|
Introduction - Burma
Background:
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated
it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until
1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence from the
Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from
1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and
later as political kingpin. In September 1988, the military deposed NE WIN and
established a new ruling junta. Despite multiparty legislative elections in 1990
that resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD)
- winning a landslide victory, the junta refused to hand over power. NLD leader
and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who was under house arrest
from 1989 to 1995 and 2000 to 2002, was imprisoned in May 2003 and subsequently
transferred to house arrest. After the ruling junta in August 2007 unexpectedly
increased fuel prices, tens of thousands of Burmese marched in protest, led by
prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks. In late September 2007, the
government brutally suppressed the protests, killing at least 13 people and
arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. Since then, the
regime has continued to raid homes and monasteries and arrest persons suspected
of participating in the pro-democracy protests. The junta appointed Labor
Minister AUNG KYI in October 2007 as liaison to AUNG SAN SUU KYI, who remains
under house arrest and only recently gained the opportunity for limited
communication with NLD leaders. Burma in early May 2008 was struck by Cyclone
Nargis which official estimates claimed left over 80,000 dead and 50,000
injured. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional
referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990, setting the stage for the 2010
parliamentary elections. AUNG SAN SUU KYI's house arrest was due to end in May
2009, but was extended for eighteen months after she was convicted for violating
the terms of her house arrest.
Geography - Burma
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between
Bangladesh and Thailand
Geographic coordinates:
22 00 N, 98 00 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 676,578 sq km
country comparison to the world: 40
land: 653,508 sq km
water: 23,070 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Texas
Land boundaries:
total: 5,876 km
border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235
km, Thailand 1,800 km
Coastline:
1,930 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
Climate:
Current Weather
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to
September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity
during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Terrain:
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble,
limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower
Land use:
arable land: 14.92%
permanent crops: 1.31%
other: 83.77% (2005)
Irrigated land:
18,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
1,045.6 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 33.23 cu km/yr (1%/1%/98%)
per capita: 658 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during
rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate
sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol,
Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note:
strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes
People - Burma
Population:
53,414,374
country comparison to the world: 24
note: estimates for this country 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
2010 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 27.9% (male 7,593,235/female 7,312,784)
15-64 years: 67.1% (male 17,805,210/female 18,050,160)
65 years and over: 5% (male 1,156,968/female 1,496,017) (2010 est.)
Median age:
total: 26.5 years
male: 26 years
female: 27.1 years (2010 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.096% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 119
Birth rate:
19.49 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 100
Death rate:
8.23 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101
Net migration rate:
NA
Urbanization:
urban population: 33% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 50.76 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 50
male: 57.85 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 43.24 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 64.52 years
country comparison to the world: 167
male: 62.23 years
female: 66.94 years (2010 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.28 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 64
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
240,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
25,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 18
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria
water contact disease: leptospirosis
animal contact disease: rabies
note: highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza has been identified in this
country; it poses a negligible risk with extremely rare cases possible among US
citizens who have close contact with birds (2009)
Nationality:
noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
adjective: Burmese
Ethnic groups:
Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other
5%
Religions:
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist
1%, other 2%
Languages:
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 89.9%
male: 93.9%
female: 86.4% (2006 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 8 years
male: 8 years
female: 8 years (2001)
Education expenditures:
1.2% of GDP (2001)
country comparison to the world: 178
Government - Burma
Country name:
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government
as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name
Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; the US Government did not adopt
the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma
Naingngandaw
Government type:
military regime
Capital:
name: Rangoon (Yangon)
geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 09 E
time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
note: Nay Pyi Taw is administrative capital
Administrative divisions:
7 divisions (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states* (pyi ne-myar, singular
- pyi ne)
divisions: Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon
states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhine (Arakan), Shan
Independence:
4 January 1948 (from the UK)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
Constitution:
3 January 1974; suspended since 18 September 1988; a constitution officially
received 92.48% support in a flawed May 2008 referendum that most observers
judged fell far short of international standards of free and fair elections;
note - a new constitution is to take effect when a parliament is convened
following elections planned for 2010
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Sr.
Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992)
head of government: Prime Minister Lt. Gen THEIN SEIN (since 24 October 2007)
cabinet: Cabinet is overseen by the military regime that assumed power 18
September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC);
changed in 1997 to SPDC
(For more information visit the World Leaders website )
elections: none
Legislative branch:
a unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw was elected in 1990 but was
never seated; according to the terms of the constitution approved on 10 May
2008, a bicameral Pyidaungsu Hluttaw consisting of an upper house with a maximum
of 224 seats and a lower house with a maximum of 440 seats will be selected in
elections planned for 2010; 25% of both houses are to be reserved for appointed
members of the military
elections: last held on 27 May 1990, but the regime never allowed the Assembly
to convene
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NLD 392
(opposition), SNLD 23 (opposition), NUP 10 (pro-government), other 60
Judicial branch:
remnants of the British-era legal system are in place, but there is no guarantee
of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Force or NDF [THAN NYEIN]; National League for Democracy or
NLD [AUNG SHWE, AUNG SAN SUU KYI] note: the party is defunct because it did not
register for the 2010 election; National Unity Party or NUP [TUN YE]; Shan
Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [HKUN HTUN OO]; Union Solidarity and
Development Party or USDP [THEIN SEIN]; numerous smaller parties
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Thai border: Ethnic Nationalities Council or ENC; Federation 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);
National Council-Union of Burma or NCUB (exile coalition of opposition groups)
Inside Burma: Kachin Independence Organization or KIO; Karen National Union or
KNU; Karenni National People's Party or KNPP; Union Solidarity and Development
Association or USDA (pro-regime, a social and political mass-member
organization) [HTAY OO, general secretary] note: the USDA became the Union
Solidarity and Development Party in 2010; United Wa State Army or UWSA; 88
Generation Students (pro-democracy movement); several other 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 HAN THU - note: Burma
does not have an ambassador to the United States
chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344
FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351
consulate(s) general: none; Burma has a Mission to the UN in New York
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires Larry M. DINGER - note: The United States
does not have an ambassador to 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 colors
stand for courage (red), peace (blue), and purity (white); the rice plant and
cogwheel symbolize agriculture and industry repectively; the 14 stars represent
the seven administrative divisions and seven states of the country
note: somewhat resembles the flag of Taiwan
Economy - Burma
Economy - overview:
Burma, a resource-rich country, suffers from pervasive government controls,
inefficient economic policies, and rural poverty. Despite Burma's emergence as a
natural gas exporter, socio-economic conditions have deteriorated under the
regime's mismanagement, leaving most of the public in poverty, while military
leaders and their business cronies exploit the country's ample natural
resources. 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. Burma's poor investment climate hampers the inflow of
foreign investment; in recent years, foreign investors have shied away from
nearly every sector except for natural gas, power generation, timber, and
mining. The business climate is widely perceived as opaque, corrupt, and highly
inefficient. Over 60% of the FY 2009-10 budget is allocated to state owned
enterprises - most operating at a deficit. The most productive sectors will
continue to be in extractive industries - especially oil and gas, mining, and
timber - with the latter two causing significant environmental degradation.
Other areas, such as manufacturing, tourism and services, struggle in the face
of inadequate infrastructure, unpredictable trade policies, neglected health and
education systems, and endemic corruption. A major banking crisis in 2003 caused
20 private banks to close; private banks still operate under tight restrictions,
limiting the private sector's access to credit. The United States, the European
Union, Canada, and Australia have imposed financial and economic sanctions on
Burma, prohibiting most financial transactions with Burmese entities, imposing
travel bans on Burmese officials and others connected to the ruling regime, and
banning imports of certain Burmese products. These sanctions affected the
country's fledgling garment industry, isolated the struggling banking sector,
and raised the costs of doing business with Burmese companies, particularly
firms tied to Burmese regime leaders. The global crisis of 2008-09 caused
exports and domestic consumer demand to drop. Remittances from overseas Burmese
workers - who had provided significant financial support for their families -
slowed or dried up as jobs were lost and migrant workers returned home. 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):
$56.92 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 86
$55.91 billion (2008 est.)
$55.31 billion (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate):
$26.83 billion (2009 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
1.8% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82
1.1% (2008 est.)
3.4% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$1,100 (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 208
$1,100 (2008 est.)
$1,100 (2007 est.)
note: data are in 2009 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 43.1%
industry: 19.8%
services: 37.1% (2009 est.)
Labor force:
30.85 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 70%
industry: 7%
services: 23% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
4.9% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 44
5% (2008 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):
14.5% of GDP (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 137
Budget:
revenues: $1.18 billion
expenditures: $2.432 billion (2009 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
6.5% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160
26.8% (2008 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
12% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 27
12% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
17% (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 33
17% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$622.6 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 5
$598 billion (31 December 2007)
note: this number reflects the vastly overvalued official exchange rate of 5.38
kyat per dollar in 2007; at the unofficial black market rate of 1,305 kyat per
dollar for 2007, 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; in 2009, the unofficial black market rate averaged 1,090 kyat per
dollar.
Stock of quasi money:
$289.3 billion (31 December 2008)
country comparison to the world: 15
$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:
1.2% (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 63
Electricity - production:
6.286 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 104
Electricity - consumption:
4.403 billion kWh (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
Electricity - exports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Electricity - imports:
0 kWh (2008 est.)
Oil - production:
18,880 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
Oil - consumption:
42,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102
Oil - exports:
2,200 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114
Oil - imports:
18,250 bbl/day (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 115
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: 39
Natural gas - consumption:
3.85 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 66
Natural gas - exports:
8.55 billion cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2008 est.)
country comparison to the world: 199
Natural gas - proved reserves:
283.2 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 41
Current account balance:
$739 million (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45
$1.26 billion (2008 est.)
Exports:
$6.845 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$6.644 billion (2008 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 46.57%, India 12.99%, China 9.01%, Japan 5.65% (2009)
Imports:
$3.974 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 123
$3.386 billion (2008 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 33.1%, Thailand 26.28%, Singapore 15.18% (2009)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$3.561 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 93
$3.412 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Debt - external:
$7.373 billion (31 December 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 92
$7.946 billion (31 December 2008 est.)
Exchange rates:
kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,090 (2009), 1,205 (2008), 1,296 (2007), 1,280
(2006), 5.761 (2005)
note: unofficial exchange rates; datum shown for 2005 is the official exchange
rate
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; mobile-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 (2009)
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 (Tatmadaw Kyi), Navy (Tatmadaw Yay), Air
Force (Tatmadaw Lay) (2010)
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: 14,558,921
females age 16-49: 14,539,703 (2010 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 10,281,131
females age 16-49: 10,988,695 (2010 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 526,557
female: 510,538 (2010 est.)
Military expenditures:
2.1% of GDP (2005 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69
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; trafficking within Burma is a significant phenomenon
occurring 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 - serious problems remain, most notably in the area of
forced labor, and the Government of Burma is not making significant efforts to
comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; military
and civilian officials remain directly involved in forced labor and the unlawful
conscription of child soldiers, with reported cases of child soldiers increasing
annually; in some areas, particularly the international trafficking of women and
children for commercial sexual exploitation, the Government of Burma is making
significant efforts; available data indicated an increase in law enforcement
efforts in 2008 and a considerable increase in budget allocation for
anti-trafficking activities (2009)
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)
|
