republic; authoritarian presidential rule, with little power outside the executive branch
Independence date
4 January 1948 (from UK)
16 December 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%
Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%
Languages
Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages
Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)
kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 1,205 (2008 est.), 1,296 (2007), 1,280 (2006), 5.761 (2005), 5.7459 (2004) note: unofficial exchange rates ranged in 2004 from 815 kyat/US dollar to nearly 970 kyat/US dollar, and by yearend 2005, the unofficial exchange rate was 1,075 kyat/US dollar; data shown for 2003-05 are official exchange rates
tenge (KZT) per US dollar - 120.25 (2008 est.), 122.55 (2007), 126.09 (2006), 132.88 (2005), 136.04 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
2.100%
1.100%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
13
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
Central Asia, northwest of China; a small portion west of the Ural River in eastern-most Europe
Area
676,578 km sq
2,724,900 km sq
Coastline
1,930 km
0 km
Climate
tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
continental, cold winters and hot summers, arid and semiarid
