Myanmar
Updated: Sep 22, 2022
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Country Name
Myanmar, or Burma, or officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
Location
Myanmar is a country located in Southeast Asia.
Myanmar is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest, China to its northeast, Laos, and Thailand to its east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to its south and southwest.
Capital
Naypyidaw.
Reason for Naming
The name of the country has been a matter of dispute and disagreement, particularly in recent decades, focusing mainly on the political legitimacy of those using Myanmar versus Burma.
Both names derive from the earlier Burmese Myanma or Myamma, an ethnonym for the majority Bamar ethnic group, of uncertain etymology.
The terms are also popularly thought to derive from Brahma Desha after Brahma.
Flag
The current flag was adopted on 21 October 2010. It replaced the former flag in use since 1974.
The flag consists of three horizontal stripes with Yellow, green, and, red colors with a five-pointed white star in the middle.
The yellow color represents solidarity, the green color represents the natural wealth of the country, and the red color represents the courage of the local population during numerous fights, the white star symbolizes hope in the unity of all people living in the country.
* Flag Facts:
- The flag of Myanmar is similar to the flag of Lithuania both composed of three horizontal stripes of yellow, green, and red, but the flag of Myanmar is charged with a large white five-pointed star at the center.
-The flags of Lithuania, Myanmar, and Suriname are the only non-African national flags to contain the pan-African colors red, yellow, and green.
Language
The official language of Myanmar is Burmese. It is the most widely spoken language in the country. Burmese, a Sino-Tibetan language, is the mother tongue of millions of the population who speak it as a first language. It is taught in schools across the country and in the numerous monasteries dotting Myanmar.
The Burmese language is related to the Chinese and Tibetan languages. Myanmar is home to four major language families: Sino-Tibetan, Tai–Kadai, Austro-Asiatic, and Indo-European.
Indigenous Languages Of Myanmar are Shan, Karen Languages, Kachin, and Mon.
English is an important foreign language whose study is highly promoted in Myanmar. Although Burmese is used as the primary language of instruction in schools across the country, English is taught as a secondary language.
Religion
Many religions are practiced in Myanmar. A large majority of the population practices Buddhism. Theravāda Buddhism is the most widespread.
There are a minority of Muslims and Christians in the country, they face religious persecution and it is hard, if not impossible, for non-Buddhists to join the army or get government jobs, the main route to success in the country.
There are other minority religions such as Jewish, Hindu, tribal religions, and no religions.
Currency
Kyat (K) (MMK).
Time Zone
+06:30 GMT.
Government Regime
Unitary assembly-independent constitutional republic.
Climate
Much of the country lies between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator. The northern regions of Myanmar are the coolest, with average temperatures of 21 °C. Coastal and delta regions have an average maximum temperature of 32 °C. The best time to visit Burma is from mid-December to mid-February: the weather is dry and sunny, and the risk of hurricanes should have ceased.