Portal:Myanmar

ကြိုဆိုပါတယ်။ / Welcome to the Myanmar Portal

Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has a population of about 55 million. It is bordered by India and Bangladesh to the northwest, China to the northeast, Laos and Thailand to the east and southeast, and the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal to the south and southwest. The country's capital city is Naypyidaw, while its largest city is Yangon (formerly Rangoon).

Myanmar is a member of the East Asia Summit, Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN, and BIMSTEC, and is a Dialogue Partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The country is rich in natural resources, including jade, gems, oil, natural gas, teak, and high solar power potential. However, Myanmar suffers from prolonged political instability, corruption, poor infrastructure, and low levels of human development. The income gap in Myanmar is among the widest in the world, as a large proportion of the economy remains under military control. Myanmar continues to be classified as one of the least developed countries in the world.

The country remains riven by ethnic strife among its myriad ethnic groups, with one of the world's longest-running ongoing civil wars. The United Nations and human rights organizations have documented systemic human rights violations. The civil war has created a major ongoing humanitarian crisis; according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), there are over 1.3 million refugees and asylum seekers, and over 3.5 million people displaced internally. (Full article...)

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Image 1

The early Pagan Kingdom (Burmese: ခေတ်ဦး ပုဂံ ပြည်), also known by its classical name Tampa dīpa (တမ္ပဒီပ, lit. "Bronze Country"), was a city-state that existed in the first millennium CE before the emergence of the Pagan Empire in the mid 11th century. The Burmese chronicles state that the "kingdom" was founded in the second century CE. The seat of power of the small kingdom was first located at Arimaddana, Thiri Pyissaya, and Tampawaddy until 849 CE when it was moved to Pagan (Bagan).

Radiocarbon dating shows the earliest human settlement in the Pagan region dates only from the mid-7th century CE. It existed alongside Pyu city-states that dominated Upper Burma. The city-state of Pagan, according to mainstream scholarship, was founded in the mid 9th century by the Mranma of Nanzhao kingdom. Burmans at Pagan expanded irrigation-based cultivation while borrowing extensively from the Pyus' predominantly Buddhist culture. It was one of many competing city-states in the Pyu realm until the late 10th century when the principality began absorbing its surrounding states. The expansion accelerated in the 1050s and 1060s when King Anawrahta founded the Pagan Empire, the first ever unification of the Irrawaddy valley and its periphery. (Full article...)
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A contemporaneous painting of the coronation depicts the king and queen seated in the pavilion, surrounded by a retinue of Brahmins.

The coronation (Rajabhiseka) of Mindon Min and Setkya Dewi as king and queen of the Konbaung Kingdom in Burma took place at Mandalay Palace on 14 May 1857.

During the reign of the king's half brother Pagan Min, the Second Anglo-Burmese War in 1852 ended with the annexation of Lower Burma by the British Empire. Mindon Min and his younger brother Kanaung Min overthrew Pagan Min, and Mindon Min ascended the throne on 18 February 1853. (Full article...)
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Severe flooding in Myanmar began in July 2015 and continued into September, affecting 12 of the country's 14 states, resulting in at least 103 deaths and affecting up to 1,000,000 people. Most of the casualties were reported from the Irrawaddy Delta. Torrential rains that began on 16 July destroyed farmland, roads, rail tracks, bridges and houses, leading the government to declare a state of emergency on 30 July in the four worst-hit regions in the west—Magway Division, Sagaing Division, Chin State and Rakhine State.

Myanmar's Ministry of Agriculture reported that more than 1.29 million acres of farmland have been inundated and 687,200 acres damaged. Moreover, 15,239 houses were destroyed, according to OCHA figures. (Full article...)
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Slim wearing the 14th Army badge

Field Marshal William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim (6 August 1891 – 14 December 1970), usually known as Bill Slim, was a British military commander and the 13th governor-general of Australia from 1953 to 1960.

Slim saw active service in both the First and Second World Wars and was wounded in action three times. During the Second World War he led the Fourteenth Army, the so-called "forgotten army" in the Burma campaign. After the war he became the first British officer who had served in the Indian Army to be appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff. (Full article...)
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Toungoo dynasty at its greatest extent (1580)

The First Toungoo Empire (TOW-NG-oo; Burmese: တောင်ငူခေတ်, [tàʊɴŋù kʰɪʔ], lit. "Toungoo Period"), also known as the Second Burmese Empire in traditional historiography, or simply the Taungoo dynasty, was the dominant power in mainland Southeast Asia in the second half of the 16th century. At its peak, Toungoo "exercised suzerainty from
Manipur to the Cambodian marches and from the borders of Arakan to Yunnan" and was "the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia." The "most adventurous and militarily successful" dynasty in Burmese history was also the "shortest-lived."

The empire grew out of the principality of Toungoo, a minor vassal state of Ava until 1510. The landlocked petty state began its rise in the 1530s under Tabinshwehti who went on to found the largest polity in Myanmar since the Pagan kingdom by 1550. His more celebrated successor Bayinnaung then greatly expanded the empire, conquering much of mainland Southeast Asia by 1565. He spent the next decade keeping the empire intact, putting down rebellions in Siam, Lan Xang and the northernmost Shan states. From 1576 onwards, he declared a large sphere of influence in westerly lands—trans-Manipur states, Arakan and Ceylon. The empire, held together by patron-client relationships, declined soon after his death in 1581. His successor Nanda Bayin never gained the full support of the vassal rulers, and presided over the empire's precipitous collapse in the next 18 years. (Full article...)
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Thura Ma Chit Po (Burmese: သူရ မချစ်ပို; February 1908 – 8 April 1949) was a Burmese woman who was the one and only civilian woman to have received the Thura medal for bravery. She gathered intelligence on the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) on behalf of the Myanmar Military before she was caught and executed by the KNDO insurgents. (Full article...)
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Bawbawgyi Pagoda is one of the earliest existing examples of a Burmese pagoda.

Burmese pagodas are stupas that typically house Buddhist relics, including relics associated with Buddha. Pagodas feature prominently in Myanmar's landscape, earning the country the moniker "land of pagodas." Several cities in the country, including Mandalay and Bagan, are known for their abundance of pagodas. Pagodas are the sites of seasonal pagoda festivals.

Burmese pagodas are enclosed in a compound known as the aran (အာရာမ်, from Pali ārāma), with gateways called mok (မုခ်, from Pali mukha) at the four cardinal directions. The platform surrounding a Burmese pagoda is called a yinbyin (ရင်ပြင်). (Full article...)
Image 8

Sikh soldiers of the 7th Indian Infantry Division at an
observation post in the Ngakyedauk Pass, February 1944

The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies (mainly from the British Empire and the Republic of China, with support from the United States) against the invading forces of the Empire of Japan. Imperial Japan was supported by the Thai Phayap Army, as well as two collaborationist independence movements and armies, The State of Burma and the Provisional Government of Free India. Nominally independent puppet states were established in the conquered areas and some territories were annexed by Thailand. In 1942 and 1943, the international Allied force in British India launched several failed offensives to retake lost territories. Fighting intensified in 1944, and British Empire forces peaked at around 1 million land and air forces. These forces were drawn primarily from British India, with British Army forces (equivalent to eight regular infantry divisions and six tank regiments), 100,000 East and West African colonial troops, and smaller numbers of land and air forces from several other Dominions and Colonies. These additional forces allowed the Allied recapture of Burma in 1945.

The campaign had a number of notable features. The geographical characteristics of the region meant that weather, disease and terrain had a major effect on operations. The lack of transport infrastructure placed an emphasis on military engineering and air transport to move and supply troops, and evacuate wounded. The campaign was also politically complex, with the British, the United States and the Chinese all having different strategic priorities. It was also the only land campaign by the Western Allies in the Pacific Theatre that proceeded continuously from the start of hostilities to the end of the war. This was due to its geographical location. By extending from South East Asia to India, its area included some lands which the British lost at the outset of the war, but also included areas of India wherein the Japanese advance was eventually stopped. The climate of the region is dominated by the seasonal monsoon rains, which allowed effective campaigning for only just over half of each year. This, together with other factors such as famine and disorder in British India and the priority given by the Allies to the defeat of Nazi Germany, prolonged the campaign and divided it into four phases: the Japanese invasion, which led to the expulsion of British, Indian and Chinese forces in 1942; failed attempts by the Allies to mount offensives into Burma, from late 1942 to early 1944; the 1944 Japanese invasion of India, which ultimately failed following the battles of Imphal and Kohima; and finally the successful Allied offensive which liberated Burma from late 1944 to mid-1945. (Full article...)
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The Chin Rising was a conflict between the British Empire and the Chin chiefs of the Chin Hills, a mountainous region on the frontier between British Burma and Manipur inhabited by numerous small, independent Chin chieftaincies. It was fought from 1890 to 1896, following the British annexation of the Chin Hills after the Chin-Lushai Expedition brought the region under British control for the first time. Several Chin tribes at different points resisted British rule, taxation, and disarmament, but were eventually pacified and disarmed. (Full article...)
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The People's Defence Force is the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG) in Myanmar. The armed wing was formed by the NUG from youths and pro-democracy activists on 5 May 2021 in response to the coup d'état that occurred on 1 February 2021 that put the military junta and their armed wing, the Tatmadaw, in power. The military junta designated it as a terrorist organisation on 8 May 2021. In October 2021, the NUG's Ministry of Defence announced that it had formed a central committee to coordinate military operations across the country.

According to the NUG statement, the PDF is divided into five regional commands (Northern, Southern, Central, Eastern and Western commands), each mounting at least three brigades. Each brigade consists of five battalions, which divide into four companies. On 13 July 2021, NUG's minister of defence Yee Mon stated that the strength of the newly-formed militia was expected to reach 8,000 by the end of the month. Estimates by The Irrawaddy put the PDF's numbers at 65,000 in November 2022. More recent estimates put the PDF's strength at 100,000, even though not all are believed to be fully armed and trained. The PDF's leadership endorse guerrilla warfare tactics in pursuit of their aims. The military often called the People Defence Force (PDF) "ပဒတ်", especially during its early years of formation, mainly due to their implementation of small, fragmented and guerilla warfare tactics with less sophisticated weapons. (Full article...)

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... that Setkya Dewi, chief queen of Burma, studied Western astronomy and English and was once gifted a telescope by a British envoy because of her interest in science?
... that the Myanmar Photo Archive (example photograph shown) revealed "a side of modern Myanmar that, until very recently, remained hidden in dusty attics"?
... that the Burmese Buddhist monk Sagyo Thu-Myat successfully lobbied for the recalibration of the Burmese calendar?
... that plans for Myanmar's space programme began under an elected civilian government in 2017, but the Myanmar Space Agency was ultimately formed in 2025 under military rule?
... that gamblers in Myanmar worship the spirit Thone Myo Shin to ensure victory in cockfights?
... that the construction of the University of Yangon was partly funded by gambling fairs organised by local officials across Burma?
... that one academic described the introduction of femboys to Myanmar as a tactic to achieve an "ideological revolution"?
... that the village of Gangfang was ceded from Burma to China in 1960 after a 50-year dispute?

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The following are images from various Myanmar-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Aung San Suu Kyi addresses crowds at the NLD headquarters shortly after her release. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 2Stucco on facade of Htilominlo Temple (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 3Protesters in Yangon with a banner that reads "non-violence: national movement" in Burmese. In the background is Shwedagon Pagoda. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 4The paddle steamer Ramapoora (right) of the British India Steam Navigation Company on the Rangoon river, having just arrived from Moulmein. 1895. Photographers: Watts and Skeen. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 5British soldiers remove their shoes at the entrance of Shwedagon Pagoda. To the left, a sign reads "Foot wearing is strictly prohibited" in Burmese, English, Tamil, and Urdu. (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 6British soldiers dismantling cannons belonging to King Thibaw's forces, Third Anglo-Burmese War, Ava, 27 November 1885. Photographer: Hooper, Willoughby Wallace (1837–1912). (from History of Myanmar)
Image 7A bull fight, 19th-century watercolour (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 8Protesters in Yangon carrying signs reading "Free Daw Aung San Suu Kyi" on 8 February 2021 (from History of Myanmar)
Image 9Mount Popa, a dormant volcano in the Central Lowlands (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 10Mountains near Pindaya on the Shan Plateau (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 11Sculpture of Thagyamin nat (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 12Vegetable stall on the roadside at the Madras Lancer Lines, Mandalay, January 1886. Photographer: Hooper, Willoughby Wallace (1837–1912). (from History of Myanmar)
Image 13Zinghmuh mountain range in Chin State (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 14A boy donning white monastic robes before being ordained as a samanera (shin thamane) (from Shinbyu)
Image 15Myinhkin thabin - equestrian sport (from Culture of Myanmar)
$Image 16A large fracture on the Mingun Pahtodawgyi caused by the 1839 Ava earthquake. (from Geography of Myanmar)$
Image 16A large fracture on the Mingun Pahtodawgyi caused by the 1839 Ava earthquake. (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 17A shinbyu ceremony at Shwedagon Pagoda. (from Shinbyu)
Image 18Wall Painting depicting boating in Kyaukawgyi, Amarapura (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 19Saint Mary's Cathedral in Downtown Yangon is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in Burma. (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 20A shinbyu ceremony at Mandalay. (from Shinbyu)
Image 21Pagan Kingdom during Narapatisithu's reign. Burmese chronicles also claim Kengtung and Chiang Mai. Core areas shown in darker yellow. Peripheral areas in light yellow. Pagan incorporated key ports of Lower Burma into its core administration by the 13th century. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 22First Anglo-Burmese War in 1824 (from History of Myanmar)
Image 23Aerial view of a burned Rohingya village in Rakhine state, September 2017 (from History of Myanmar)
Image 24Salween river at Mae Sam Laep on the Thai-Myanmar border (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 25An ear-piercing ceremony at Mahamuni Buddha in Mandalay (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 26Bagan-style painting of Thingyan in Bagan (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 27Two female musicians play the saung at a performance in Mandalay. (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 28Portuguese ruler and soldiers mounting an elephant. Jan Caspar Philips (draughtsman and engraver). (from History of Myanmar)
Image 29Stucco Mid-Relief on Mingalazedi Pagdoa, Bagan (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 30The royal outfit worn by novitiates-to-be before being samanera ordination, to re-enact Rahula's rejection of a princely life in exchange for a life of self-detachment. (from Shinbyu)
Image 31Temples at Mrauk U, the capital of the Mrauk U Kingdom, which ruled over what is now Rakhine State (from History of Myanmar)
Image 32Recorder's Court on Sule Pagoda Road, with the Sule Pagoda at the far end, Rangoon, 1868. Photographer: J. Jackson. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 33The Birth of Buddha, 12th-century statue, Bagan (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 34Awakening of Buddha Taṇhaṅkara, Wall Painting in Upali Thein Temple, Bagan (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 35A wedding procession, with the groom and bride dressed in traditional Burmese wedding clothes, reminiscent of royal attire (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 36Pro-democracy activist and political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi (from Women in Myanmar)
Image 37Novitiate-to-be dressed in traditional prince attire, including a salwe. (from Shinbyu)
Image 38Military situation in Myanmar as of 2024^[update]. Areas controlled by the Tatmadaw are highlighted in red. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 39Hlei pyaingbwè - a Burmese regatta (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 40Surviving Wood carvings on Shwezigon Pagoda, Bagan (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 41A 19th century watercolor depicting a shinbyu procession. (from Shinbyu)
Image 42Political map of Burma (Myanmar) c. 1450 CE. (from History of Myanmar)
Image 43A group of Buddhist worshipers at Shwedagon Pagoda, an important religious site for Burmese Buddhists (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 44The shores of Irrawaddy River at Nyaung-U, Bagan (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 4519th-century funeral cart and spire, which would form part of the procession from the home to the place of cremation (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 46Sculpture of Myanmar mythical lion (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 47View of Hpa-An from Mount Zwegabin in Southeastern Hills (from Geography of Myanmar)
Image 48Buddha statue in Ananda Temple, Bagan (from Art of Myanmar)
Image 49Boxing match, 19th-century watercolour (from Culture of Myanmar)
Image 50Kyansittha and Rajakumar, 1903 painting by U Ba Nyan (from Art of Myanmar)