Myanmar
Area : 676,577km2
Capital : Yangon
Borders: Bangladesh (193 km), India (1463 km), China (2185 km), Laos (235 km), Thailand (1080km)
Coastline: 1,930 km Surrounded by the Andaman Sea
| Rivers: | Ayeyarwady River 1550 km (963 mi) Chindwin River 792 km (492 mi) Thanlwin River 89 km ( 55 mi) Kaladan River 177 km (110 mi) Sittaung River 129 km (80 mi) |
Population: Over 52 million (annual growth rate 1.61%)
Time : GMT plus 6.5 hours
Weight : 1 pyi = 1.5 kg:
Language: Myanmar is the official language.
Measures: 1 inch = 2.54 cm
Electricity: 230 V, 50 Hz
Currency: Kyat (pronounced "chat"), 1 Lakh = 100,000 (Kyat)
Literacy: 83.1% (male 88.7%, female 77.7%}
Religion: 89% Theravada Buddhist, 4% Christian 4% Muslim 1% Hindu 1%Animist
Climate: Although Myanmar’s climate is divided into three seasons: summer, rainy and cold, the climatic
conditions vary because of the topographical situation; altitude also influences the weather. The winter is cool and dry and lasts from November to February. This is followed by the summer until May. The rainy season starts in May and lasts until October. There are favorable climatic conditions all year round for tourists.
Climate: Although Myanmar’s climate is divided into three seasons: summer, rainy and cold, the climatic
conditions vary because of the topographical situation; altitude also influences the weather. The winter is cool and dry and lasts from November to February. This is followed by the summer until May. The rainy season starts in May and lasts until October. There are favorable climatic conditions all year round for tourists.
Myanmar People
Officially, Myanmar is divide up into eight 'national races'- the Bamar, Shan, Mon, Kayin, Kayah, Chin, Kachin, and Rakhaing . Myanmar is also quite diverse religiously. In towns and cities it's not uncommon to see places of worship for Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians all within sight of one another.The Bamar- also known as Burma – make up the majority of the Bamar who relinquished the most. Many ancient court customs and arts were lost as the Bamar monarchy was abolished.
Theravada Buddhists, the Bamar believe that being Buddhist is a key aspect of being Bamar, and the Burmese media reports daily on the merit-making of top government officials at the country's principal Buddhist places of worship.
Myanmar Treasures
1. Lacquer wareThe most representative craft of Myanmar, lacquer ware comes in many forms: plain reds, blacks and golds, etched with colour-filled designs or gilded, embellished with mirror inlays and fake gems. The items range from bracelets to place mats to furniture.
2. Marionettes
The marionette theatre is a grand tradition of Myanmar culture, with puppets once bearing bad news to the kings that human messengers dared not utter. Many are available in all sizes, gorgeously dressed in faux gems and silks.
3. PaintingsMany galleries and shops have exquisite water colours, a medium in which the local artists excel. There are many galleries in Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan, well worth and afternoon's browsing.
4. Silverware
Boxes and artefacts of silver are hammered by hand and the traditional items are small boxes in filigree or relief work, showing traditional motifs, mythical creatures or scenes form the classics, The smaller ones make excellent pillboxes.
5. Tapestries
Scenes of local life or traditional motifs are worked in gold and silver thread; figures are formed in silk and brass sequins on a velvet background. This is an old tradition, and once used only in the royal palaces as room dividers.
6. Pottery and basketryGlazed ware is still used in many houses to store grain, oil or water and produced in large numbers for both domestic use and export. Cane or bamboo furniture, basket, bags and other utensils ar abundantly found in many markets.
7. Gems and Jewelry
With prices to suit all budgets, jade, rubies, sapphires and pearls of all colour and size are available. Silver and golden pearls are pricey but worthwhile investments.
Twice a year there are gems emporium sales where buyers from around the world compete by auction
8. Carvings
Myanmar craftsmen are highly skilled in carving materials ranging from bone, wood and jade. Sandalwood Buddha images or figures and jewelry carved from jade make especially precious souvenirs.
9. AntiquesThere are marvelous things to be discovered in the many shops such as folk art pieces, betel boxes, cast bronze weights in many animal and bird shapes, old fabrics, instruments for tattooing and countless other mysterious but charming pieces.
Festivals in Myanmar
There is a saying that Myanmar celebrates a festival a month. Fortunately for the unsuspecting tourist there are even more, spread across the whole country throughout the year. This affords the visitor a wonderful first hand opportunity to gain a real insight into the living ancient culture of Myanmar. The exact dates of the festivals are according to the Myanmar Luna Calendar so only approximate months are given. Pagoda festivals are like country fairs and Nat ceremonies are accompanied by a lot of music, dancing and feasting. January-February
Ananda Temple festival, Bagan, one of the biggest festivals in the country, begins seven days before the Full Moon Day of Pyatho moon month.
.Naga nationalities' New Year Festival and it requires bookings weeks ahead as it is held in very remote villages, usually a few days before 15th January.
February -March
Shwesettaw Pagoda festival, on the banks of Mann Chaung, Magway Division. Season starts 5th Waxing Moon Day of Tabodwe and ends only after Myanmar New Year in April.
Kyaik Khaut Pagoda festival, Thanlyin just half an hour's drive from Yangon, begins seven days before the Full Moon Day of Tabodwe.
March -April Kekku Pagoda festival at the very beautiful pagoda complex deep in the Shan hills. Three or four days before the Full Moon Day of Tabaung, Pa 0 nationals in the region gather by the thousands to pay homage to the shrines they hold most holy.
Maw Tin Zun Pagoda festival, on the Southwest beach of Myanmar and part of the route is by a pleasant boat ride to Pathein, an interesting delta town where they make pretty parasols. Begins seven days before the Full Moon of Tabaung.
April -May
Shwemawdaw Pagoda festival, Bago, 8th Waxing Moon Day of Tagu.
5 days of water festival preceding the New Year which usually falls on 17th April. Allover the country, sidewalk platforms are built from which young people hose down passing open cars with revellers. People in the streets carry water guns or buckets to douse anyone seen on the street.
June –July
Festivals relating to monk examinations are held in June. Traditionally in this month monks have to sit for exams for the next semester's religious lessons and also you can see pagoda festivals in the middle of Myanmar like Mahlaing and Pakokku. Local specialties at the festival market include, thanaka, jaggery, longyis ,cotton and wool blankets, tobacco which were locally grown and paper toys.
This month is in the rainy season. Being wet and rainy travelling monks need more robes. According to the Buddhist rules monks are only allowed to own no more than three robes. Especially in the rainy season when they travel from one place to another they need to have extra robes to keep dry. At that time people hold ceremonies to donate robes. In this month there are other festivals for example: (Nat Festival) in Kyaukse near Mandalay. Robe offering ceremonies, noviciation ceremonies and other religious rituals take place from April to the beginning of Lent which is the Full Moon Day of Waso, in June.
July -August Taung Pyone Nat festival, near Mandalay. Begins on the 8th Waxing Moon Day of Wagaung and lasts a week. This is the biggest Spirit festival in the country with mediums and devotees coming from all over the country to take part. Click for Movie of "Nat Festival". Mystical Myanmar .Yadana Gu Nat festival which carries on when the Taung Pyone festival ends. .This takes place on the banks of Taungthaman Lake, Amarapura, which is also close to Mandalay.
September -October Phaung Daw 00 Pagoda festival, Inle Lake, Shan State. 1 sl Waxing Moon Day of Thadingyut. The festivities of carrying the images around on a barge to villages on the lake last 18 days.
Shwezigon Pagoda festival, Bagan.
Begins on the 1st Waxing Moon Day of Shwedagon by night Thadingyut. Of special interest is the Full Moon Day's ritual of offering a filled alms bowl to hundreds of monks and novices.
Kyauk Taw Gyi Pagoda of Mandalay, a four-day festival ending on the day after the Full Moon Day of Thadingyut. .Lights festival symbolising the end of Lent lasting three days, from a day ahead to the day after the Full Moon Day of Thadingyut. Celebrated allover the country.
Dancing Elephants festival, where manned cloth elephants compete in dance competitions, K yaukse, near Mandalay. A 2-day festival beginning a day before the Full moon Day of Thadingyut.
October -November
Hindu Dipavali Light Festival, celebrated at Hindu temples allover the country. Date subject to change.
Fire Balloon Competition, Taung Gyi, Shan State. Six-day festival begins on the 10th Waxing Moon Day of Tazaungmone. Balloons are judged for size, style, design and their ability to stay aloft for longer periods. On the night of the Full Moon, Taung Gyi townsfolk hold a parade carrying lanterns.
November -December Robe weaving contest, all over the country, and a major event at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Yangon. The night before the Full Moon Day of Tazaungmone, teams of weavers compete to finish a robe during the night, to be offered to the images at dawn of the next day.
Popa Nat festival, Popa, near Bagan. A 6-day festival begins Full Moon Day of Nadaw.
31 sl December night is celebrated at the Golden Rock Kyaik Hti Yo Pagoda with devotees lighting thousands of candles at the shrine.
