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Burma

Continent:

Geography

People &
Society

Government

Economy

Energy

Communications

Military &
Security

Transportation

Terrorism

Transnational Issues
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Country Name

Conventional long form: Union of Burma

Conventional short form: Burma

Local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)

Local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw

Former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma

Administrative Divisions

7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular - yin) and 7 states (pyine-mya, singular - pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, Yangon*

Independence

4 January 1948 (from UK)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 4 January (1948)

Constitution

3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been approved

Legal System

does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government

Head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government

Cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet

Elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister

Legislative Branch

Elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened

Election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 396, NUP 10, other 79

Judicial Branch

Limited; remnants of the British-era legal system in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive

Political Parties and Leaders

National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and eight minor legal parties

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA

Flag Description

Red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions

National Anthem

Year

Government Type

  • Military regime

Data Code

  • BM

Capital

    Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador TIN WINN
  • Chancery
    2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 332-9044
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 332-9046
  • Consulate(s) General
    New York

Diplomatic Representation from the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Permanent Charge d'Affaires Priscilla A. CLAPP
  • Embassy
    581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
  • Mailing Address
    Box B, APO AP 96546
  • Telephone
    [95] (1) 282055, 282182
  • FAX
    [95] (1) 280409

International Organization Participation

  • AsDB
  • ASEAN
  • CCC
  • CP
  • ESCAP
  • FAO
  • G-77
  • IAEA
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICRM
  • IDA
  • IFAD
  • IFC
  • IFRCS
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Intelsat (nonsignatory user)
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • ITU
  • NAM
  • OPCW
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UNESCO
  • UNIDO
  • UPU
  • WHO
  • WMO
  • WToO
  • WTrO
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