Page 83 - Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Cambodia & Vietnam

During the last decade, signs of economic improvement have continued—in 2005 the
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continued to outsell expectations. And just a few years later, in June 2012, the BBC reported
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Burma

Facts & Figures

• Area: 261,227 square miles

• Capital: Nay Pyi Taw

• Languages: -`]XP^P T^ _SP ZʯNTLW WLYR`LRP& P_SYTN LYO ]PRTZYLW OTLWPN_^ L]P LW^Z ^[ZVPY

• Ethnicites: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Mon 2%, Indian
2%, other 5%
• Location: Burma is bordered by India, China, Laos, Thailand, and the Andaman Sea.

• Geography: Burma’s terrain is dominated by steep, rugged highlands that ring the
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empties into the Andaman Sea through a large delta covering over 63 million acres.
Although the administrative capital is Nay Pyi Taw, the two largest cities in Burma are
actually Rangoon (pop. 5.5 million) and Mandalay (pop. 1.2 million).

• Population: 55,746,253

• Religions: Buddhist 89%, Christian 4%, Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%

• Time Zone: Burma is on Myanmar Standard Time, 11.5 hours ahead of U.S. EST. When it
is 6am in Washington D.C., it is 5:30pm in Nay Pyi Taw.

National Holidays: Burma

In addition to the holidays listed below, 03/03 Peasants’ Day
Burma celebrates a number of national
03/27 Armed Forces Day
holidays that follow a lunar calendar, such
as the Water Festival, Maha Thingyan. To April Thingyan Lunar Water Festival (moves
ʭYO Z`_ TQ dZ` bTWW MP _]LaPWTYR O`]TYR _SP^P each year; see note to left)
holidays, please visit www.timeanddate.
com/holidays. 05/01 Labor Day/May Day

01/04 Independence Day 07/19 Martyrs’ Day

02/12 Union Day 12/25 Christmas Day

12/31 New Year

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