Myanmar

Myanmar is a state in Southeast Asia. Myanmar borders Bangladesh and India to the northwest, China to the northeast, Laos and Thailand to the east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal to the south and southwest. Myanmar is the largest country in the continental part of Southeast Asia and the 10th largest country in Asia in terms of area. As of 2017, the population was about 54 million. Its capital is Naypyidaw, and its largest city is Yangon (Rangoon).

Early civilizations in the area included the Tibeto-Burmese-speaking city-states of Pew in Upper Myanmar and the Mon kingdom in Lower Myanmar. In the 9th century, the Bamar people entered the upper Ayeyarwaddy valley, and after the founding of the pagan kingdom in the 1050s, Burmese, Theravada culture and Buddhism gradually came to dominate the country. The pagan kingdom fell due to the invasions of the Mongols, and several warring states arose. In the 16th century, reuniting with the Taungu dynasty, the country briefly became the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia. The Konbaung Dynasty in the early 19th century ruled over a territory that included present-day Myanmar and briefly controlled Manipur and Assam. The British East India Company seized control of the Myanmar administration after three Anglo-Burmese wars in the 19th century, and the country became a British colony. After a short Japanese occupation, Myanmar was recaptured by the Allies and granted independence in 1948. After a coup d'état in 1962, it became a military dictatorship within the Burma Socialist Program Party.

Throughout most of its independence, the country was gripped by rampant ethnic strife, and its countless ethnic groups were embroiled in one of the world's longest civil wars. During this time, the United Nations and several other organizations have reported systematic and systematic human rights violations in the country. In 2011, the military junta was formally dissolved following the 2010 general elections and a nominally civilian government was established. This, along with the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and political prisoners, improved the human rights and international relations situation in the country and led to the relaxation of trade and other economic sanctions. However, criticism continues for the government's treatment of ethnic minorities, its response to ethnic riots and religious clashes. In the 2015 elections, Aung San Suu Kyi's party won a majority in both chambers. However, the Burmese military remained a powerful force in politics and on February 1, 2021, seized power again in a coup d'état.

Myanmar is a member of the East Asia Summit, Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN and BIMSTEC, but is not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is a country rich in jade and precious stones, oil, natural gas and other minerals. Myanmar is also rich in renewable energy sources; it has the highest solar energy potential of any other country in the Greater Mekong Subregion. In 2013, its GDP (nominal) was US $ 56.7 billion and its GDP (PPP) was US $ 221.5 billion. The income gap in Myanmar is one of the largest in the world, as much of the economy is controlled by supporters of the military government. As of 2020, according to the Human Development Index, Myanmar is ranked 147th out of 189 countries in terms of human development.