of Trade Unions-Burma or FTUB (exile trade union and labor
advocates); National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or
NCGUB (self-proclaimed government in exile) ["Prime Minister" Dr.
SEIN WIN] consists of individuals, some legitimately elected to the
People's Assembly in 1990 (the group fled to a border area and
joined insurgents in December 1990 to form parallel government in
exile); Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National
Union or KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; National
Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition
groups); United Wa State Army or UWSA; Union Solidarity and
Development Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political
mass-member organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary]; 88
Generation Students (pro-democracy movement) [TOE KYAW HLAING]
other: several Shan factions
International organization participation:
ADB, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN,
UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires MYINT LWIN
chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351
consulate(s) general: New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Larry M. DINGER - note: The
United States does not maintain an ambassador in Burma
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) 650-306
Flag description:
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing 14,
white, five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk
of rice; the 14 stars represent the seven administrative divisions
and seven states
Economy ::Burma
Economy - overview:
Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government
controls, inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. Despite
Burma's increasing oil and gas revenue, socio-economic conditions
have deteriorated because of the regime's mismanagement of the
economy. The economy suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances -
including rising inflation, fiscal deficits, multiple official
exchange rates that overvalue the Burmese kyat, a distorted interest
rate regime, unreliable statistics, and an inability to reconcile
national accounts to determine a realistic GDP figure. Most overseas
development assistance ceased after the junta began to suppress the
democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently refused to honor the
results of the 1990 legislative elections. In response to the
government of Burma's attack in May 2003 on AUNG SAN SUU KYI and her
convoy, the US imposed new economic sanctions in August 2003
including a ban on imports of Burmese products and a ban on
provision of financial services by US persons. Further, a poor
investment climate hampers the inflow of foreign investment. Foreign
investors have shied away from nearly every sector except for
natural gas and power generation. The business climate is widely
perceived as opaque, corrupt, and highly inefficient. The most
productive sectors will continue to be in extractive industries -
especially oil and gas, mining, and timber - with the latter causing
significant environmental degradation. Other areas, such as
manufacturing and services, are struggling with inadequate
infrastructure, unpredictable import/export policies, deteriorating
health and education systems, and endemic corruption. A major
banking crisis in 2003 shuttered 20 private banks and disrupted the
economy. As of 2008, the largest private banks operated under tight
restrictions, limiting the private sector's access to formal credit.
The September 2007 crackdown on prodemocracy demonstrators,
including thousands of monks, strained the economy as the tourism
industry, which directly employs about 500,000 people, suffered
dramatic declines in foreign visitor levels. In November 2007, the
European Union announced new sanctions banning investment and trade
in Burmese gems, timber, and precious stones, while the United
States expanded its sanctions list to include more Burmese
government and military officials and their family members, as well
as prominent regime business cronies, their family members, and
associated companies. Official statistics are inaccurate. In July
2008 the President signed into law the Tom LANTOS JADE (Junta's
Anti-Democratic Efforts) Act of 2008, imposing new targeted
sanctions on the regime. Published statistics on foreign trade are
greatly understated because of the size of the black market and
unofficial border trade - often estimated to be as large as the
official economy. Though the Burmese government has good economic
relations with its neighbors, better investment and business
climates and an improved political situation are needed to promote
serious foreign investment, exports, and tourism.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$55.27 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 87
$54.66 billion (2007 est.)
$52.87 billion (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$26.21 billion (2008 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.1% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171
3.4% (2007 est.)
3.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,200 (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 206
$1,200 (2007 est.)
$1,100 (2006 est.)
note: data are in 2008 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 40.9%
industry: 19.8%
services: 39.2% (2008 est.)
Labor force:
30.04 million (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 7%
services: 23% (2001)
Unemployment rate:
5% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
5.2% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
32.7% (2007 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)
Investment (gross fixed):
14.1% of GDP (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139
Budget:
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $1.805 billion (2008 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
26.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217
35% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 25
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 30
17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$598 billion (31 December 2007)
note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange
rate of 5.38 kyat per dollar; at the unofficial black market rate of
1305 kyat per dollar, the stock of kyats would equal only US$2.465
billion and Burma's velocity of money (the number of times money
turns over in the course of a year) would be six, in line with the
velocity of money for other countries in the region
Stock of quasi money:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$216.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$NA (31 December 2008)
$887.7 billion (31 December 2007)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$NA
Agriculture - products:
rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish
and fish products
Industries:
agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin,
tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals;
fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments, jade and gems
Industrial production growth rate:
7.8% (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25
Electricity - production:
6.286 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105
Electricity - consumption:
4.403 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 112
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
22,120 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 74
Oil - consumption:
41,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Oil - exports:
2,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Oil - imports:
18,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Oil - proved reserves:
50 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Natural gas - production:
12.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Natural gas - consumption:
3.85 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 67
Natural gas - exports:
8.55 billion cu m (2008)
country comparison to the world: 23
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Natural gas - proved reserves:
283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
Current account balance:
$1.281 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
$1.285 billion (2007 est.)
Exports:
$6.677 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
$6.17 billion (2007 est.)
note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the
value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled
to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh
Exports - commodities:
natural gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice, clothing,
jade and gems
Exports - partners:
Thailand 52.3%, India 12.7%, China 8.9%, Japan 4.4% (2008)
Imports:
$3.388 billion (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 134
$2.964 billion (2007 est.)
note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of
consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from
Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India
Imports - commodities:
fabric, petroleum products, fertilizer, plastics, machinery,
transport equipment; cement, construction materials, crude oil; food
products, edible oil
Imports - partners:
China 31.9%, Thailand 21.2%, Singapore 20.7%, Malaysia 5.1%,
Indonesia 4% (2008)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.412 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
$2.312 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.946 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 91
$7.022 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Exchange rates:
kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,205 (2008 est.), 1,296 (2007), 1,280
(2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004)
note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US
dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the
unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for
2003-05 are official exchange rates
Communications ::Burma
Telephones - main lines in use:
829,000 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 85
Telephones - mobile cellular:
375,800 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 163
Telephone system:
general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and
intercity service for business and government
domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; cellular
phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of
less than 1 per 100 persons
international: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3
optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to
Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2,
Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and ShinSat (2008)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 3 (2007)
Television broadcast stations:
4 (2008)
Internet country code:
.mm
Internet hosts:
128 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 196
Internet users:
108,900 (2008)
country comparison to the world: 150
Transportation ::Burma
Airports:
77 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 72
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2009)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 23 (2009)
Heliports:
5 (2009)
Pipelines:
gas 2,228 km; oil 558 km (2008)
Railways:
total: 3,955 km
country comparison to the world: 44
narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)
Roadways:
total: 27,000 km
country comparison to the world: 101
paved: 3,200 km
unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)
Waterways:
12,800 km (2008)
country comparison to the world: 10
Merchant marine:
total: 24
country comparison to the world: 92
by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 17, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 3,
specialized tanker 1
foreign-owned: 3 (Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1)
registered in other countries: 1 (Panama 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Moulmein, Rangoon, Sittwe
Military ::Burma
Military branches:
Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw): Army, Navy, Air Force (Tatmadaw
Lay) (2008)
Military service age and obligation:
18 years of age for voluntary military service for both sexes;
forced conscription of children, although officially prohibited,
reportedly continues (2007)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 13,402,788
females age 16-49: 13,437,042 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 9,146,312
females age 16-49: 9,520,852 (2009 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 426,110
female: 417,674 (2009 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 77
Transnational Issues ::Burma
Disputes - international:
over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups
who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries;
Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum
seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from
Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing
the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma;
citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is
reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but
energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on
building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical
regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from
Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United
Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands;
after 21 years, Bangladesh resumes talks with Burma on delimiting a
maritime boundary in January 2008
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
IDPs: 503,000 (government offensives against ethnic insurgent groups
near the eastern borders; most IDPs are ethnic Karen, Karenni, Shan,
Tavoyan, and Mon) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Burma is a source country for women, children,
and men trafficked for the purpose of forced labor and commercial
sexual exploitation; Burmese women and children are trafficked to
East and Southeast Asia for commercial sexual exploitation, domestic
servitude, and forced labor; Burmese children are subjected to
conditions of forced labor in Thailand as hawkers, beggars, and for
work in shops, agriculture, fish processing, and small-scale
industries; women are trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation
to Malaysia and China; some trafficking victims transit Burma from
Bangladesh to Malaysia and from China to Thailand; internal
trafficking occurs primarily from villages to urban centers and
economic hubs for labor in industrial zones, agricultural estates,
and commercial sexual exploitation; military and civilian officials
continue to use a significant amount of forced labor; ethnic
insurgent groups also used compulsory labor of adults and unlawful
recruitment of children; the military junta's gross economic
mismanagement, human rights abuses, and its policy of using forced
labor are the top causal factors for Burma's significant trafficking
problem
tier rating: Tier 3 - Burma does not fully comply with the minimum
standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making
significant efforts to do so; military and civilian officials remain
directly involved in significant acts of forced labor and unlawful
conscription of child soldiers (2008)
Illicit drugs:
remains world's second largest producer of illicit opium with an
estimated production in 2008 of 340 metric tons, an increase of 26%,
and poppy cultivation in 2008 totaled 22,500 hectares, a 4% increase
from 2007; production in the United Wa State Army's areas of
greatest control remains low; Shan state is the source of 94% of
Burma's poppy cultivation; lack of government will to take on major
narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money
laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major
source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption (2008)
page last updated on November 11, 2009
======================================================================
@Burundi (Africa)
Introduction ::Burundi
Background:
Burundi's first democratically elected president was assassinated in
October 1993 after only 100 days in office, triggering widespread
ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. More than 200,000
Burundians perished during the conflict that spanned almost a dozen
years. Hundreds of thousands of Burundians were internally displaced
or became refugees in neighboring countries. An internationally
brokered power-sharing agreement between the Tutsi-dominated
government and the Hutu rebels in 2003 paved the way for a
transition process that led to an integrated defense force,
established a new constitution in 2005, and elected a majority Hutu
government in 2005. The new government, led by President Pierre
NKURUNZIZA, signed a South African brokered ceasefire with the
country's last rebel group in September of 2006 but still faces many
challenges.
Geography ::Burundi
Location:
Central Africa, east of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geographic coordinates:
3 30 S, 30 00 E
Map references:
Africa
Area:
total: 27,830 sq km
country comparison to the world: 146
land: 25,680 sq km
water: 2,150 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Maryland
Land boundaries:
total: 974 km
border countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo 233 km, Rwanda
290 km, Tanzania 451 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
equatorial; high plateau with considerable altitude variation (772 m
to 2,670 m above sea level); average annual temperature varies with
altitude from 23 to 17 degrees centigrade but is generally moderate
as the average altitude is about 1,700 m; average annual rainfall is
about 150 cm; two wet seasons (February to May and September to
November), and two dry seasons (June to August and December to
January)
Terrain:
hilly and mountainous, dropping to a plateau in east, some plains
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Lake Tanganyika 772 m
highest point: Heha 2,670 m
Natural resources:
nickel, uranium, rare earth oxides, peat, cobalt, copper, platinum,
vanadium, arable land, hydropower, niobium, tantalum, gold, tin,
tungsten, kaolin, limestone
Land use:
arable land: 35.57%
permanent crops: 13.12%
other: 51.31% (2005)
Irrigated land:
210 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
3.6 cu km (1987)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 0.29 cu km/yr (17%/6%/77%)
per capita: 38 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
flooding; landslides; drought
Environment - current issues:
soil erosion as a result of overgrazing and the expansion of
agriculture into marginal lands; deforestation (little forested land
remains because of uncontrolled cutting of trees for fuel); habitat
loss threatens wildlife populations
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
landlocked; straddles crest of the Nile-Congo watershed; the Kagera,
which drains into Lake Victoria, is the most remote headstream of
the White Nile
People ::Burundi
Population:
8,988,091
country comparison to the world: 89
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant mortality, higher death rates, lower
population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of
population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July
2009 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 46.2% (male 2,087,315/female 2,063,518)
15-64 years: 51.3% (male 2,291,123/female 2,320,839)
65 years and over: 2.5% (male 89,444/female 135,852) (2009 est.)
Median age:
total: 16.7 years
male: 16.5 years
female: 17 years (2009 est.)
Population growth rate:
3.279% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7
Birth rate:
41.42 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14
Death rate:
12.67 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34
Net migration rate:
4.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26
Urbanization:
urban population: 10% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 6.8% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2009 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 59.64 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 38
male: 66.32 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 52.76 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 52.09 years
country comparison to the world: 202
male: 51.2 years
female: 53.01 years (2009 est.)
Total fertility rate:
6.33 children born/woman (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
2% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
110,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
11,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea,
hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne disease: malaria
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Burundian(s)
adjective: Burundian
Ethnic groups:
Hutu (Bantu) 85%, Tutsi (Hamitic) 14%, Twa (Pygmy) 1%, Europeans
3,000, South Asians 2,000
Religions:
Christian 67% (Roman Catholic 62%, Protestant 5%), indigenous
beliefs 23%, Muslim 10%
Languages:
Kirundi (official), French (official), Swahili (along Lake
Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area)
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 59.3%
male: 67.3%
female: 52.2% (2000 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 7 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
5.1% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 69
Government ::Burundi
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Burundi
conventional short form: Burundi
local long form: Republique du Burundi/Republika y'u Burundi
local short form: Burundi
former: Urundi
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Bujumbura
geographic coordinates: 3 22 S, 29 21 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
17 provinces; Bubanza, Bujumbura Mairie, Bujumbura Rurale, Bururi,
Cankuzo, Cibitoke, Gitega, Karuzi, Kayanza, Kirundo, Makamba,
Muramvya, Muyinga, Mwaro, Ngozi, Rutana, Ruyigi
Independence:
1 July 1962 (from UN trusteeship under Belgian administration)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 1 July (1962)
Constitution:
ratified by popular referendum 28 February 2005
Legal system: