Geography:
Burma, also known as Myanmar, is a nation of 60 million people located in Southeast Asia. It is the largest country in mainland southeast Asia covering 678,500 square kilometers, which is about the size of Ukraine. It shares a border with China, Laos, India, Thailand and Bangladesh, and is rich with natural resources. Burma is divided into 7 states and 7 regions totally 14 divisions. Most of the divisions are inhabited by the Burmese ethnicity, and some of the other ethnicities such as Karen and Kachin occupy some of the other divisions.
History:
The earliest inhabitants of Burma can be traced back 400,000 years to the prehistoric era. The earliest establishment of city-states and civilization began in 2nd century BCE with the Pyu states which ruled until the 9th century. After the Pyu, the Mon took over Burma and prospered until 1024 AD. The next stage in Burmese history can be described as the rise of the Imperial period. Dynasties such as the Pagan, Toungoo, and the Konbaung ruled until the 19th century. These dynasties unified present day Burma for the first time and allowed for the standardization and unification of religion, language, ethnicity, and the economy. Monarchs ruled Burma throughout this time period. After the imperial rule came the British rule. Britain colonized Burma after a series of wars between 1824 and 1885, and this brought about many changes socially, economically, and politically. Burma was under British rule until World War II when it came under Japanese occupation. Burma’s leader Aung San thought it was more likely that Japan would grant Burma independence after the war so at first he supported the Japanese. However, he then changed his allegiance to the British. After the war, Aung San was able to negotiate an agreement with the British that awarded Burma independence in 1947. Aung San was leading the creation of a new constitution when he was assassinated. This destabilized the country and the next decade was filled with disagreement and civil war among different ethnic groups. In 1962, military general Ne Win led a coup and took over Burma and established a military rule. Burma has suffered greatly during this period of military rule which still continues today.
Government/Politics:
Burma is technically ruled as a presidential republic with a bicameral legislature, but the military still has a big impact of politics. In the 1990s, there were anti government movements for democracy that were crushed harshly by the military led government. Ever since independence, there has been the struggle for democracy by the people that has been mostly crushed. The biggest figure for the democracy movement is Aung San Suu Kyi, who was placed under house arrest because the government was scared of the support she had garnered. In recent times, there have been indications that Burma will allow for more democratic processes, and this could mean a brighter future for Burma.
Works Cited:
"Burma." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
"Burma." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2014.
"History Of Burma." History of Burma. Canadian Friends of Burma, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
Burma, also known as Myanmar, is a nation of 60 million people located in Southeast Asia. It is the largest country in mainland southeast Asia covering 678,500 square kilometers, which is about the size of Ukraine. It shares a border with China, Laos, India, Thailand and Bangladesh, and is rich with natural resources. Burma is divided into 7 states and 7 regions totally 14 divisions. Most of the divisions are inhabited by the Burmese ethnicity, and some of the other ethnicities such as Karen and Kachin occupy some of the other divisions.
History:
The earliest inhabitants of Burma can be traced back 400,000 years to the prehistoric era. The earliest establishment of city-states and civilization began in 2nd century BCE with the Pyu states which ruled until the 9th century. After the Pyu, the Mon took over Burma and prospered until 1024 AD. The next stage in Burmese history can be described as the rise of the Imperial period. Dynasties such as the Pagan, Toungoo, and the Konbaung ruled until the 19th century. These dynasties unified present day Burma for the first time and allowed for the standardization and unification of religion, language, ethnicity, and the economy. Monarchs ruled Burma throughout this time period. After the imperial rule came the British rule. Britain colonized Burma after a series of wars between 1824 and 1885, and this brought about many changes socially, economically, and politically. Burma was under British rule until World War II when it came under Japanese occupation. Burma’s leader Aung San thought it was more likely that Japan would grant Burma independence after the war so at first he supported the Japanese. However, he then changed his allegiance to the British. After the war, Aung San was able to negotiate an agreement with the British that awarded Burma independence in 1947. Aung San was leading the creation of a new constitution when he was assassinated. This destabilized the country and the next decade was filled with disagreement and civil war among different ethnic groups. In 1962, military general Ne Win led a coup and took over Burma and established a military rule. Burma has suffered greatly during this period of military rule which still continues today.
Government/Politics:
Burma is technically ruled as a presidential republic with a bicameral legislature, but the military still has a big impact of politics. In the 1990s, there were anti government movements for democracy that were crushed harshly by the military led government. Ever since independence, there has been the struggle for democracy by the people that has been mostly crushed. The biggest figure for the democracy movement is Aung San Suu Kyi, who was placed under house arrest because the government was scared of the support she had garnered. In recent times, there have been indications that Burma will allow for more democratic processes, and this could mean a brighter future for Burma.
Works Cited:
"Burma." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.
"Burma." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 01 Oct. 2014. Web. 11 Jan. 2014.
"History Of Burma." History of Burma. Canadian Friends of Burma, n.d. Web. 13 Jan. 2014.