The seaside country of the South – East Asia has been one of the least accessible in the world until recently. Hence it still retains an aura of the old times. The largest city and the former capital Yangon is situated on the Yangon River. In 2006 the new administrative capital Nay Pyi Taw of Myanmar was established. Myanmar is densely forested and offers various types of landscape, from the snowy peaks on the north, seashores of the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea on the southwest, sap green meadows and dry plains in the central part and the tropical wildlife on the south.

The people

Myanmar consists of 14 divisions, which copy the former independent states. Majority of the Myanmar people are the Burman, which is ethnically related to the Chinese and the Tibetan, but there are also 135 distinct ethnic groups. The dominant religion is Buddhism, the country is therefore filled with pagodas, monasteries and other sacral buildings. The people are generally warm and open.

The culture

In a traditional Burman village the Buddhist monastery is the centre for religious and cultural life. While all boys from Buddhist families in Myanmar have to be monks for at least a week of their lives, girls experience the ear – piercing ceremonies. There are many traditional festivals all year long, the Pagoda Festival being the most important. The Burman culture is affected by the neighboring countries, which is clearly seen in the music, theatre and dance.

The national cuisine is an unique blend of the Chinese, Japanese and Indian cuisines, spiced by the local Myanmar influence.

The wildlife

Myanmar lies in the tropical area. The weather consists of three changing periods - the hot season, the cold season and the rainy season, which is typical for the southern part of the country. Myanmar has the lowest population density in Asia; hence there are still places untouched by a man. The Himalaya Mountains enclose the country on the north. The clear rivers combine with the greenery of the tropical rainforest and snowy caps of the hills to form magnificent views. As the country has long coastline, there are many abandon sand beaches, as the Ngapali Beach. There are also diving sites at breathtaking coral reefs near Mergui Archipelago.

Summary