Land area

676,563 sq km

Population

50m (IMF mid-2009 estimate)

Main towns

Population in '000 (1983 census)

Yangon: 2,513 Pegu: 320

Mandalay: 533 Moulmein: 220

Note. In 2006 the ruling military junta moved the country's administrative capital from Yangon to the town of Naypyidaw. In the text, places other than Myanmar and Yangon are referred to by their pre-1989 names. Pre-1989 place names appear in brackets on the map at the start of this report

Climate

Subtropical

Weather in Yangon (altitude 5 metres)

Hottest month, April, 24-36°C; coldest month, January, 18-23°C; driest month, January, 3 mm average rainfall; wettest month, July, 582 mm average rainfall

Language

Burmese; numerous minority languages, such as Karen and Shan, are also in use

Measures

Derived from the UK system. Some other units are in use. For example, 0.9842 long or imperial tons = 1 metric tonne = 1.10231 short tons. Local measures include: 1 lakh = 100,000 units; 1 crore = 10,000,000 units; 1 viss or peiktha = 100 ticles = 1.6 kg; 1 basket (paddy) = 20.9 kg; 1 basket (rice) = 34 kg

Currency

1 kyat (Kt); Kt1 = 100 pyas. Average official exchange rate in 2009: Kt5.5:US$1. Average free-market exchange rate (based on private estimates) in 2009: K1,055:US$1

Time

6.5 hours ahead of GMT

Fiscal year

April 1st-March 31st

Public holidays

January 4th (Independence Day); February 12th (Union Day); March 2nd (Peasants' Day); March 27th (Armed Forces' Day); April 13th-17th (Thingyan, New Year); May 1st (Workers' Day); July 19th (Martyrs' Day); November 25th (National Day); December 25th (Christmas Day); plus other holidays, the timing of which depends on lunar sightings