MYANMAR

Laforteza, Vicmar
Morallos, Joyce ann
Abellar, Venmar
MYANMAR
MYANMAR IS A DIRECT PRONUNCIATION IN ENGLISH OF
THE COUNTRY'S OFFICIAL BURMESE NAME MYANMA —
MEANING FAST AND STRONG PEOPLE — WHICH DATES BACK TO
THE 12TH CENTURY. DURING BRITISH COLONIAL RULE, FROM
1885 TO 1948, THE COUNTRY WAS KNOWN AS BURMA (FROM
THE BURMESE BAMAR).
LANGUAGE
THERE ARE A TOTAL OF 111 LANGUAGES SPOKEN BY THE PEOPLE LIVING
IN MYANMAR. AMONG THEM, THE TOP LANGUAGE GROUPS ARE MYANMAR（
BURMESE）, SHAN, KAYIN（KAREN）, RAKHINE, MON, CHIN AND KACHIN.
LANGUAGE
BASIC MYANMAR WORD/PHRASES
English Burmese
Good Morning mingala nan ne khin: ba
Good Afternoon kaun:tho:nei Khin: ba
Good Evening kaun: tho: nya. nei khin: ba
Good Night thwa: bi
Good Bye bhinebhine
Thank You kyei: zu: tin ba de
Welcome kyo zo ba de:
How are you? nei kaun: ye. la:
I Love You chit-tey
Sorry sel' mashi ba ne.
LANGUAGE
BASIC MYANMAR WORD/PHRASES
English Burmese
One Ti’
Two Hni’
Three Throne
Four Lay
Five Ngar
Six Chauk
Seven Kunit
Eight SHIT
Nine Koe
Ten Tasel
COUNTRY FLAG
COUNTRY FLAG
• THE CURRENT FLAG OF MYANMAR (ALSO KNOWN AS BURMA) WAS ADOPTED ON 21 OCTOBER
2010 TO REPLACE THE FORMER FLAG IN USE SINCE 1974. THE NEW FLAG WAS INTRODUCED
ALONG WITH IMPLEMENTING CHANGES TO THE COUNTRY'S NAME, WHICH WERE LAID OUT IN
THE 2008 CONSTITUTION.
• THE DESIGN OF THE FLAG HAS THREE HORIZONTAL STRIPES OF YELLOW, GREEN AND RED WITH
A FIVE-POINTED WHITE STAR IN THE MIDDLE. THE THREE COLORS OF THE STRIPES ARE MEANT
TO SYMBOLIZE SOLIDARITY, PEACE AND TRANQUILITY, AND COURAGE AND DECISIVENESS,
RESPECTIVELY.
• AND THE WHITE STAR STANDS FOR THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE UNION OF THE
COUNTRY.
COSTUMES OR DRESS
LONGYI
THE TRADITIONAL COSTUME FOR
MEN IS CALLED LONGYI, WHICH
LOOKS LIKE A DRESS FOR
WOMEN, OFTEN IDEALLY
COMBINED WITH THE SHIRT OR
TRADITIONAL TAIPON.
COSTUMES OR DRESS
THUMMY
THUMMY IS THE COSTUME OF
MYANMAR WOMEN, BEING SIMILAR
TO THAT OF LAO OR THAILAND. THE
TOP WEAR BLOUSE RUNS AT WAIST
LEVEL. THE COLLAR VARIES AMONG
MANY STYLES SUCH AS ROUND-
NECK, POLO-NECK, AND V-NECK.
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS
NATIONAL FLOWER NATIONAL TREE NATIONAL FRUIT
PADAUK PADAUK TREE RAMBUTAN
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIONS

NATIONAL ANIMAL NATIONAL BIRD NATIONAL FISH

GREEN PEAFOWL GREY PEACOCK SUCKERFISH
CAPITAL
NAYPYIDAW
YANGON, ALSO CALLED RANGOON,
CITY, CAPITAL OF INDEPENDENT
MYANMAR (BURMA) FROM 1948 TO
2006, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALLY PROCLAIMED THE NEW
CITY OF NAY PYI TAW (NAYPYIDAW)
THE CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY.
ATTRACTIONS

BAGAN GOLDEN ROCK SHWEDAGON PAGODA

ATTRACTIONS

TAUNG KALAT INLE LAKE MRAUK U

ATTRACTIONS
SHWENANDAW
NGAPALI MONASTERY SHWEMAWDAW PAYA
HISTORY
• COLONIAL HISTORIANS OF BURMA CLAIMED THAT ITS EARLIEST CIVILIZATIONS HAD BEEN
FOUNDED UNDER INDIAN INFLUENCE AND COULD NOT DATE BACK MUCH BEYOND 500 CE.
• BY THE NINTH CENTURY A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM THE NORTH, THE BAMAR, GAINED
PROMINENCE AND FOUNDED THE POWERFUL KINGDOM OF PAGAN (TODAY’S BAGAN).
• THE NEXT UNIFIER OF BURMA WOULD EMERGE IN THE MID-SIXTEENTH CENTURY. BAYINNAUNG
WAS AN EXPANSIONIST RULER WHO WAGED RELENTLESS WAR IN ORDER TO GAIN
INCREASINGLY LARGER AREAS OF TERRITORY.
• BURMESE EXPANSIONISM IN THE LATE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY CAUSED STRIFE WITH CHINA, BUT
IT WAS BURMESE GENERAL MAHA BANDULA’S CONQUEST OF ASSAM IN 1824 THAT WOULD PIT
BURMA AGAINST AN ENEMY THAT WOULD COME TO OCCUPY IT – BRITAIN.
HISTORY
• THE BRITISH MADE BURMA A PROVINCE OF INDIA IN 1886 AND INSTIGATED FAR-REACHING
CHANGES TO THE COUNTRY’S MAKE UP.
• PROTESTS BY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN 1920 WERE THE FIRST SIGNS OF RENEWED RESISTANCE
AGAINST BRITISH RULE.
• THE START OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR SAW THE ADMINISTRATION OF BURMA SEPARATED
FROM INDIA.
• A MILITARY ADMINISTRATION RESUMED IN BURMA UNDER THE BRITISH AND THERE WERE
CALLS TO PROSECUTE AUNG SAN FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN A MURDER DURING MILITARY
OPERATIONS IN 1942.
HISTORY
• U NU’S GOVERNMENT FACED MANY CHALLENGES FROM THE OUTSET – DISGRUNTLED
COMMUNIST FACTIONS AND ETHNIC GROUPS, WHO FELT EXCLUDED FROM THE DEEPLY
BUDDHIST NU’S VISION OF THE COUNTRY, BEGAN INSURGENCIES, AS DID KUOMINTANG
CHINESE NATIONALIST FORCES IN NORTHERN BURMA.
• THE CONSTITUTION WAS SUSPENDED, OPPOSITION POLITICAL PARTIES AND THE ALL BURMA
STUDENT’S UNION WERE BANNED, THE PRESS WAS MUZZLED AND THE COUNTRY WAS CLOSED
OFF TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
• IN SEPTEMBER 1987 A ‘DEMONETIZATION’ ROBBED MOST BURMESE PEOPLE OF THEIR SAVINGS
AND THE UN ADMITTED BURMA TO THE CLUB OF LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES.
• IN 1991 AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS AWARDED THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.
GEOGRAPHY
LOCATED BETWEEN BANGLADESH
AND THAILAND, WITH INDIA AND CHINA TO
THE NORTH, MYANMAR COVERS AN AREA
OF ABOUT 675,000 SQ KM (OVER 260,000 SQ
MI). THE CAPITAL AND LARGEST CITY IS
YANGON, AN IMPORTANT TRADE CENTER IS
MANDALAY LOCATED IN CENTRAL
MYANMAR.
POPULATION
• THE CURRENT POPULATION OF MYANMAR (FORMERLY BURMA) IS 54,321,024 AS OF FRIDAY,
APRIL 2020, BASED ON WORLDOMETER ELABORATION OF THE LATEST UNITED NATIONS DATA.
• MYANMAR 2020 POPULATION IS ESTIMATED AT 54,409,800 PEOPLE AT MID YEAR ACCORDING
TO UN DATA.
• MYANMAR POPULATION IS EQUIVALENT TO 0.7% OF THE TOTAL WORLD POPULATION.
• MYANMAR RANKS NUMBER 26 IN THE LIST OF COUNTRIES (AND DEPENDENCIES) BY
POPULATION.
• 31.4 % OF THE POPULATION IS URBAN (17,068,066 PEOPLE IN 2020)
BEHAVIOR
• BURMESE HAVE BEEN DESCRIBED AS DIGNIFIED, KIND, GENTLE,
GENEROUS, FRANK, POISED, FRIENDLY, INDIVIDUALISTIC,
PATIENT, CHILD-LIKE, CAREFREE, OPEN, AND INFORMAL. THEY
HAVE ALSO BEEN DESCRIBED GOSSIPY, SUPERSTITIOUS,
SECRETIVE, PARANOID, BOASTFUL AND ARROGANT.
EDUCATION

• THE CURRENT BASIC EDUCATION SYSTEM IN

MYANMAR COMPRISES SIX YEARS OF
PRIMARY
• (GRADE 1 TO GRADE 6), THREE YEARS OF
LOWER SECONDARY (GRADE 7 TO GRADE
9) AND
• TWO YEARS OF UPPER SECONDARY (GRADE
10 AND GRADE 11) EDUCATION.
ECONOMY

THE ECONOMY OF MYANMAR (ALSO KNOWN AS BURMA) IS AN EMERGING

ECONOMY WITH A NOMINAL GDP OF $69.322 BILLION IN 2017 AND AN ESTIMATED
PURCHASING POWER ADJUSTED GDP OF $327.629 BILLION IN 2017 ACCORDING TO WORLD
BANK.[20] FOR THE 2018 ESTIMATE, GDP PER CAPITA IN MYANMAR WILL BE $6,509 IN PPP PER
CAPITA AND $1,490 IN NOMINAL PER CAPITA.
CURRENCY
• THE BURMESE KYAT IS THE
CURRENCY OF MYANMAR (BURMA).
OUR CURRENCY RANKINGS SHOW
THAT THE MOST POPULAR MYANMAR
(BURMA) KYAT EXCHANGE RATE IS
THE USD TO MMK RATE. THE
CURRENCY CODE
FOR KYATS IS MMK, AND THE
CURRENCY SYMBOL IS K.
• 1 MYANMAR KYAT EQUALS
0.036 PHILIPPINE PESO
RELIGION
• MYANMAR HAS A POPULATION OF 54
MILLION (2009 EST.), OF WHICH 90%
PROFESS THERAVADA BUDDHISM
(ROUGHLY 48 MILLION), 4%
CHRISTIANITY (1.65 MILLION
BAPTISTS AND 550,000 ROMAN
CATHOLICS), 4% ISLAM (2.2 MILLION),
1% HINDUISM (550,000), AND THE
REMAINING 1% CONSISTS OF
MAHAYANA BUDDHISM, VAJRAYANA
BUDDHISM AND ANIMISM.
TRANSPORTATION
HOT AIR BALLON TRADITIONAL CANOE MYANMESE TUK TUK
TRANSPORTATION
RUSTIC TRAIN TRISHAW RIDE PONY CART
FOLK DANCE

OU: ZI DANCE (OOH-SI) DAO MOE

FOLK DANCE

YANGON NHA PAR THWAR

FOLK SONG
• FOLK MUSIC OF MYANMAR, TRADITIONAL MUSIC OF
MYANMAR, BURMESE FOLK MUSIC, SAUNG-GAUK,
SAUNG, LEI, SAUNG,
CULTURAL BELIEFS
• ALMOST 90 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLE ARE BUDDHISTS, AND THE PROPORTION
IS HIGHER AMONG THE BURMESE MAJORITY. BURMESE FOLLOW THE
THERAVADA FORM OF BUDDHISM, WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS HINAYANA
BUDDHISM AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE ELDERS OR THE SMALL VEHICLE. IN
THERAVADA BUDDHISM, IT IS UP TO EACH INDIVIDUAL TO SEEK SALVATION AND
ACHIEVE NIRVANA. BUDDHISM IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO
BURMA BY MISSIONARIES SENT BY THE INDIAN EMPEROR ASHOKA IN THE
THIRD CENTURY B.C.E.
CULTURAL BELIEFS
• BUDDHISM IS FOLLOWED BY MANY OF THE NON-BURMESE ETHNIC GROUPS.
WHILE ALL THESE GROUPS FOLLOW THERAVADA BUDDHISM, THERE ARE SOME
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE IN BELIEFS AND PRACTICES AND THOSE OF THE
BURMESE. BUDDHIST BELIEFS AND PRACTICES INCLUDE ANIMISTIC ELEMENTS
THAT REFLECT BELIEF SYSTEMS PREDATING THE INTRODUCTION OF
BUDDHISM. AMONG THE BURMESE, THIS INCLUDES THE WORSHIP
OF NATS, WHICH MAYBE ASSOCIATED WITH HOUSES, IN INDIVIDUALS, AND
NATURAL FEATURES. AN ESTIMATED 3 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION, MAINLY
IN MORE ISOLATED AREAS, WHO ADHERE SOLELY TO ANIMISTIC RELIGIOUS
BELIEFS.
CULTURAL FOOD
• TEA LEAF SALAD - THIS IS THE MOST POPULAR MYANMAR FOOD. TO MAKE THE
DISH, THE SOUR, SLIGHTLY BITTER LEAVES ARE MIXED BY HAND WITH SHREDDED
CABBAGE, SLICED TOMATOES, NUTS AND PEAS. THE DISH CAN BE A SNACK, AN
APPETIZER OR, COUPLED WITH A PLATE OF RICE.
CULTURAL FOOD
• SHAN-STYLE RICE
KNOWN AS FISH RICE, THIS SHAN DISH IS AMONG THE MOST

TYPICAL MYANMAR FOOD. IT COMBINES RICE THAT'S BEEN

COOKED WITH TURMERIC AND TOPPED WITH FLAKES OF

FRESHWATER FISH AND GARLIC OIL. THIS CUISINE BECOMES

A DELICIOUS SNACK WHEN SERVED WITH LEEK ROOTS,

RAW GARLIC AND DEEP-FRIED PORK RINDS. WHEN

STAYING AT SANCTUM INLE RESORT MYANMAR YOU

CAN TRY THIS RICE.

CULTURAL FOOD
• CURRY
THE CURRY IS A DELICIOUS MEAL TO TRY WITH PORK,
FISH, SHRIMP, BEEF OR MUTTON. THESE INCLUDE RICE,
A TART SALAD, A SMALL DISH OF FRIED VEGETABLES,
A SMALL BOWL OF SOUP AND A LARGE TRAY OF FRESH
VEGETABLES AND HERBS.
CULTURAL FOOD
• SWEET SNACKS - UNLIKE SWEETS ELSEWHERE IN
SOUTHEAST ASIA, SWEET SNACKS AREN’T GENERALLY
PACKED WITH SUGAR. THEY ARE GETTING THEIR
SWEET FLAVORS FROM INGREDIENTS SUCH AS GRATED
COCONUT, COCONUT MILK, RICE FLOUR, COOKED STICK
RICE, TAPIOCA AND FRUIT.
CULTURAL FOOD
• SHAN-STYLE ‘TOFU’ NOODLES
THE DISH DOESN’T INCLUDE TOFU, BUT A
THICK PORRIDGE MADE FROM CHICKPEA
FLOUR. THE STICKY YELLOW STUFF IS
SERVED OVER THIN RICE NOODLES,
MARINATED CHICKEN OR PORK.
IT'S TOPPED WITH CHILI OIL AND PICKLED VEGGIES AND BROTH. IF YOU’RE INTERESTED
IN SAVORY FLAVORS, YOU SHOULD TRY THIS WHEN STAYING AT SANCTUM INLE RESORT
MYANMAR.
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION
• THINGYAN FESTIVAL
• THE MOST FAMOUS FESTIVAL IN MYANMAR, THE THINGYAN
WATER FESTIVAL IS HELD IN CELEBRATION OF THE MYANMAR
NEW YEAR. THIS FESTIVAL IS SIMILAR TO THE FAMOUS
SONGKRAN FESTIVAL IN THAILAND WHEREIN PEOPLE THROW
OR SPLASH WATER AT ONE ANOTHER DURING THE FOUR-DAY
FESTIVAL. THE FESTIVAL HAPPENS ALL ACROSS THE YANGON
REGION, BUT MANDALAY HAS THE BRAGGING RIGHTS FOR
BEING THE MOST CROWDED CITY TO CELEBRATE THE MYANMAR
NEW YEAR. USUALLY, THE FESTIVAL LASTS FOUR DAYS BUT ON A
LEAP YEAR, IT LASTS FIVE DAYS. ON THE BURMESE NEW YEAR
DAY, MYANMAR PEOPLE ALSO DO GOOD DEEDS BY OFFERING
MEALS AND SNACKS, TAKING SABBATH, OR CUTTING NAILS FOR
THEIR ELDERS.
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION
• KACHIN MANAW FESTIVAL
MANAW FESTIVAL IS USUALLY HELD IN KACHIN
STATE AND IS HELD EVERY YEAR IN JANUARY TO
WELCOME THE NEW YEAR. DURING THE FESTIVAL, YOU
WILL SEE MANAW POLES THAT ARE LONG, ARTISTICALLY
DESIGNED, AND ERECTED AT THE CENTRE OF THE
FESTIVAL AREA. KACHIN PEOPLE USUALLY DANCE
AROUND THESE POLES AS A WAY TO CELEBRATE THE
NEW YEAR, THE REUNION OF TRIBES, AND THE
VICTORIES IN BATTLE. YOU CAN SEE BEAUTIFUL KACHIN
PEOPLE IN THEIR TRADITIONAL COSTUMES, AND YOU
MAY ALSO PARTICIPATE IN THE DANCE WITH THEM
DURING THE FESTIVAL.
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION
• TAUNGGYI TAZAUNGDAING FESTIVAL • TAUNGGYI TAZAUNGDAING FESTIVAL
• THE MOST POPULAR FESTIVAL HELD IN THE SHAN
STATE IS THE TAUNGGYI TAZAUNGDAING, ALSO •
KNOWN AS THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, WHICH
USUALLY HAPPENS AROUND NOVEMBER. DURING
THE FESTIVAL, YOU CAN SEE MANY HOT AIR
BALLOONS OF VARYING SHAPES AND SIZES THAT
ARE LAUNCHED TO THE SKY AS AN OFFERING TO
THE HEAVENS, AND TO FIGHT OFF EVIL SPIRITS.
THE FESTIVAL IS QUITE POPULAR AMONG THE
LOCALS BECAUSE IT’S SIMILAR
TO MUSIC FESTIVALS WHERE THERE ARE LOUD
MUSIC AND LOTS OF BEER AND FOOD. IF YOU ARE
TRAVELLING TO MYANMAR IN NOVEMBER, MAKE
SURE TO WITNESS THIS AWESOME EVENT.
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION
• KYAIKHTIYO THADINGYUT FESTIVAL
• ALTHOUGH THADINGYUT FESTIVAL IS
HELD ALL ACROSS MYANMAR, THE
KYAIKHTIYO THADINGYUT FESTIVAL IS THE
MOST FAMOUS OF ALL AMONG THE
LOCALS. PEOPLE LIGHT CANDLES DURING
THE FESTIVAL AS A WAY TO WELCOME THE
LORD BUDDHA BACK FROM THE HEAVENS,
WHERE HE IS BELIEVED TO PREACH TO HIS
REBORN MOTHER, BEFORE RETURNING TO
EARTH. ON THE DAY OF THE FULL MOON
OF THADINGYUT, LOCALS OFFER 9,000
CANDLES AND FLOWERS TO THE PAGODA.
TRADITIONAL CELEBRATION
• KYAUKSE ELEPHANT DANCE FESTIVAL
• KYAUKSE IS LOCATED JUST ABOUT 44KM
AWAY FROM MANDALAY, AND EVERY YEAR
AROUND OCTOBER, PEOPLE FROM UPPER
MYANMAR USUALLY COME TO KYAUKSE
DURING THE FESTIVAL TO ENJOY THE
ELEPHANT DANCE. THERE ARE USUALLY
TWO PEOPLE WHO ENTER INSIDE THE
PAPER-ELEPHANT TO DANCE. THESE
DANCERS MUST COMPLETELY BE IN SYNC
WHEN IT COMES TO RHYTHM AND TIMING
FOR THE DANCE TO BE SUCCESSFUL. THIS
FESTIVAL IS HELD TO PAY HOMAGE TO THE
SHWE THA LYAUNG PAGODA IN KYAUKSE.
FOLK LITERATURE
BURMESE FOLKTALES

• FAMOUS MYANMAR’S CHARACTERISTICS

• THE OLD WISE MAN
• THE FROG MAIDEN
• THE GIVING FARMER
REFERENCES

• TRIZILLA. COM • NEWINT. ORG

• EVERYCULTURE. COM • TOROPIA. COM
• FOLKCLOUD. COM • BRITANNICA. COM
• THESMARTLOCAL. COM
• WIKIPEDIA. ORG
• WORLDOMETERS. INFO