18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman
of the State Law and Order Restoration Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since
23 April 1992)
State Law and Order Restoration Council: military junta which
assumed power 18 September 1988
Legislative branch:
People's Assembly (Pyithu Hluttaw): election last held 27 May 1990,
but Assembly never convened; results - NLD 80%; seats - (485 total)
NLD 396, NUP 10, other 79
Judicial branch: limited; remnants of the British-era legal system
in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the
judiciary is not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: Union Solidarity and Development
Association (USDA; pro-regime), THAN AUNG, secretary; National Unity
Party (NUP), pro-regime, THA KYAW; National League for Democracy
(NLD), AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary; and eight minor legal
parties
Other political or pressure groups: National Coalition Government
of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), headed by the elected prime minister
SEIN WIN - consists of individuals legitimately elected to the
People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the
group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December
1990 to form a parallel government; Kachin Independence Army (KIA);
United Wa State Army (UWSA); Karen National Union (KNU); several
Shan factions, including the Mong Tai Army (MTA); All Burma Student
Democratic Front (ABSDF)
International organization participation: AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP,
FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, Mekong Group,
NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador U THAUNG chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332–9044, 9045 consulate(s) general: New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charge d'Affaires Marilyn A.
MEYERS
embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546
telephone: [95] (1) 82055, 82182 (operator assistance required)
FAX: [95] (1) 80409
Flag: red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
Economy———
Economic overview: Burma has a mixed economy with about 75% private activity, mainly in agriculture, light industry, and transport, and with about 25% state-controlled activity, mainly in energy, heavy industry, and foreign trade. Government policy in the last seven years, 1989–95, has aimed at revitalizing the economy after three decades of tight central planning. Thus, private activity has markedly increased; foreign investment has been encouraged, so far with moderate success; and efforts continue to increase the efficiency of state enterprises. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the volume of black market trade. A major ongoing problem is the failure to achieve monetary and fiscal stability. Although Burma remains a poor Asian country, its rich resources furnish the potential for substantial long-term increases in income, exports, and living standards.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $47 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 6.8% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $1,000 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 60% industry: 10% services: 30% (1995 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 38% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 16.007 million (1992) by occupation: agriculture 65.2%, industry 14.3%, trade 10.1%, government 6.3%, other 4.1% (FY88/89 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget:
revenues: $5.3 billion
expenditures: $10 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1995 est.)
Industries: agricultural processing; textiles and footwear; wood and wood products; petroleum refining; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer
Industrial production growth rate: 4.9% (FY92/93 est.)
Electricity: capacity: 845,000 kW production: 3.5 billion kWh consumption per capita: 46 kWh (1995 est.)
Agriculture: paddy rice, corn, oilseed, sugarcane, pulses; hardwood
Illicit drugs: world's largest illicit producer of opium (2,340 metric tons in 1995) and source for over 60% of US heroin imports; minor producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; Rangoon's antinarcotic programs hindered by lack of resources, government commitment; growing role in methamphetamine production for regional consumption
Exports: $879 million (FY94/95 est.) commodities: pulses and beans, teak, rice, hardwood partners: Singapore, China, Thailand, India, Hong Kong
Imports: $1.5 billion (FY94/95 est.) commodities: machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, food products, consumer goods partners: Japan, China, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia
External debt: $5.5 billion (FY94/95 est.)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $61 million (1993)
Currency: 1 kyat (K) = 100 pyas
Exchange rates: kyats (K) per US$1 - 5.8475 (January 1996), 5.9170 (1995), 5.9749 (1994), 6.1570 (1993), 6.1045 (1992), 6.2837 (1991); unofficial - 120
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Transportation———————
Railways: total: 3,569 km narrow gauge: 3,569 km 1.000-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 26,861 km paved: 3,181 km unpaved: 23,680 km (1988 est.)
Waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina,
Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 444,957 GRT/610,420 DWT
ships by type: bulk 11, cargo 15, chemical tanker 5, container 1,
oil tanker 3, passenger-cargo 3, vehicle carrier 2 (1995 est.)
Airports:
total: 74
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2
with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 13
with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10
with paved runways under 914 m: 28
with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 2
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523