The Land
Myanmar is the
name which has long been used by its
people to describe their Homeland
which the British called Burma. Also
known as the golden land for its
rich land and the wealth of its
agriculture and minerals.
Geographically, Myanmar is the
largest in mainland south-east Asia
sharing borders with Bangladesh,
India, China, Laos and Thailand.
Climate
Myanmar enjoys a
tropical climate with three general
seasons. The monsoons from mid-May
to mid-October, the dry cool season
from mid-October to mid-February and
the hot season from mid-February to
mid-May before the rains begin. The
best time to visit Myanmar is from
October to February.
The People
Myanmar is a
union of many nationalities as many
as 135 groups, with their own
languages and dialects. The term
Myanmar embraces all nationalities:
the Bamar, the Chin, the Kachin, the
Kayah, the Kayin, the Mon, the
Rakhine and the Shan. The Bamars
make up 68 percent of the total
population of over 55 million.
Religion
Theravada
Buddhism is the predominant religion
with over 80 percent of the people
embracing it There are also
Christians, Muslims, Hindus and some
animists.
Historical
Background
Myanmar’s
greatness in history dates back to
11th Century when King Anawrahta
consolidated the whole country into
the first Myanmar empire in Bagan
well before the Norman Conquest of
England in 1066. The Bagan Empire
encompassed the entire Menam valley
in Thailand and lasted two
centuries. The Bagan Dynasty
collapsed with invasion of the
Mongols under Kublai Khan in the
13th century. King Alaungpaya
founded the third Myanmar empire in
1752. It was during the zenith of
the Konbaung dynasty that the
British moved into Myanmar. Myanmar
became a British colony after three
Anglo-Myanmar wars in the period of
1824 to 1885. During the world war
II, Myanmar was occupied by the
Japanese from 1942 till the return
of the allied forces in 1945.Myanmar
became a sovereign independent state
on 4th January, 1948 after more
than 100 years of British colonial
administration.
Culture
Myanmar lies in a
meeting place of two of the world’s
great civilization” China and India”
but its culture is neither that of
India nor China exclusively, but a
blend of both interspersed with
Myanmar native traits and
characteristics. Buddhism has great
influence on Myanmar way of life.
The people have preserved the
traditions of close family ties,
respect for the elder, reverence for
Buddhism and simple native dress.
Myanmar people are fun loving and
festivals form the center of Myanmar
social life and each month has its
own festive occasion. Myanmar is
known for their simple hospitality
and friendliness. The wealth of
natural resources may be impressive
but the great fascination of Myanmar
lies in its people.
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