| 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
|
| Government type: |
military regime
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| Capital: |
Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)
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| Administrative divisions: |
7 divisions* (yin-mya, singular - yin) and 7 states (pyine-mya, singular - pyine); Chin State, Ayeyarwady*, Bago*, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway*, Mandalay*, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing*, Shan State, Tanintharyi*, 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; progress has since been stalled
|
| Legal system: |
has not accepted 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 392, SNLD 23, NUP 10, other 60
|
| Judicial branch: |
remnants of the British-era legal system are 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]; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy or SNLD [U KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties
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| 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
|
| International organization participation: |
ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
|
| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador-designate U LINN MYAING
chancery:
2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 332-9044
FAX:
[1] (202) 332-9046
consulate(s) general:
New York
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Permanent Charge d'Affaires Priscilla A. CLAPP
embassy:
581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521)
mailing address:
Box B, APO AP 96546
telephone:
[95] (1) 282055, 282182
FAX:
[95] (1) 280409
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| Flag description: |
red with a blue rectangle in the upper hoist-side corner bearing, all in white, 14 five-pointed stars encircling a cogwheel containing a stalk of rice; the 14 stars represent the 14 administrative divisions
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