Crosslinks Myanmar facts

	Myanmar (Burma)
	Link to www.infomekong.com , a site that gives more information about the Shan people

Myanmar consists of the great central valleys of the Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers and a series of north-south mountain ranges, such as the Arakan Yomas in the west and the Dawna Range in the east.

The climate is of the monsoon type, with both high rainfall and high temperatures throughout the year.

The largest ethnic group is the Bhama people who make up two-thirds of the population. There are many smaller tribes living mainly in the hills of the west, north and east, including the Kayins, the Shans, the Kachins, the Mons and the Chins.

The Mons were the earliest civilised inhabitants of lower Myanmar and were dominant from the l st until the 9th century AD, when the Bhama people moved down from Tibet and settled in the Irrawaddy Valley, establishing their capital at Pagan. The Pagan Empire from the 11 th to the 13th century is the most glorious part of the country's history and many imposing ruins remain. Pagan was captured by the Mongol Chinese in 1287. After a period of decline the Bliama people reasserted their position in the 18th century and dislodged the Mons from lower Myanmar, becoming the dominant tribe for the whole of the central river valley.

Following an invasion of Assam in 1824 by Myanmar forces, the British captured Rangoon and thereafter had increasing influence, with Myanmar being incorporated into British India in 1885. The Japanese invasion of 1942 drove the British out for three years and on their return they were faced with increasing demands for independence which were granted in 1948 when the Republic was established with a democratic form of government.

In 1962, a military coup paved the way for setting up a one-party Socialist Republic. Increasingly isolationist in outlook, the government has had to contend with continual guerilla activity in its border area where the various minority groups are fighting for independence. In 1988 civil unrest reached the capital Rangoon in a series of muchpublicised anti-government demonstrations.

In 1990 elections were held in which the opposition party under Aung San Suu Kyi won 85 % of the votes. However the military regime refused to hand over power.

	Myanmar	UK equivalent
Population	46 million	59 million
Area	676,577 sq km	245,000 sq km
Urban population	27 %	90 %
Life expectancy	54 years	75 years
Income per person	$2610	$20,870
Christians % pop´n	8.7	68

The country is largely agricultural with rice the main crop. Teak and other hardwoods are exported. The discovery of petroleum deposits in the north made the country self-sufficient in fuel for a while. More recently large deposits of natural gas have been discovered.

However, the unrest and the government's policies have not encouraged economic development and most of the country is very backward with little sign of progress in recent years. Opium is grown widely and forms the basis of an extensive black market and much corruption.

Most ethnic Myanmar are Buddhists. Most villages have a monastery while the Shwe Dagon pagoda in Rangoon is one of the more important Buddhist shrines in the world.

There is freedom of religion. Church worship is allowed but permission is required for larger gatherings and any political involvement is not tolerated.

The Church is strongest among the tribal animistic peoples, especially the Kachin, Chin and Karen. The Baptists are by far the biggest Protestant denomination, following the pioneering work of the American missionary Adoniram Judson at the beginning of the 19th century. There is a similar number of Roman Catholics.

The Anglican Church first arrived in Myanmar in mid-19th century. Today there are about 50,000 Anglicans. The Church of the Province of Myanmar has 6 dioceses

BCMS missionaries first went to Myanmar in 1924 and worked in the Kachin State in the north, among the Shans in the east, and the Khami Chins in the west. Along with all non-nationals, the society had to withdraw its workers in 1966 because of a government edict and since then contact has been limited.

Nevertheless, Crosslinks continues to provide financial help for the church and to encourage prayer for its work. Despite the isolation of the country for 30 years, constant internal unrest and economic stagnation, the church continues to grow especially in the animistic areas.

"The White Umbrella" by Patricia Elliott published by Post Books gives fascinating reading on background to 20th century in Myanmar.