II.

Myanmar
1. Introduction
Myanmar is a member of the East Asia Summit, Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN and BIMSTEC,
but not a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. It is a country rich in jade and gems, oil,
natural gas and other mineral resources. Myanmar is also endowed with renewable energy; it has
the highest solar power potential compared to other countries of the Great Mekong Subregion. In
2013, its GDP (nominal) stood at US$56.7 billion and its GDP (PPP) at US$221.5 billion.The
income gap in Myanmar is among the widest in the world, as a large proportion of the economy is
controlled by supporters of the former military government.As of 2016, Myanmar ranks 145 out of
188 countries in human development, according to the Human Development Index.

Sometimes known as Burma, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar - which is often shortened to
Myanmar, is a sovereign state in Southeast Asia. As of 2017, the population is about 54
million. Myanmar is 676,578 square kilometres (261,228 square miles) in size. Myanmar is the
26th most populous country in the world, and the 40th largest country by area, with a 2019
estimated population of 54.05 million. Myanmar's relatively slow population growth is predicted to
continue on its current trajectory. The rate of growth today is just under 1%, but that will likely
decrease to near 0 by 2050. The forecast population for 2020 is 54,808,276 and for 2030 is it
58,915,869.

2. Capital
Nay Pyi Taw is the capital city of Myanmar. It has a population of 925,000, and is located on a
latitue of 19.75 and longitude of 96.13. Nay Pyi Taw is also the political center of Myanmar, which
is considered a Republic, and home to its Executive head of state.

3. Location
Myanmar officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and also known as Burma, is a country
in Southeast Asia. Myanmar is bordered by India and Bangladesh to its west, Thailand and Laos to
its east and China to its north and northeast. Myanmar is the largest of the mainland Southeast
Asian states. To its south, about one third of Myanmar's total perimeter of 5,876 km forms an
uninterrupted coastline of 1,930 km (1,200 mi) along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.

4. GDP
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is the poorest country in Southeast Asia. Myanmar was under
a military regime for decades, yet since 2011, a transition to democracy has been taking place. The
new, civilian led, reformist government has taken charge and the country has began to open up to
foreign direct investment. Myanmar’s economy is pretty diversified. The most important sector of
the economy is services, which has been growing steadily in the last few years, and now account for
over 38 percent of GDP. The share of agriculture has been declining, and now represents 36 percent
of GDP. Finally, industry contributes the remaining 26 percent of GDP. The Gross Domestic
Product (GDP) in Myanmar was worth 71.21 billion US dollars in 2018. The GDP value of
Myanmar represents 0.11 percent of the world economy. GDP in Myanmar averaged 34.75 USD
Billion from 1998 until 2018, reaching an all time high of 71.21 USD Billion in 2018 and a record
low of 6.46 USD Billion in 1998.

5. Language
Many indigenous languages—as distinct from mere dialects—are spoken in Myanmar. The official
language is Burmese, spoken by the people of the plains and, as a second language, by most people
of the hills. During the colonial period, English became the official language, but Burmese
continued as the primary language in all other settings. Both English and Burmese were compulsory
subjects in schools and colleges. Burmese, Chinese, and Hindi were the languages of commerce.
After independence English ceased to be the official language, and after the military coup of 1962 it
lost its importance in schools and colleges; an elementary knowledge of English, however, is still
required, and its instruction is again being encouraged.

The local languages of Myanmar belong to three language families. Burmese and most of the other
languages belong to the Tibeto-Burman subfamily of Sino-Tibetan languages. The Shan
language belongs to the Tai family. Languages spoken by the Mon of southern Myanmar and by
the Wa and Palaung of the Shan Plateau are members of the Mon-Khmer subfamily of Austroasiatic
languages.
Speakers of Burmese and Mon historically have lived in the plains, while speakers of a
unique dialect of Burmese (that perhaps retains some archaic features of pronunciation) have
occupied the Rakhine and Tenasserim coastal plains. The hills were inhabited by those
speaking Shan, Kachin, Chin, and numerous other languages. In the plains the ancient division
between northern and southern Myanmar (Upper Burma and Lower Burma, respectively) was based
not only on geographic differences but also on a linguistic one. The Mon (now a small minority)
lived in southern Myanmar, while the majority Burman population lived in the northern dry zone.

6. Business environment

Myanmar is one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia, suffering from decades of stagnation,
mismanagement and isolation. The lack of an educated workforce skilled in modern technology
hinders Myanmar's economy, although recent reforms and developments carried out by the new
government, in collaboration with foreign countries and organisations, aim to make this a thing of
the past.The informal economy's share in Myanmar is one of the biggest in the world and is closely
linked to corruption, smuggling and illegal trade activities.

Myanmar lacks adequate infrastructure. Goods travel primarily across the Thai border (where most
illegal drugs are exported) and along the Irrawaddy River. Railways are old and rudimentary, with
few repairs since their construction in the late 19th century. Highways are normally unpaved, except
in the major cities.

The business environment of Myanmar also has some advantages such as:

 Myanmar's abundance of under-utilised natural resources render it an attractive country for

foreign investment.
 Myanmar's emergence from decades of international isolation after the lifting of numerous
sanctions in April 2013 has created demand for consumer goods and strong growth
prospects in sectors such as retail and telecoms.
 Investments are likely to be relatively secure, provided that foreign investors undertake
joint ventures with well-connected domestic firms and individuals.
 Labour rates are likely to be competitive compared with regional neighbours.

Besides, it has disadvantages:

 The government’s policy priorities lack detail, and the bureaucracy severely lacks capacity.
 Transport and communications infrastructure is poor in most of the country, except Yangon
and the capital Naypyidaw.
 Large sectors of the economy will continue to be ring-fenced to protect the vested economic
interests of local businesses affiliated with political or military elite.
 Ethnic insurgencies continue in several states, increasing the risk of business disruption due
to attacks on commercial assets, such as oil and gas pipelines and mining operations.