Compare Burma (2003) - British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

Compare Burma (2003) z British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

	Burma (2003)	British Indian Ocean Territory (2003)

Administrative divisions	7 divisions* (taing-myar, singular - taing) and 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne); Chin State, Ayeyarwady, Bago, Kachin State, Kayin State, Kayah State, Magway, Mandalay, Mon State, Rakhine State, Sagaing, Shan State, Tanintharyi, Yangon*	-
Age structure	0-14 years: 28.1% (male 6,091,220; female 5,840,968) 15-64 years: 67% (male 14,162,190; female 14,347,751) 65 years and over: 4.9% (male 916,702; female 1,151,706) (2003 est.)	-
Agriculture - products	rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products	-
Airports	80 (2002)	1 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 8 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 72 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 34 (2002)	-
Area	total: 678,500 sq km land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km	total: 60 sq km land: 60 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago
Area - comparative	slightly smaller than Texas	about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886) and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory, the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention from September 2000 to May 2002 and again in May 2003; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.
Birth rate	19.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Budget	revenues: $7.9 billion expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97)	-
Capital	Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon)	-
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)	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds
Coastline	1,930 km	698 km
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	-
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 note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; this decision was not approved by any sitting legislature in Burma, and the US Government did not adopt the name, which is a derivative of the Burmese short-form name Myanma Naingngandaw	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT
Currency	kyat (MMK)	-
Death rate	12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Debt - external	$6.1 billion (2002 est.)	-
Dependency status	-	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London
Diplomatic representation from the US	chief of mission: Permanent Charge d'Affaires Carmen M. MARTINEZ embassy: 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon (GPO 521) mailing address: Box B, APO AP 96546 telephone: [95] (1) 379 880, 379 881 FAX: [95] (1) 256 018	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Diplomatic representation in the US	chief of mission: Ambassador 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	none (overseas territory of the UK)
Disputes - international	despite continuing border committee talks, significant differences remain with Thailand over boundary alignment and the handling of ethnic rebels, refugees, and illegal cross-border activities	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago and its former inhabitants, who reside chiefly in Mauritius, but in 2001 were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation since eviction in 1965; repatriation is complicated by the US military lease of Diego Garcia, the largest island in the chain
Economic aid - recipient	$99 million (FY98/99)	-
Economy - overview	Burma is a resource-rich country that suffers from abject rural poverty. The military regime took steps in the early 1990s to liberalize the economy after decades of failure under the "Burmese Way to Socialism", but those efforts have since stalled. Burma has been unable to achieve monetary or fiscal stability, resulting in an economy that suffers from serious macroeconomic imbalances - including a steep inflation rate and an official exchange rate that overvalues the Burmese kyat by more than 100 times the market rate. In addition, most overseas development assistance ceased after the junta suppressed the democracy movement in 1988 and subsequently ignored the results of the 1990 election. Burma is data poor, and official statistics are often dated and inaccurate. Published estimates of Burma's foreign trade are greatly understated because of the size of the black market and border trade - often estimated to be one to two times the official economy.	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.
Electricity - consumption	5.709 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2001)	-
Electricity - production	6.139 billion kWh (2001)	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 44.4% hydro: 55.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m
Environment - current issues	deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease	NA
Environment - international agreements	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements	-
Ethnic groups	Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%	-
Exchange rates	kyats per US dollar - 6.64 (2002), 6.75 (2001), 6.52 (2000), 6.29 (1999), 6.34 (1998)	-
Executive branch	chief of state: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992) head of government: Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council Sr. Gen. THAN SHWE (since 23 April 1992); note - the appointed Prime Minister, Gen. KNIN NYUNT (since 25 August 2003), is not the 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	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Alan HUCKLE (since 2001); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch
Exports	NA (2001)	-
Exports - commodities	gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice	-
Exports - partners	Thailand 31.4%, US 13%, India 7.4%, China 4.7% (2002)	-
Fiscal year	1 April - 31 March	-
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	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag
GDP	purchasing power parity - $73.69 billion (2002 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 60% industry: 9% services: 31% (2002 est.)	-
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	5.3% (2002 est.)	-
Geographic coordinates	22 00 N, 98 00 E	6 00 S, 71 30 E
Geography - note	strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes	archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility
Heliports	1 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 28,200 km paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.)	total: NA km paved: short section of paved road between port and airfield on Diego Garcia unpaved: NA km
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: 2.8% highest 10%: 32.4% (1998)	-
Illicit drugs	world's second largest producer of illicit opium (potential production in 2002 - 630 metric tons, down 27% due to drought and, to a lesser extent, eradication; cultivation in 2002 - 77,000 hectares, a 27% decline from 2001); surrender of drug warlord KHUN SA's Mong Tai Army in January 1996 was hailed by Rangoon as a major counternarcotics success, but lack of government will and ability to take on major narcotrafficking groups and lack of serious commitment against money laundering continues to hinder the overall antidrug effort; major source of methamphetamine and heroin for regional consumption	-
Imports	NA (2001)	-
Imports - commodities	machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products	-
Imports - partners	China 27%, Singapore 19.5%, Thailand 12%, Malaysia 9.1%, Taiwan 6.3%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2002)	-
Independence	4 January 1948 (from UK)	-
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	-
Industries	agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer	-
Infant mortality rate	total: 70.35 deaths/1,000 live births male: 76.48 deaths/1,000 live births female: 63.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	-
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	53.7% (2002 est.)	-
International organization participation	ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO	-
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000)	1 (2000)
Irrigated land	15,920 sq km (1998 est.)	0 sq km (1998 est.)
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	-
Labor force	23.7 million (1999 est.)	-
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.)	-
Land boundaries	total: 5,876 km border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 14.53% permanent crops: 0.9% other: 84.57% (1998 est.)	arable land: NEGL permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (1998 est.)
Languages	Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages	-
Legal system	has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply
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	-
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 55.79 years male: 54.12 years female: 57.56 years (2003 est.)	-
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 83.1% male: 88.7% female: 77.7% (1995 est.) note: these are official statistics; estimates of functional literacy are likely closer to 30% (1999 est.)	-
Location	Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia
Map references	Southeast Asia	Political Map of the World
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 24 NM continental shelf: 200 NM or to the edge of the continental margin exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 3 NM
Merchant marine	total: 33 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 352,765 GRT/536,396 DWT ships by type: bulk 7, cargo 21, container 1, passenger/cargo 3, petroleum tanker 1 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Germany 5, Japan 4 (2002 est.)	-
Military - note	-	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016
Military branches	Army, Navy, Air Force	-
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$39 million (FY97)	-
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	2.1% (FY97)	-
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 12,349,921 females age 15-49: 12,358,507 note: both sexes liable for military service (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 6,566,122 females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	18 years of age (2003 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 453,420 females: 455,422 (2003 est.)	-
National holiday	Independence Day, 4 January (1948)	-
Nationality	noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese	-
Natural hazards	destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts	NA
Natural resources	petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower	coconuts, fish, sugarcane
Net migration rate	-1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-
Pipelines	gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2003)	-
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 [KHUN TUN OO]; Union Solidarity and Development Association or USDA (proregime, a social and political organization) [THAN AUNG, general secretary]; and other smaller parties	-
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	-
Population	42,510,537 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2003 est.)	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960's and 1970's, in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in 2001, there were approximately 1,500 UK and US military personnel and 2,000 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line	25% (2000 est.)	-
Population growth rate	0.52% (2003 est.)	-
Ports and harbors	Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy	Diego Garcia
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998)	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)
Railways	total: 3,955 km narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002)	-
Religions	Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2%	-
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	-
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal	-
Telephone system	general assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government; international service is good domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)
Telephones - main lines in use	250,000 (2000)	NA
Telephones - mobile cellular	8,492 (1997)	-
Television broadcast stations	2 (1998)	1 (1997)
Terrain	central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands	flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)
Total fertility rate	2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.)	-
Unemployment rate	5.1% (2001 est.)	-
Waterways	12,800 km note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels	none

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