Myanmar

C

Plants and Animals

Forests and woodland cover about half of Myanmar. In the regions of maximum precipitation, the dense tropical forests contain extensive stands of timber and oil-bearing trees, including commercially valuable teak forests. Other trees include rubber, cinchona, acacia, bamboo, ironwood, mangrove, coconut, betel palm, and, chiefly in the northern highlands, oak, pine, and many species of rhododendron. Tropical fruits such as citrus, bananas, mangoes, and guavas grow in the coastal regions. Vegetation in the arid regions is sparse and stunted.

Jungle animals such as the tiger and leopard are common. Among the larger native quadrupeds, found mainly in the highlands of Upper Myanmar, are the elephant, rhinoceros, wild buffalo, wild boar, and several species of deer and antelope. Elephants, tamed or bred in captivity, are used as work animals, particularly in the timber industry. Smaller quadrupeds include the gibbon, several species of monkey, the wildcat, the flying fox, and the tapir. Myanmar has over 1,200 known varieties of birds, including parrots, peafowl, pheasants, crows, and herons. Among typical reptiles are crocodiles, geckos, cobras, pythons, and turtles. Many edible species of freshwater fish are plentiful.

D

Environmental Concerns

Although rich in natural resources, Myanmar is among the most impoverished countries in Asia. Only 60 per cent (1990-1998 estimate) of Myanmar's citizens have access to safe water, and only 43 per cent (1990-1998 estimate) are served by adequate sanitation systems. Water-borne infectious diseases are a significant health problem throughout Myanmar. Forests cover 41 per cent (1995) of Myanmar, but the country is suffering deforestation at a rate of 1.4 per cent (1990-1996) every year. Most of the world's remaining teak trees are in Myanmar. Teak wood is in high demand worldwide, and in the early 1990s the teak harvest greatly exceeded the sustainable yield. Forests are also being consumed for fuel, with firewood and other traditional fuels representing 64 per cent (1996) of the country's total energy consumption. Only 0.3 per cent (1997) of Myanmar's land is officially protected, although forest reserves extend over 14 per cent of the country. The country is inhabited by 98 (1996) threatened animal species. Myanmar has ratified international agreements on biodiversity, tropical forests, and the ozone layer. The country has also signed treaties limiting nuclear testing and marine pollution.

III

Population

The indigenous population of Myanmar is essentially Mongoloid. More than two thirds of the people are Burman, racially akin to the Tibetans and the Chinese. In addition, several indigenous minorities with their own languages and cultures also inhabit the country. The most important of these groups are the Karen (8 per cent), Shan (7 per cent), Mon (2 per cent), Chin (2 per cent), and Kachin (2 per cent). Each minority group has its own state. The Karen are in Lower Myanmar. The Shan, a people related to the Thai, live mainly in the hills along the Thai border. The Mon, or Mon-Khmer, the first major ethnic group known to have migrated to the area of what is now Myanmar, live mainly in the delta region and are becoming assimilated with the Burman ethnic majority.

The Chin, who are related to ethnic groups in neighbouring Assam state, India, live in the north-western mountainous region. The Chin live primarily by hunting and fishing. In Chin society, absolute leaders, who are usually also head priests of the traditional religion, rule the groups. The Kachin, a hill people, are concentrated in the far north of the country, along the Chinese border. They are related ethnically to the Chinese. The Kachin are ruled by hereditary leaders. The population of Myanmar also includes large immigrant minorities, notably from India and China.

A

Population Characteristics

Myanmar has a population of 47,373,958 (2007 estimate). The overall population density is 72 people per sq km (186 per sq mi), one of the lowest in the region. The population is about 69 per cent rural, with almost half the urban population found in the three largest cities: Rangoon, Mandalay, and Moulmein.

B

Political Divisions

Myanmar is divided into 14 regions: Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Mon, Rakhine, and Shan, the 7 states of the ethnic minority groups; and Irrawaddy, Magwe, Mandalay, Pegu, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, and Yangon (Rangoon), the 7 administrative divisions of the area occupied by the Burman majority.