|
|
| Myanmar Practical Info |
|
 Airport Facilities
Yangon lnternationalAirport is located 20 km from downtown Yangon. The Arrival Terminal is located separately from the Departure Terminal and the Domestic Terminal and simplified procedures ensure that on arrival and departure, international passengers are processed quickly through immigration and custom.
Limousine Service
A Limousine Service Counter is located in the Arrival Hall. Major hotels provide transfer services; and taxis are also available. Passengers are advised not to use the services of touts for taxi or other services.
Airport Tax
The airport tax is US $ 6 for international passengers, payable in FEC (Foreign Exchange Certificates). There is no airport tax on domestic fly
Duty Free Shopping
Duty Free shopping facilities are available in both the Departure and Arrival Halls of Yangon International Airport.
Airline Office
International airlines maintain offices in Yangon.
Tourist lnformation
Tourist information is available at the Arrival Hall of Yangon International Airport; Head Office in downtown Yangon at 77-91 Sule Pagoda Road (Tel: 95-1-252859); Bagan Office (Tel:95062-70217); Mandalay Office(Tel: 95-2-22540) at Mandalay Swan
Hotel; Taunggyi Offce (Tel: 95-081-21611, 95-081-21302) at Taunggyi Hotel; Kawthaung Office; Tachileik Office and Muse Office.
Clothing
Light, casual wear, preferably cotton is suitable all year round. A cardigan or light jerkin, when visiting northern Myanmar in the cold season and an umbrella during the rainy season are suggested. Sandals or slippers are convenient, as the dress code for pagodas and monasteries prescribe decent apparel and no footwear (i.e. removal of shoes and socks
Communication Services
Postal Service
The Yangon Central Post Office, located at 39, Bo Aung Kyaw Street, is open from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm., Monday through Friday. Major hotels provide mail boxes; and postage stamps are available at the Reception Counters.
Telephone
International phone calls can be made by International Direct Dialling (I DD) phone or through operators from most hotels in Yangon, and from some hotels at major tourist sites.
Media
Newspaper and Magazines
Three morning newspapers Myanmar Ah Lin and Kye mon in Myanmar and The New Light of Myanmar in English are published in Yangon and The Yadanabon News in Myanmar is published in Mandalay. An evening newspaper City News Myanmar is published in Yangon.
The locally published magazines in English; Golden Myanmar, Myanmar Chronicle, and Myanmar Perspective, are available in bookshops.
Foreign newspapers such International Herald Tribune, as Singapore Straits Times. and some foreign magazines and periodicals are available at In-wa (Ava) Bookshop, No.232, Sule Pagoda Road.
Radio and Television
Radio Myanmar broadcasts English on the following schedule: 8:30 am to 9:00am 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm; and 9:00 pm to 10:30 pm.
There are two local TV channels: TV Myanmar and Myawaddy with programs running from 7 am to 8 am; and from 4 pm to 11 pm.
Most hotels also have satellite TV.
Government
Country name:
conventional long form: Union of Burma
conventional short form: Burma
local long form: Pyidaungzu Myanma Naingngandaw (translated by the US Government as Union of Myanma and by the Burmese as Union of Myanmar)
local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw
former: Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma
Data code: BM
Government type: military regime
Capital: Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
Independence: 4 January 1948 (from UK)
National holiday: Independence Day, 4 January (1948)
Constitution: 3 January 1974 (suspended since 18 September 1988); national convention started on 9 January 1993 to draft a new constitution; chapter headings and three of 15 sections have been approved
Legal system: does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: Prime Minister and Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the prime minister is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: State Peace and Development Council (SPDC); military junta, so named 15 November 1997, which initially assumed power 18 September 1988 under the name State Law and Order Restoration Council; the SPDC oversees the cabinet elections: none; the prime minister assumed power upon resignation of the former prime minister
Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly or Pyithu Hluttaw (485 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 27 May 1990, but Assembly never convened
election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NLD 396, NUP 10, other 79
Judicial branch: limited; remnants of the British-era legal system in place, but there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent of the executive
Political parties and leaders: National League for Democracy or NLD [AUNG SHWE, chairman, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, general secretary]; National Unity Party or NUP (proregime) [THA KYAW]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and eight minor legal parties
Political pressure groups and leaders: All Burma Student Democratic Front or ABSDF; Kachin Independence Army or KIA; Karen National Union or KNU; National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma or NCGUB [Dr. SEIN WIN] consists of individuals legitimately elected to the People's Assembly but not recognized by the military regime; the group fled to a border area and joined with insurgents in December 1990 to form a parallel government; several Shan factions; United Wa State Army or UWSA
Population below poverty line: 23% (1997 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Communications
Telephones - main lines in use: 158,000 (1995)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2,007 (1995)
Telephone system: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)
Radios: 4.2 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 2 (1998)
Televisions: 260,000 (1997)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 0 (1999)
Transportation
Railways:
total: 3,991 km
narrow gauge: 3,991 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 28,200 km
paved: 3,440 km
unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)
Waterways: 12,800 km; 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels
Pipelines: crude oil 1,343 km; natural gas 330 km
Ports and harbors: Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy
Merchant marine:
total: 40 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 472,284 GRT/716,533 DWT
ships by type: bulk 13, cargo 20, container 2, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 2 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships of 2 countries: Japan owns 2 ships, US 3 (1998 est.)
Airports: 80 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (1999 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 70
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 32 (1999 est.)
Heliports: 1 (1999 est.)
Military
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force
Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age
Military manpower - availability:
males age 15-49: 11,865,696
females age 15-49: 11,894,661
note: both sexes liable for military service (2000 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 6,334,750
females age 15-49: 6,334,937 (2000 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
males: 483,964
females: 468,221 (2000 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $39 million (FY97/98)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 2.1% (FY97/98)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international: sporadic conflict with Thailand over alignment of border
Illicit drugs: world's second largest producer of illicit opium, after Afghanistan (potential production in 1999 - 1,090 metric tons, down 38% due to drought; cultivation in 1999 - 89,500 hectares, a 31% decline from 1998); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; becoming a major source of methamphetamines for regional consumption |
|
|
|
