BURMA

Burma is the biggest country area in mainland Southeast Asia.

The name “Myanmar” is derived from the local short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw.

In Burmese, the name Myanma (or Mranma Prañ) has been used since the 13th century

Burma, which has a total area of 678,500 square kilometres (261,970 sq mi), is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia, and the 40th-largest in the world, (after Zambia).

It is somewhat smaller than the US state of Texas and slightly larger than Afghanistan.

Burma is one of the poorest nations in Southeast Asia, suffering from decades of stagnation, mismanagement and isolation. Burma’s GDP grows at a rate of 2.9% annually – the lowest rate of economic growth in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

20,000 monks protest

Anti-government protests started in Burma on August 15, 2007, and have been ongoing. Thousands of Buddhist monks started leading protests on September 18, and were joined by Buddhist nuns on September 23. On September 24, 20,000 monks and nuns led 30,000 people in a protest march from the golden Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon

CREDITS: wikipedia.com

www.proel.org