MYANMAR 

Primary Description
 Mynamar is known also as Burma. Burma was coined during the reign British empire in the
country from 1824-1948. Hence, Burma is the old name, Myanmar is the new name.

 Buddhism is consdired the national religion

 Mynamar is home to 135 ethnic groups

 Kind of government: Unitary Parliamentary Republic wherein the heads of the Cabinet are in
charge of excuting the regulations set down by this form of government

 The design of the flag has 3 horizontal stripes of yellow, green and red with a five-pointed white
star in the middle. The three colors of the stripes are meant to symbolize solidarity, peace and
tranquility, and courage and decisiveness.  
 Its charming friendly people and some man-made religious sites such as the impressive
Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon and the temples of Bagan. One of Southeast Asia's largest and
most diverse country: Myanmar. Also called the “Golden Land” because of it's all over the
country placed golden pagodas as the beauty of its sacred old buildings is just a hint of the
former magnificence of ancient Burma.

 capital - Naypyitaw (3rd largest city)

Political Environment
 The first military rule began in 1958 and direct military rule started when Ne win captured
power through a coup d'état in 1962. 

 Myanmar has undergone a number of political reforms following 50 years of military rule. 

 Myanmar has a rich reading culture, one of the reasons why the Irrawaddy Literary Festival was
set up in the first place. Since 2010, when pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released
from years of house arrest, Myanmar has undergone a number of political reforms following 50
years of military rule. 

Economic Environment
 Improvement the business environment has been a major aim of Myanmar's reforms. However,
the formal and informal economic institutions that govern exchange and shape the business
environment. 

 The socialist leadership eliminated many market-. contextualising relevant economic opening
and peace and conflict literatures. It then illustrates how business-peace promises have
manifested in Myanmar through perspectives from local business leaders.

 Myanmar now has a mixed economy wh a private state, and a joint private sector. 

 Agriculture, light industries, and other businesses are in the private sector

 Heavy industries that require huge capital are in the state sector.
  KYAT - national currency

 Agriculture, forestry, fishing together consitute the largest contributor to Myanmar's economy

 The country's trade in rice is dependent on water transport

Socio-Cultural Environment
 Myanmar Social Problems, poor by Asian Standards and consequently suffers from a number of
social problems. Since a large number of young women in the boarder areas have been drawn
into prostitution in Thailand. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (Aids) has become a large
scale. 

 The towns, movies, particularly foreign features films are popular. In the cities and towns music
is piped into the streets the publics benefit. The major population groups in Myanmar migrated
into the Irrawaddy River Valley from the north, bringing their spoken language, their gender roles
and several varieties of food. Myanmar script in which the popular language is written.
 Do's in Myanmar:

1. Respect the Mynamar people and their unique traditions.

2. Respect the elders. Let the oldest be served first, and bend a bit when crossing close in front of the
elders.

3. Wear decent clothes when visiting religious sites. Please cover shoulders and knees and take off shoes
when entring pagoda areas.

4. Keep the feet on the ground: Tuck away your feet when you sit, your legs should not be stretched out,
and your feet should never face the Buddha.

5. To maintain Mynamar's heritage, do not buy antiques. Buy arts and crafts instead.

6. Help protect Myanmar wildlife by refusing to purchase wildlife products.

7. Myanmar currency should be exchanged at the official exchange counters and banks, not on the black
market. 

 Dont's in Myanmar:

1. Don't sit with back against Buddha image. Don't handle Buddha Images or sacred object with disrespect.
Don't keep Buddha images or sacred objects in inappropriate places.

2. Don't offer to shake hands with a monk.Women should not touch a monk.

3. Don't step on other's shadows or any parts of their bodies. Don't point a finger straight in other's
faces.Don't point with your foot, it means disrespect.
4. Don't touch anybody on the head.The head is the most esteemed part of the body. To be touched in the
head means aggresive.

5. Don't touch a woman on any part of her body.

6. Don't gamble. Don't use drugs. 

7. Do not go where you are advised not to go.

8. Dont kiss in public. Displaying physical closeness in public places is frowned upon in Myanmar.

9. Don't disturb people praying and meditating. Visitors should avoid loud talk and should take care not to
touch people who are meditating. 

10. Calling with your fingers up means calling for a challenge; calling someone with fingers down is
considered polite.

11. Don't touch the robe of the monk. 

12. Giving money or sweets to children is not advisable.

Brief history of the development of literature

MYANMAR LITERATURE

 The literature of Myanmar spans over a millennium. Burmese literature was historically
influenced by Indian and Thai cultures, as seen in many works, such as the Ramayana. The Burmese
language, unlike other Southeast Asian languages (e.g. Thai, Khmer), adopted words primarily from
Pali rather than from Sanskrit.

 Burmese literature has historically been a very important aspect of Burmese life steeped in the
Pali Canon of Buddhism.

Palm-leaf and Folded Paper Literature

 From the fifteenth century up to the nineteenth century, palm-leaf (scratched with a stylus) and
folded-paper literature became common. Such works were filled with Buddhist piety and courtly
refinement of language. The authors were monks, educated counters and court poetesses.
Prose works during this period of were few, mostly Buddhist scriptures and chronicles of kings.

Forms of literature in Myanmar

MYANMAR LITERATURE: FOLK TALES, CLASSICAL WORKS, MODERN WRITERS AND CENSORSHIP, POEM

MYANMAR LITERATURE: FOLK TALES, CLASSICAL WORKS, MODERN WRITERS AND CENSORSHIP, POEM

BURMESE LITERATURE

How The Coconut Came To Myanmar: A Burmese Folk Tale

The Four Puppets: Another Burmese Folk Tale

Religious Manuscripts and Books

Classical Burmese Literature

Colonial Literature in Burma

Post- Colonial Literature in Burma

Modern Writers in Burma-Myanmar

Pascal Khoo Thwe and “From the Land of Green Ghosts”

Everything Is Broken and Other Books About Modern Myanmar

Literary Censorship in Myanmar and How Things Have Changed

Freedom Brings New Challenges for Burma’s Writers

Poetry is the most popular literature in Burma/Myanmar