Natural Resources Management and Demography in Myanmar

The Republic of the Union of Myanmar which is one of the member-states of the Association of

Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is situated in mainland Southeast Asia. It is the northwestern-

most country of mainland Southeast Asia and it lies along the Indian and Eurasian Plates. To its

west is the Bay of Bengal and to its couth is Andaman Sea. The country is strategically located

near the major Indian Ocean shipping lanes. According to its geographic position, the country is

said to have a strategic location. The country also possess many types of climatic situations. In

the lowlands, the tropical monsoon climate is common below 1000m and in the highlands, the

climate of the regions are variable according to the elevation of the region. Subtropical temperate

climate, arctic climate, and heavy snowfall are usual in places above 1000m. As the possession

of natural resources of a state depends on the climatic conditions within that state, the various

climatic conditions in Myanmar provide the country with many types of natural resources.

Natural resources is not something which is made by man. It can run out anytime so we have to

sustain our natural resources and we must protect our natural resources not to be exploited by

others. The country is blessed with many natural resources including oil and gas, various

minerals, precious stones and gems, jade, timber, ruby, natural gases, hydropower potential, and

forest products. Myanmar is the largest jade producer and the export of natural gases in

Myanmar provides nearly 40% of the country’s GDP. The hydropower sector is also important

for the state. These natural resources provide the national income of Myanmar. The natural

resources make benefits for the state. But these can be threatening either. It begs a question if

this is a blessing or curse for Myanmar. Thus, the proper management of natural resources is

needed in Myanmar. This also concerns with the peace process of the state. This is like a

sensitive issue for Myanmar which is hard to handle. This issue is a part of peace talk. Because
of the lack of accountability and transparency in the natural resources management sector, the

country is facing with the problems like the corruption cases and the exploitation of the natural

resources from the foreign states. Deforestation, mining and land conflicts, conflicts over

resources are happening in Myanmar.

Demography is the study of a population based on factors such as age, race and sex.

Governments, corporations and non-governmental organizations use demographics to learn more

about a population’s characteristics for many purposes including policy development and

economic market research. Governmental agencies may use the data to forecast economic

patterns and population growth to better manage resources.

Myanmar is the 26th most populous country in the world and the 40 th largest country by area.

There are 54.05 million of people according to 2019 estimated population. 89% of the population

is Buddhists. There are altogether 135 national groups and the official language is Burmese. The

least densely populated states are Kachin State and Chin State. The total life expectancy is

approximately 68.2 years while the median age is 28.2 years. Myanmar has the lowest life

expectancy. Second highest rate of infant and child mortality of ASEAN is Myanmar announced

by 2017 World Bank. Only 2.3% of GDP is spent in the healthcare sector according to study of

2014. Just over 80% of the country has access to clean drinking water with only 77% having

access to improved sanitation facilities. There are major infectious diseases and the degree of

risk is very high. Literacy rate is 75.6%. Urbanization is 35.2% of total population in 2017. The

majority of population is rural with the density of settlement in each region related to agricultural

products. Population growth rate in 2017 is 0.91% while it was 0.86% in 2015. A crucial factor

influencing the population of Myanmar is migration. The reasons caused migration are civil
unrest, poverty, reduced employment and hunger. Thailand became the country who had 1

million migrant workers from Myanmar in 2009.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Civilization VI was originally created by the legendary game designer and developer, Sid Meier.

Civilization VI is a turn-based strategy game in which you attempt to build an empire to stand

the test of time. Become Ruler of the World by establishing and leading a civilization from the

Stone Age to the Information Age. Wage war, conduct diplomacy, advance your culture, and go

head-to-head with history’s greatest leaders as you attempt to build the greatest civilization the

world has ever known. It offers new ways to engage with your own world in the virtual space:

cities can physically expand across the map, active research in technology and culture unlocks

new potential, and competing leaders will pursue their own agendas based on their historical

traits as you race for one of five ways to achieve victory in the game. The usage of resources

according to the demographic is a basic skills and knowledge needed to play this video game.

Conclusion

Politically, we have colonialism on the preference of richness in natural resources of a nation.

Diplomacy is another sideway of creating a bond or a relationship between two nations to seek

for the natural resources. Since the middle age, it has always been the problem of increasing

demography and sustaining livings were not available, leading to the expansion of resources,

simplest way: colonizing or invading. Geographically, the strategic, the land-locked and the

coastal locations of a nation are as important as the climate and natural resources of a nation. The

geography of the location is what decides the nation’s resources and valves. Socially, the

education, health and culture (traditional and religion) play an important role in managing the

natural resources and demography. Politically, geographically and socially, the management of
nation’s natural resources and demography are important for individuals in developing the

nation.

References

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/demographics.asp

https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/myanmar-population

https://times.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civilization_(series)

https://civilization.com

https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mahatma_gandhi_150710
 University of Yangon

Department of International Relations

Natural Resources Management and Demography in Myanmar

Submitted by- Sai Min Khant Kyaw (3IR-30)

Myat Pwint Thaw (1H-IR-5)

Nan Hat Shang Kham (1H-IR-9)