History

Geography

The history of the territory called Burma is attested as early as the first millennium BC by archaeological excavations, the arrival of Môn from Kampuchea, Burmese from the Himalayas, Thai from the north of Thailand.
The history of Burma is divided into six periods.
From the 11th to the 16th century, this period started with the creation of the kingdom of Pagan on the present territory of Myanmar. In 1287 the Mongolians invaded the area which they dominated until the end of the 15th century.
From the 16th to the 18th century, the reunification of the area intervened with the Kings of Taungoo. The break-up came from the claims of the minorities.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the country was divided into a Môn State and mountain Tribes. Border incidents involved interventions of the British from India.
From 1824, the India British empire set up Pax Britannica by managing the country directly. During World War II the Japanese intervention had the same consequences as for the neighbours in South-east Asia.
On 04/01/1948, Burma became independent and set a Socialist and Buddhist Democracy .
On 02/03/1962, a Military Junta take power never to let it even though it pretended to democratize the government by having the people vote for a constitution.

Burma is enclosed in a horseshoe of mountains slightly open onto the sea. It stretches 2,100Km from north to south, 960Km at its widest and 2,800km of coastline. However the penetration by the sea is difficult.
In the west, on the side of India and Bangladesh, the Chin chain spreads out covered with dense forests. In the east, on the side of Thailand the Shan plateau forms a natural border. In the north-east, on the side of China, the Kachin mountains reach altitudes of 6,000 m. The surface area equals that of France, Benelux and Switzerland together.
It is divided into four great areas.
The Western part is the prolongation of the Himalayan fold with the hills of Naga, Patkai, Chin, Arakan.
The central part is the depression of the three large rivers Irrawaddy, Chindwin, Sittang. It is the heart of the Burmese country where the old capitals were located.
The deltaic part consists of the delta plain of the three rivers whose alluvia advance 60m per annum. It is the land of paddy fields, "the rice bowl" of Burma.
The Eastern part is made up of the Kachin mountains then Shan plateau in the north and of the peninsula by Tenasserim chain in the south.
Monsoon is the climatic phenomenon which governs the pluviometric system of the area.

The Burmese landscape is made up of farms, paddy fields in the large central depression and rustic agricultural tools, buffalo carts, wooden swing-ploughs, sail needle of fishing in the lakes and rivers, long lines of bicycles on the roads.

Economic facts

Civilization

Burma meets with difficulties to develop itself. The cover rate of the imports is only 70%, the remainder comes from international assistance.
There is no famine in Burma.

The Burmese currency is the kyat.

The official name is Union of Myanmar whose capital is Yangon (Rangoon). The population should be 50 million in the year 2000. The language of Burma is Burmese, but there are also the Karen, Chin, Shan and Kachin dialects.

The Burmese are 87% Buddhists, 5% Catholics, 4% Moslems, 3% animists.

Burma attracts tourists either for cultural activities by visiting the monuments or for sports activities. Tourists are impressed by the fervour of the Buddhist population and the omnipresence of monks in saffron robes.

Traveller's information

Sights

A 28-day visa is necessary to enter Burma. It is not renewable.

Thailand offers opportunities for small budgets.

Burma is also an ethnic mosaic and three groups of languages, rebellions minorities in the mountains who deserve to be met.

The journey was made in 1987, a package tour associated with the individual journey to Thailand.