©Copyright MSCOMM 2004
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 Former Burma
Myanmar sits at the crossroads of Asia’s great civilisations of India and China, and looks out onto the vast Indian Ocean next to Thailand. To this day Myanmar remains one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. A land of breathtaking beauty and charm yet only recently emerging into the modern world.
Area: 671,000 square kilometers
Bordered by Thailand and Laos on the east, Bangladesh on the west, and China and India on the north, Myanmar, which straddles the Tropic of Cancer, reaches almost 2000 km at its longest north-south point and is approximately 1000 km from east to west. The Gulf of Bengal and the Andaman Sea make up its southern border. It actually possesses 2832 km of little-used coast.
Its central regions are characterized by vast plains and wide rivers (Mekong, Ayeyardawy, Chindwin, Kaladan, Sittoung, Thanlwin) which flow into the Gulf of Bengal and the Gulf of Martaban. Mountains rise up in the east along the Thai border, and in the north, where the easternmost point of the Himalayas reach, Hkakabo Razi, the highest peak in southeast Asia, rises some 6000 m.
Climate
The Climate has three major seasons:
- The monsoon or rainy season begins between mid-May and mid-June, and goes until late October, bringing frequent rain. During this period avoid Ngapali, Arakan, the Golden Rock and the south of the country.
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The dry season, from November to May, is cooler with some cold nights in the mountains.
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Under the influence of the northeast monsoon in February, the temperature climbs and the months of March, April and Mai are extremely hot (up to 40° C in Rangoon, even higher in Mandalay and Bagan.) This is the hot season.
The best season for visiting Myanmar is between November and February, the least rainy and least hot months.
Official name
Union of Myanmar
Capital
Rangoon
Political System
Military dictatorship
Language
Myanmar has about 47.3 million inhabitants. Burmese represent 72% of the population and there are several indigenous minorities: Chin, Kachin, Karen, Shan and Mon. Chinese, Indian and mixed race people account for about 100,000. The official language is Burmese. Ethnic minorities use 126 languages and dialects. English and Chinese are also spoken.
The social ideal of the Burmese people is represented by a code of behavior called bamahsin chin, which emphasizes knowledge of Buddhist writings, respect for elders, the Burmese language, modest dress, respect towards the opposite sex and restrained quiet behavior.
Theater is part of the daily life of the Burmese. "Pwe" is organized for every occasion: religious feasts, weddings, monastic ordinations or fairs. Dance forms proper to Myanmar are those that honor the "nat." During certain nat pwe, one or more nat are invited to take possession of the spirit of a medium. The most typical Burmese dances are solos by women wearing dresses with long white trains that they throw into the air with their heels; specialists have catalogued almost 2000 different figures.
Yok-thei-pwe, or Burmese puppet theater in which the marionettes can be up to a meter high, is often considered to be the most expressive from of Burmese art: like dance it reached its apogee with the kingdoms of Mandalay at the end of the 18th century.
Burmese music, which is always a forceful accompaniment to pwe, is difficult for western ears to appreciate. Since the scales are not tempered, it sometimes seems harsh, clanging and repetitive. Traditional ensembles include, aside from percussion, the saung kauk, a 13-stringed boat-shaped harp; the hne, a kind of oboe similar to an Indian shehnai; the palwe, a bamboo flute; and the michaung, a crocodile lute.
But it is architecture that shows off most dazzlingly the talent of Burmese artists: we're in the land of stupas, Buddhist reliquaries constructed by the thousands because of popular fervor and the will of the kings.
Religion
The official Religion is Theravada Buddhism (85% of the population). There is also a Hindu and Muslim minority. The Karens and Chins were Christianized in the 19th century.
Traditions and Customs
Here are a few rules of Asian etiquette: it is very impolite to gesture to someone with your foot, which is considered impure. Conversely, since the head is considered to be the most sacred part, you must not touch it (not even caress a baby's head.) Do not have photographs of yourself taken in front of representations of the Buddha which are sacred objects, and especially don't climb on them. Dress modestly (no shorts or bare arms) and remove your shoes and socks in Buddhist holy places.
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