An overview of Burma.

1. BURMA: a beautiful but little-known country in south-east Asia

2. 5,000 miles from Britain, it has borders with five countries and the Indian Ocean

3. Burma’s cities – including the capital Rangoon (Yangon) – lie on the great plains; these are surrounded by mountains and jungle

4. Teenagers The streets of the capital are as busy and diverse as any country

5. Music - Karaoke Many people from Burma love Karaoke

6. River - Irawaddy The huge Irawaddy river runs through Burma from north to south

7. Rice is the staple food; curry is eaten daily

8. Food in Burma is cooked fresh and fast

9. Cafes Burma has a strong culture of tea shops and cafes.

10. The people of Burma are massively diverse in terms of ethnicity and language. Many minority groups live in the mountainous areas above the plains.

11. In religious terms, most people in Burma are Buddhist, some are Christian or Muslim

12. Weather – kids & monsoons The monsoon season brings with it torrential rains and flooding everywhere.

13. Burma is poor Most people in Burma are poor; the World Food Program estimates over a third of children don’t get the food they need

14. History: colonial rule by Britain From the late 1800s to 1948 Burma used to be one of Britain’s colonies

15. The military have governed Burma since 1962 when they took over to bring stability to the country after independence.

16. Freedoms The military sees itself as the saviour and friend of the people of Burma

17. Aung San Suu Kyi was elected leader of Burma in 1990 but was never allowed to govern.

18. She has been under house arrest for 15 of the last 20 years. Recently she was released again.

19. A bookseller in Burma. Books critical of the government or supportive of democracy are banned.

20. Education in Burma is very basic. There are a few universities, which are sometimes shut down because of student activity.

21. People who record footage of dissent risk arrest by the military

22. Some of those who provided footage for the film‘Burma VJ’ are now in prison

23. Amnesty International and the Burma Campaign UK estimate 2,200 people remain in Burma’s prisons because of their beliefs.

24. Independence – Ne Win Many of the minority ethnic groups in Burma have been forced to flee as refugees

25. Many now live in refugee camps on Burma’s borders

26. Monks In 2007 Burmese monks led protests against the Military, which brought worldwide attention.

27. heat The protests were stopped by the Military.

28. Some ‘western’ countries still invest in Burma, though many companies have pulled out due to pressure from campaign groups

29. Travel & Tourism Many celebrities have taken up the cause of the people of Burma

30. Burma in numbers...