 -- Burma granted self-government within the British Commonwealth.
- 1948 -- Independence.
- 1962-1988 -- General Ne Win rules as military leader then president.
- 1988 -- Ne Win resigns after massive anti-government riots. General Saw Maung and the military seize power.
- 1989 -- The government changes the country's name to Myanmar.
- 1990 -- The military refuses to hand over power after opposition parties won a decisive victory in democratic elections.
- 1991 -- Opppostion leader Aung San Suu Kyi, under house arrest, wins the Nobel Peace Prize.
- 1995 -- Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi released from
house arrest
- 1997 -- Burma admitted to the Association of South East
Asian Nations (ASEAN).
- 1997 -- State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
replaced by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in
a government shakeup.
FINANCIAL
- Monetary unit:
- Kyat
CNN Travel Guide Currency Converter
CNN TRAVEL INFORMATION
CNN City Guides: Burma
CNN WEATHER INFORMATION
CNN WEATHER INFORMATION:
- Forecasts:
- Rangoon
- Forecast and satellite maps:
- Asia forecast map
- Asia satellite image