Myanmar

Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is a country in Southeast Asia located at the juncture of the Indian and Indochinese subregions. It shares borders with Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand.

Myanmar spans roughly 676,578 square kilometres, featuring mountain ranges, river valleys, and an extensive coastline along the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. The country’s diverse topography includes the Shan Hills, the Irrawaddy River, and the fertile lowlands of Yangon.

Myanmar’s culture is shaped by a mosaic of ethnic groups including the Bamar, Shan, Karen, Rakhine, and many others. Influences from Theravada Buddhism, traditional animist beliefs and colonial history give rise to vibrant festivals, distinctive cuisine, and traditional arts such as lacquerware, golden-leaf manuscript painting, and intricate weaving.

The region of modern Myanmar was one of the earliest major kingdoms in Southeast Asia, with the Pagan Empire founded in the 9th century. By the 19th century, British colonisation turned the area into the province of Burma, which later joined the United Kingdom of India. Myanmar gained independence in 1948, experienced a series of political upheavals and military rule, and in 2011 began a path toward parliamentary democracy.

This overview is AI-assisted and grounded with available atlas facts and reference material. Treat linked primary data as authoritative. Read the methodology.