Cut off from the rest of the world by its isolationist military junta for several decades, Myanmar has attracted considerable attention in recent times as an exotic tourism destination whose glittering pagodas have earned it the descriptive of the Golden Land Although it’s in the news for all the wrong reasons, our neighbour nation Myanmar aka Burma (pop. 54.8 million) is perhaps the most pristine, unexplored country of the contemporary world — the last Shangri-la. Sited at the junction where Asia’s two great civilizations — India and China — meet, Myanmar stretches from the Cocos Island in the south, up into the Eastern Himalayan Mountain range. It ranks among South-east Asia’s largest (area: 676,500 sq km) and most culturally diverse countries. Although a military dictatorship, Myanmar is a safe country for tourists. Boasting perhaps the lowest tourist crime record worldwide, Myanmar’s military junta has ambitious plans to modernise and improve the tourism infrastructure to attract international tourists. After a two-year lockdown owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, Myanmar reopened to international tourists on April 17. Just as well because Myanmar is a treasure trove of attractions. Languid and peaceful, the country offers sandy unpolluted beaches, tropical natural beauty, snow-capped mountains, a tranquil Buddhist culture and splendid architecture. Moreover, the Buddhist traits of serenity and gentleness are quite evident in its people, who go about their business with thanaka paste (ground bark paste similar to sandalwood) daubed on their high cheek bones to guard against the blistering sun. This is a curious sight for first time visitors. Myanmar’s rich and glorious history spanning two thousand years is evident in its spectacular monuments and ancient cities. Modern-day Myanmar is home to 135 uniquely different ethnic groups. The country’s seven administratively convenient ethnic divisions (tain) are: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago (Pegu), Magway (Mandalay), Yangon (Rangoon), Sagaing, and Tanintharyi (Tenassarim). These are the admin capitals of the seven ethnic (pyi nay): Chin, Kachin, Kayin (Karen), Kayah (Karenni), Mon, Rakhine (Arakan) and Shan people. Topographically as well, the country is diverse with its central lowlands circled by steep, rugged highlands. As in most of South-east Asia, the cool season extends from October through February with mean temperatures averaging 20-240C; the hot season, from March through May when the mercury rises to 30-350 C; and finally, the monsoon, from June through September when mean temperatures drop to 25-300C. Richly endowed with natural resources such as gas and petroleum, timber, tin, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal and limestone, and globally renowned as a major source of imperial jade and pigeon blood rubies, Myanmar is primarily an agricultural country with 50 percent of its GDP derived from agriculture, livestock, fisheries, and forestry. Manufacturing/industry contributes only 15 percent of GDP and is strictly controlled by the military junta. In recent years, export of natural gas to Thailand has also become one of the main sources of revenue. Cut off from the rest of the world by its isolationist military junta for several decades, Myanmar has attracted much attention in recent times…
