Southeast Asia · Asia

Myanmar

Discover Myanmar - a land of 10,000 golden pagodas, the temple plains of Bagan, floating gardens on Inle Lake, and one of Asia's most complex stories.

Where Is Myanmar?

Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia. Its capital is Naypyidaw.

Where Myanmar isSoutheast Asia · Capital Naypyidaw

Capital Naypyidaw
Population 54.9M
Area 676,578 km²

Myanmar is one of the most hauntingly beautiful and deeply troubled countries in Southeast Asia. Formerly known as Burma, it is a land of over 10,000 golden pagodas, ancient kingdoms that rivaled any in Asia, and a cultural richness that has been largely hidden from the world for decades. The temple plains of Bagan, where over 2,000 Buddhist monuments rise from the misty landscape, rival Angkor Wat and Machu Picchu for sheer visual impact. Inle Lake's floating gardens and leg-rowing fishermen exist nowhere else on Earth.

But Myanmar's beauty coexists with deep pain. Decades of military rule, ethnic conflicts, and the devastating 2021 coup have left the country in turmoil. The Burmese people - warm, devout, and extraordinarily generous despite having so little - continue to navigate impossible circumstances. Buddhism permeates every aspect of life, from the morning alms rounds to the gold leaf lovingly applied to sacred statues by millions of hands over centuries. The country's 135 officially recognized ethnic groups create a cultural tapestry of staggering diversity. Myanmar is a place that breaks your heart and fills it at the same time.

At a glance

Language

Burmese

Currency

Myanmar Kyat (MMK)

Calling Code

+95

Drives On

Right

Internet

.mm

Timezone

MMT (UTC+6:30)

Script

Burmese

Government

Military-Dominated Republic

Independence

1948

By population

Largest cities in Myanmar

Yangon

Former capital and largest city, dominated by the glittering Shwedagon Pagoda and filled with crumbling colonial architecture

5,400,000

Mandalay

Cultural heartland and last royal capital, surrounded by ancient cities, monasteries, and the world's longest teak bridge

1,700,000

Naypyidaw

Purpose-built capital since 2006, a vast and eerily empty city of wide boulevards, enormous government buildings, and very few people

1,200,000

Bagan

UNESCO World Heritage archaeological zone with over 2,000 Buddhist temples and pagodas scattered across a vast plain

55,000

People

Famous people from Myanmar

Aung San
Politics
Father of Burmese independence who negotiated freedom from Britain before his assassination in 1947, a national hero
Aung San Suu Kyi
Politics
Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon who spent 15 years under house arrest fighting for Myanmar's freedom
U Thant
Diplomacy
Third Secretary-General of the United Nations and the first non-European to hold the position, serving from 1961 to 1971
Ludu Daw Amar
Literature
Pioneering journalist and author known as the Mother of Burmese literature for her fearless writing on social justice

Food

Traditional cuisine of Myanmar

Mohinga: Myanmar's national dish - catfish noodle soup with lemongrass, ginger, and banana stem, eaten for breakfast across the country
Tea Leaf Salad: Fermented tea leaves mixed with crunchy nuts, sesame seeds, dried shrimp, and garlic, a uniquely Burmese dish found nowhere else
Shan Noodles: Rice noodles in a light tomato and meat sauce from Shan State, served in soup or dry, one of the country's most popular dishes
Htamin Jin: Rice balls mixed with fish and turmeric, a portable snack sold at markets and bus stations across Myanmar

Nature

Nature and landmarks in Myanmar

Inle LakeLake: Vast freshwater lake in Shan State famous for leg-rowing fishermen, floating gardens, and stilt villages surrounded by mountains
Bagan Archaeological ZoneLandmark: Over 2,000 Buddhist temples, pagodas, and monasteries spread across 26 square miles of flat plain, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Hkakabo RaziMountain: Southeast Asia's highest peak at 5,881 meters on the border with Tibet, a remote and rarely climbed giant in the far north
Mergui ArchipelagoIsland: 800 virtually untouched islands in the Andaman Sea, home to the Moken sea nomads and pristine coral reefs
Golden Rock (Kyaiktiyo)Landmark: A gold-covered boulder perched impossibly on the edge of a cliff, one of the most sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Myanmar

Sport

Sports in Myanmar

Chinlone: Traditional sport combining footwork and dance, where players keep a woven rattan ball in the air using feet, knees, and head
Football: The most popular modern sport, with a passionate following and a league system that draws large crowds

Facts

Did you know?

Myanmar is one of only three countries in the world that has not officially adopted the metric system
The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is covered in genuine gold plates and topped with over 7,000 diamonds and precious stones
Thanaka, a yellowish-white paste made from ground bark, has been used as natural sunscreen and beauty product by Burmese women for over 2,000 years
Myanmar has the largest book in the world - 730 marble slabs inscribed with Buddhist scripture at Kuthodaw Pagoda in Mandalay
The country has 135 officially recognized ethnic groups, each with distinct languages, traditions, and dress
Inle Lake's leg-rowing fishermen wrap one leg around their oar to row while keeping both hands free for fishing nets

Stories