Burma

Myanmar, officially the Union of Myanmar (pronounced ) is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia. On 4 January 1948 Burma achieved independence from Great Britain as the “Union of Burma”. more...

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Subsequent name changes were on 4 January 1974 to the “Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma”; 23 Septmber 1988 to the “Union of Burma” and, since 18 June 1989, the “Union of Myanmar”. Also known as Burma or the Union of Burma by bodies and states which do not recognize the ruling military junta, it is bordered by the People's Republic of China on the north, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, and India on the northwest, with the Andaman Sea to the south, and the Bay of Bengal to the southwest. One-third of Myanmar's total perimeter, 1,930 km (1,199 mi), forms an uninterrupted coastline.

Myanmar's diverse population has played a major role in defining its politics, history and demographics in modern times. Its political system remains under the tight control of the State Peace and Development Council, the military government led by Senior General Than Shwe since 1992. Part of the British Empire until 1948, Myanmar continues to struggle to mend its ethnic tensions and overcome coups d'état. The country's culture, heavily influenced by neighbours, is based on a unique form of Buddhism intertwined with local elements.

Etymology

The name "Myanmar" is derivative from the local short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw. . This name was used as early as the 12th century, but its etymology remains unclear. It is also the official name of the residents or citizens of Myanmar (written without the final "r" when used as an adjective, as in "the Myanma people"). "Bamar" is more specifically the official name of a person from the majority Burman ethnic group.

In 1989, the military junta officially changed the English version of its name from Burma to Myanmar, along with changes to the English versions of many place names in the country, such as its former capital city from Rangoon to Yangon. However, the official name of the country in the Burmese language, Myanmar, did not change, though this is often rendered in English as Myanma.

The renaming proved to be politically controversial. Because the military junta was not legitimately elected, some governments have contended that it did not have the authority to officially change the name in English. This stance has also been adopted by most Burmese who oppose the military regime, but who do not necessarily dispute the semantics.

The English-speaking world has been slow in accepting the name change; usage of Burma is still common. Burmese remains the most commonly used adjective. Major news organisations such as the BBC, Wall Street Journal, and The Financial Times as well as Western governments, including those of the United States and the United Kingdom, still officially refer to the country as Burma. CNN, The Economist, and The New York Times use "Myanmar" as the country name and "Burmese" as the adjective.

Read more at Wikipedia.org