USEFUL BUSINESS INFORMATION ON MYANMAR

1. Country Brief:

A. Introduction - Myanmar sits at the crossroads of Asia’s great civilisations of India and China, and looks out onto the vast Indian Ocean next to Thailand. One of South East Asia’s largest and most diverse countries, Myanmar stretches from the sparkling islands of the Andaman Sea in the south right up into the Eastern Himalayan mountain range.

To this day Myanmar remains one of the most mysterious and undiscovered destinations in the world. A land of breathtaking beauty and charm yet only recently emerging into the modern world.

B. Climate - 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).

C. Geographical Area - total: 678,500 km2

land: 657,740 km2

water: 20,760 km2 .

D. Language - Burmese, minority languages.

E. Currency With Exchange Rate -  Myanmar Kyats

1.00 MMK = 0.155991 USD

F. Population - 42,909,464 (July 2006 estimate) .

G. Major Cities -Yangon, Mandalay.

2. Transportation:

A. Railway - total: 3,955 km
narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2005) .

B. Road - total: 27,000 km
paved: 3,200 km
unpaved: 23,800 km (2005).

C. Airports -  Airports: 85 (2006)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 21

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 64

D. Waterways - 12,800 km (2005)

E. Sea ports - Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy

3. Economy:

A. Major Manufacturing -

B. Major Export - $3.111 billion f.o.b. (2004); note: official export figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of timber, gems, narcotics, rice, and other products smuggled to Thailand, China, and Bangladesh: clothing, gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice.

C. Import - $3.454 billion f.o.b.; note: import figures are grossly underestimated due to the value of consumer goods, diesel fuel, and other products smuggled in from Thailand, China, Malaysia, and India (2004): fabric, petroleum products, plastics, machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products.

D. Major Industry - agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement; natural gas.

Natural resources:
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower.

E. Trade balance -

4. Trade Associations, Chamber of Commerce, Trade shows and Exhibitions in Myanmar:

Major Trade Association

Chambers of Commerce

The Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI)

No.29, Min Ye Kyawswa Road,

Lanmadaw Township, Yangon,

Myanmar

Tel : 95-1-214344, 214345, 214346, 214347, 214348, 214349

Fax : 95-1-214484

website: www.umfcci.com.mm

Email: umcci@mptmail.net.mm

Major Trade Shows

5. Useful links:

Myanmar Importers, Dealers of Japanese Used Cars, Construction Machinery & Auto Parts