 Country name:
conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form:Burma local long form:Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) local short form:Myanma Naingngandaw former:Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, Union of Myanmar note:since 1989 the military authorities in Burma and the current parliamentary government have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; the US Government has not adopted the name
Government type:
parliamentary government took power in March 2011
Capital:
name:Rangoon (Yangon); note - Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capitalgeographic coordinates:16 48 N, 96 09 E time difference:UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne)
Independence:
4 January 1948 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
Constitution:
previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest approved by referendum 29 May 2008; reformed 2011 (2011)
Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:President THEIN SEIN (since 4 February 2011); Vice President SAI MAUK KHAM (since 3 February 2011); Vice President NYAN TUN (since 15 August 2012)head of government:President THEIN SEIN (since 4 February 2011) cabinet:cabinet is appointed by the president and confirmed by the parliament elections:THEIN SEIN elected president by the parliament from among three vice presidents; the upper house, the lower house, and military members of the parliament each nominate one vice president (president serves a five-year term)
Legislative branch:
bicameral, consists of the House of Nationalities [Amyotha Hluttaw] (224 seats, 168 directly elected and 56 appointed by the military; members serve five-year terms) and the House of Representatives [Pythu Hluttaw] (440 seats, 330 directly elected and 110 appointed by the military; members serve five-year terms)elections:last held on 7 November 2010 (next to be held in December 2015) election results:House of Nationalities - percent of vote by party - USDP 74.8%, other (NUP, SNDP, RNDP, NDF, AMRDP) 25.2%; seats by party - USDP 129, other 39; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - USDP 79.6%, other (NUP, SNDP, RNDP, NDF, AMRDP) 20.4%; seats by party - USDP 259, other 71
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges)judge selection and term of office:chief justice and judges nominated by the president, with approval of the Pythu Hlattaw, and appointed by the president; judges normally serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 subordinate courts:High Courts of the Region; High Courts of the State; Court of the Self-Administered Division; Court of the Self-Administered Zone; district and township courts; special courts (for juvenile, municipal, and traffic offenses); courts martial
| | Political parties and leaders:
All Mon Region Democracy Party or AMRDP [NAING NGWE THEIN]National Democratic Force or NDF [KHIN MAUNG SWE, Dr.THAN NYEIN] National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SAN SUU KYI] National Unity Party or NUP [TUN YE] Rakhine Nationalities Development Party or RNDP [Dr. AYE MG] Shan Nationalities Democratic Party or SNDP [SAI AIKE PAUNG] Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO] Union Solidarity and Development Party or USDP [SHWE MANN, HTAY OO] numerous smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
All Mon Region Democracy Party or AMRDP [NAING NGWE THEIN]National Democratic Force or NDF [KHIN MAUNG SWE, Dr.THAN NYEIN] National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SAN SUU KYI] National Unity Party or NUP [TUN YE] Rakhine Nationalities Development Party or RNDP [Dr. AYE MG] Shan Nationalities Democratic Party or SNDP [SAI AIKE PAUNG] Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO] Union Solidarity and Development Party or USDP [SHWE MANN, HTAY OO] numerous smaller parties
International organization participation:
ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador KYAW MYO HTUT (since 3 December 2013)chancery:2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 332-3344 FAX:[1] (202) 332-4351 consulate(s) general:none; Burma has a Mission to the UN in New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Derek J. MITCHELL (since 11 July 2012)embassy:110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon mailing address:Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone:[95] (1) 536-509, 535-756, 538-038 FAX:[95] (1) 511-069
Flag description:
design consists of three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a large white five-pointed star that partially overlaps onto the adjacent colored stripes; the design revives the triband colors used by Burma from 1943-45, during the Japanese occupation
National symbol(s):
chinthe (mythical lion)
National anthem:
name:'Kaba Ma Kyei' (Till the End of the World, Myanmar)
lyrics/music:SAYA TIN note:adopted 1948; Burma is among a handful of non-European nations that have anthems rooted in indigenous traditions; the beginning portion of the anthem is a traditional Burmese anthem before transitioning into a Western-style orchestrated work |