Myanmar

Myanmar is well known as “Golden Land”, not only for the Golden Pagodas and Temples, but also for the rich land and the wealth of its agriculture and minerals. Geographically, Myanmar is the largest country in South East Asia and over 50% of its land area is covered with natural forests. The total land area of Myanmar is 676,577 sq-km. It is twice the size of Vietnam and approximately the size of Great Britain and France combined. Myanmar is borderline branches with Bangladesh and India on the North West, China on the North East, Laos on the East, Thailand on the South East and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal on the South.

Most of the country’s agriculture is centered long the flood plains of the 2000 km Ayeyarwady River, which flows South from its source 27 km North of Myitkyina to a vast delta region along the Gulf of Martaban South West of Yangon. Navigable year-round for at least 1500 km, the Ayeyarwady River has played a major role in domestic transport and communications for centuries. Other major rivers are the Chindwin (navigable for 792 km), which joins the Ayeyarwady between Mandalay and Bagan, the Kaladan ( navigable for 177 km), which flows from, Paletwa in the Sourthern Chin State to the Bay Of Bengal at Sittwe, the Sittaung which flows through Taungoo and meets the sea between Bago and Mawlamyine and the Thanlwin (navigable for just 89 km), which has its headwaters in China and for some distance forms the border between Myanmar and Thailand before eventually reaching the sea at Mawlamyine. The Mekong River forms the border between Myanmar and Laos. Myanmar’s coastline extends 2832 km from the mouth of the Naaf River Bangladesh to the south tip, of Taninthayi Division near Renong, Thailand. The country’s lengthy coastline provides a wealth of saltwater fisheries.

The Himalayas rise in the north of Myanmar and Hkakabo Razi, right on the border between Myanmar and Tibet, is the highest mountain in South East Asia at 5889 meters. Gamlang Razi is only slightly lower at 5835 meters. West of Bagan towards Rakhine, Mt. Victoria rises to 3053 meters.

Myanmar is a country of many nationalities as many as 135 ethnic groups with their own languages, dialects and culture. The population of Myanmar is nearly 50 millions and 70% of the majority of the population of Myanmar is Bamars. Most of them are living in the central part of Myanmar. The overall population density is about 67 persons per sq km, one of the lowest in East Asia. The rest are Shan, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Mon and Rakhine. These all combined together has become the Union of Myanmar. Theoretically speaking, although states and divisions are divided, but you’ll be surprised to find these nationalities are living together peacefully everywhere.

Buddhism has great influence on daily life of the Myanmars. Theravada Buddhism is the predominant religion. Over 85% of the population of Myanmar is Buddhist. Other are Christians, Muslims, Hindus and some Animists. But, one is free to profess his own religion freely as laid down in the constitution of the Union of Myanmar.

Our country enjoys a tropical climate with three general seasons. The rainy season from mid May to mid October, The cold season from mid October to mid February and the hot season ( summer) from mid February to mid May before the rains begin.

Myanmar is also rich in natural resources, cultural heritage and blessed by nature with much attraction. Golden Temples, Historical Monuments, Traditional Arts and Crafts, Snow capped Mountains, Large River, Hill Stations, Beautiful Lakes and unspoilt Beaches combined with the charm and hospitality of the people.

Myanmar is the only country in South East Asia with Snow capped Mountains in the North. The country where primeval primates made their settlement 49 millions years ago and the country where Buddhism is flourishing most in the world. Myanmar is far from the easiest or most comfortable country in Asia to visit and the Burmese people are incredibly friendly and considerate.

{ “ There are places in Myanmar, like the great ruined city of Bagan or the glittering Shwedagon Paya in Yangon ( Rangoon), with more ‘ magic ’ than almost anywhere on earth ” }

HISTORY

The tribal communities of the Karen, Mon and different Tibeto-Burmese tribes, the most famous being the Pyu, coming from eastern Tibet, were probably the first inhabitants of the area which is now Myanmar. They came from the north traveling down the big rivers and settled mainly in the south and in the north.

From the 5th century onwards, Indians started exploring and later settling in Myanmar with the purpose of doing business. In the 8th century, the Pyu had built a town named Pyay which was said to be the biggest in the country. The ruins of Pyay are still visible today. After the decline of Pyay, the capital shifted to Bagan. From the 11th to 13th century, King Anawrahta ( founder of the First Myanmar Empire), the first Burmese king, ruled in Bagan from 1044 to 1077 and succeeded in establishing a strong and powerful kingdom. After defeating the Mon, he took Mon prisoners (also King and royal families) back to his capital and used their architectural abilities for further development of the city. He also adopted Theravada Buddhism from them and began to spread it in his kingdom. In the 13th century, Myanmar was attacked by the Mongols.

The Mongols finally won the war, and in 1287 Bagan was destroyed. From 13th to 18th century , five independent kingdoms existed, sometimes concurrently : Innwa, Taungoo, Rakhine, Bago and Pyu. A new Burmese kingdom was established in 1753 by King Alaungpaya (founder of the Last Myanmar Empire). He drove the Mon out of Northern Myanmar and made Shwebo his capital. Finally, in 1755, he conquered Pyay and Dagon, changing its name to Yangon (‘ ending of the enemies ’). In 1824, the first British-Burmese war started. The Burmese lost Rakhine, Assam, Manipur and Tenasserim to the British. In 1852, the second war began and the British occupied Southern Myanmar, which was combined in 1862 with Rakhine and Tenasserim into the province of British-Burma. In 1886, Myanmar finally lost its independence and became a province of British-India. It was centrally governed, and traditional Burmese culture was suppressed in many ways.

After the second world war and having liberated Myanmar from Japanese occupation, the British left Maynamar. In 1948, the country became independent and left the British Commonwealth. General Aung San is known as the father of Myanmar’s independence movement and its most famous martyr. Finally, in 1978 and 1988, the long-suffering Burmese people demonstrated against the government. These demonstrations were brutally crushed. A newly formed State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) established martial law. They recently changed their name to State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The SLORC also changed the country’s official name from the Union of Burma to the Union of Myanmar.

Myanmar Embassies Abroad

AUSTRALIA (Canberra)
22 Arkana Street, Yarralumla, Canberra,
A . C . T 2600 Australia,
Tel: (61-2) 6273 3811, 6273 3751
Fax (61-2) 6273 4357
Email - Manirat@dynamite.com.au
Mecanberra@bigpond.com

Bangladesh
No. 3 BLOCK-NEL(l) ROAD No 84, GULSHAN-2
Tel : (88-02) 60 09 88, 60 14 61, 60 19 15, 60 22 84
Fax : (88-02) 88 23 740
Email - mynembdk@dhaka.net

Brunei Darussalam
Bandar Seri Begawan.
No. 14 lot 2185/46292 SIMPANG 212 JALAN KAMPONG RIMBE GADONG 3385, Post Code BE-3119 P.O Box 1309 POST OFFI CE GADONG 3113
Tel : (673-2) 450506, (673-2) 450507
Fax : (673-2) 451008
Email - myanmar@brunet.bn

BRAZIL
SHIS QI 08 CONJUNTO 04, CASA 05, LAGO SUL 71620-245
BRASILLIA - DF
Tel: 00-55-61-2483747, 00-55-61-3643145 Fax: 00-55-61-3642747
Email - mebrsl@brnet.com.br

CANADA (Ottawa)
SANDRINGHAM BUILDING, 85 RANGE ROAD, SUITE 902-903
ONTARIO KIN 8J6
Tel : (613) 232-6434
Fax : (613) 232-6435
Email - meott@magma.ca

CHINA
No. 6, Dong Zhi Men Wai Street,
Chaoyang District, 100600 Beijing
Tel : (0086) (10) 6532 1425, 6532 1584, 6532 0714, 6532 1488, 6532 1624
Fax : (0086) (10) 6532 1344
Email - myan-emb@yahoo.com, myan-emb@hotmail.com ,
myanemb@163bj.com
(a) Hong Kong. Consulate General
RM 2401-2405 & 2436-2440, Sun Hung Kai CENTRE, 30 Harbor Road, WANCHAI
Tel : (852) 2827 7929, 2827 9843
Fax : (852) 2827 6597
Email - myancghk@netvigator-com
(b) Kunming. Consulate General
Address1 : 3rd Floor Bulding No. 3 Camellia Hotel, No. 96 Esat Dong Feng Road,
Tel : (86) (871) 3176609
Fax : (86) (871) 3176309
Cambodia (Phnom Penh)
181, Preah Norodon Boulevard, Boeung Keng Kang 1,

KHAN CHAMCARMON
Tel : (855-23) 213663, 213664
Fax : (855-23) 2136665
Email - m.e.phnompenh@bigpond.com.kh

EGYPT
No.24, Mohamed Mazhar Street, Zamalek, CAIRO.
Tel: (202) 736 2644, 735 4176, 735 1568
Fax : (202) 736 6793
Email - embassy-myanmar@access.com.eg

FRANCE
60, Rue de Courcelles, 75008 PARIS.
Tel: (33) 01 4225 5695 Fax: (33) 01 4256 4941
Email - 106711.21@compuserve.com & ma-paris@wanadoo.fr

Republic of France (Paris)
Embassy of the Union of Myanmar
Address : No. 60, RUE DE COURCELLES, 75008-PARIS
Tel : (33) 01 42 25 56 95
Fax : (33) 01 42 56 49 41
Email : 106711.21@compuserve.com

FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
Zimmer str.56, 10117, Berlin. Ph: (0049) 30 2061570
Fax : (0049 30) 20649757
Email - Emb.my.berlin@t.online

GREECE
Honorary Consulate General of the Union of MYANMAR
NO.10, Skouze Street, PIRAEUS, GR 185 36
Tel - 301-452 6026, 452 6086
Fax - 301-452 4920
Email - ptzane@tee.gr

INDIA
3/50 F, Nyaya Marg, Chankyapuri, New Delhi 110021
Tel: (009111) 6889007, 6889008
Fax : (009111) 6877942
Email - myandeli@nda.vsnl.net.in
Consulate General of the union of Myanmar, INDIA
KOLKATA119 PARK STREET, WHITE HOUSE BUILDING,
BLOCK-D, 4th FLOOR, KOLKATA, 700016
Tel - (009133) 2178273, 2178276 Fax- (009133) 2178274

INDONESIA
109, Jalan Hajiagus Salim, Menteng, Jakarta Pusat.
Tel : (62 21) 3140 440, 327 684
Fax : (62 21) 327 204
Email - myanmar@cbn.net.id

ISRAEL
No. 26 HAYARKON St. TEL AVIV 68011
Tel : (972) (3) 5170 760, 5170 761
Fax : (972) (3) 5171 440
Email : teltaman@aquanet.co.il

ITALY
VIALE GIOACCHINO ROSSINI, NO 18, Int 2, 1st Floor 00198
Tel : 0039-06-8543974, 85863343
Fax : 0039-06-8413167
Email - meroma@tiscalinet.it

JAPAN
8-26, 4 Chome, Kita-Shinagawa, Stinagawa-ku, Tokyo 140-0001
Tel : (81) (03) 3441-9291, 3441-9292, 3441-9293,3441-9294, 3441-9029, 3441-9044
Fax : (81) (03) 3447-7394
Email - met@twics.con

Korea (Seoul)
723-1, 724-1, HANNAM-DONG YONGSAMN-KU, SEOUL, 140-210
Tel : (82-2) 792-3341, 796-9858, 796-7814
Fax : (82-2) 796-5570
Email- myanmare@ppp.kornet.net, myanmare@kotis.net

Korea (Busan)
Honorary Consulate of the Union of MYANMAR.
10F, MEDICAI CENTER B/D
No.1-28, Sujeong 2-Dong, Donggu, BUSAN
Tel- 051 468 2266
Fax - 051 468 3372

LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
BAN THONG KANG, SOK PALAUNG, P.O. Box No. 11
Tel : (856) (21) 314910, 314911
Fax : (856) (21) 314913
Email- mev@loxinfo.co.th

LEBANON
Honorary Consulate of the Union of MYANMAR.
Charles de gaulle a Venue DEBAHY CENTER,
17th Floor Sin EL FIL, BEIRUT, LEBANON.
Tel- (009611)485375, 485376, 485377, 485378, 485379
Fax - 00.96.11. 502974
Email - jdebahy@attrnail.com

MALAYSIA (Kuala Lumpur)
No. 10 JALAN MENGKUANG, OFF JALANG RU, 55000
Tel : (603) 42560280, 42570680
Fax : (603) 42568320
Email - mekl@tm.net.my

NETHERLANDS
Honorary Consulate of the Union of MYANMAR.
Baronielaan 59 4818 PC BREDA, The NETHERLANDS
Tel - 0031 76 5209054
Fax - 0031 76 5209270
Email - consul@worldonline.nl

NEPAL
Chakupat, Patan Gate,
Lalitpur, Kathmandu, P.O.Box No. 2437.
Tel: (0097) 521788, 524788, 977 01 523402
Fax : (0097) (1) 523402
Email - emb@myanmar.wlink.com.np

PAKISTAN
No. 201 St N0 10, SECTOR E-7
Tel : (0092) (51) 2822460, 2828828
Fax : (0092) (51) 2828819
Email - meisb@isb.comsats.net.pk

Philippines(Manila)
4th Floor, XANLAND Centre, 152, Amorsolo St, Legaspi Village, Makati City
METRO MENALI
Tel : (0063-2) 817-2373, 812-9587
Fax : (0063-2) 817-5895
Email - memnl@mindgate.net, embmyanmnl@mindgate.net

RUSSIAN FEDERATION
41. UL. B. NIKITSKAYA (GERTSENA),
Tel : (007) (095) 291 05 34
Fax : (007) (095) 956 31 86

SINGAPORE
No.15, St. Martin's Drive, Singapore 257996.
Tel : (0065) 7350209. 7351672, 7356576
Fax : (0065) 7356236
Email- emyanmar@vyberway.con.sg, ambassador@mesingapore.con.sg

South Africa (Pretoria)
319 MURRAY St. BROOKLYN, PRETORIA P.O. Box 12121, QUEENSWOOD 0121
Tel : 27-12-460 6544, 27-12-460 4333
Fax : 27-12-346 0746
Email- euompta@global.co.za

SRI LANKA
No. 108 BARNES PLACE, COLOMBO 7
Tel : (94) (1) 681197, 672197
Fax : (94) (1) 681196
Email- mecmb@itmin.com, mmembcmb@eureka.lk

Switzerlend (Geneva)
Permanent Mission of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations
47, AVENUE BLANC, 1202 GENEVA
Tel : (0041-22) 731 75 40/731 75 49
Fax : (0041-22) 738 48 82
Email - mission.myanmar@ties.itu.int, myanmar@ties.itu.int

THAILAND
132 Sathorn Nua Road. Bangkok 10500.
Tel : (662) 233-2237, 234-4698, 233-7250, 234-0320, 637-9406
Fax : (662) 236-6898
Email- mebkk@asianet.co.th

TURKEY
Honorary Consulate of the Union of MYANMAR.
GUZSOKAK, NO.13114, CANKAYA, ANKARA 06540
Tel - 90 312 468 7370, 90 312 428 0252
Fax - 90 312 467 8311

UNITED KINGDOM
19A, CHARLES St, LONDON W1J 5DX
Tel : 020 7499 8841, 020 7629 4486
Fax : 020 7629 4169
Email - memblondon@asl.com

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
2300 S Street, N.W.Washington D.C. 20008
Tel : (202) 332-9044, 332-9049, 332-9045
Fax : (202) 332-9046
Email- thuriya@aol.com

New York
Permanent Mission of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations
Address : 10 EAST 77TH St. N. Y 10021
Tel : (212) 535-1310, 535-1311
Fax : (21) 737-2421
Email : myanmar@un.int

VIETNAM
No.A-3 (101-104), Ground Floor, Banphuc,
Diplomatic Quarter, Hanoi.
Tel : (84-4) 845 3369, 823 2056
Fax : (84-4) 845 2404
Email- myan.emb@fpt.vn

YUGOSLAVIA
Kneza Milosa 72, Belgrade 11000
Tel : (381) (11) 645-420, 645-128
Fax : (381) (11) 3614-968
Email- mebel@eunet.yu

Hot Destinations in Myanmar

YANGON REGION

● NORTH OF YANGON
► BAGO
► PYAY

● DELTA REGION
► THANLYIN
► PATHEIN

MANDALAY REGION

► AVA
► AMARAPURA
► SAGAING
► MINGUN
► PYIN OO LWIN
► MOGOK

BAGAN REGION

► SALAY
► MOUNT POPA (MYANMAR’S MOUNT OLYMPUS)

NORTH-EASTERN MYANMAR

● SHAN STATE
► KALAW
► PINDAYA
► INLE LAKE
► TAUNGGYI
► KYAINGTON

● KACHIN STATE
► MYITKYINA

SOUTH-EASTERN MYANMAR

►KYAIK-HTI-YOE (GOLDEN ROCK)
►MAWLAMYINE