Peru (2001) | Burma (2003) | |
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Administrative divisions | 24 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento) and 1 constitutional province* (provincia constitucional); Amazonas, Ancash, Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Cajamarca, Callao*, Cusco, Huancavelica, Huanuco, Ica, Junin, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima, Loreto, Madre de Dios, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, San Martin, Tacna, Tumbes, Ucayali
note: the 1979 constitution mandated the creation of regions (regiones, singular - region) to function eventually as autonomous economic and administrative entities; so far, 12 regions have been constituted from 23 of the 24 departments - Amazonas (from Loreto), Andres Avelino Caceres (from Huanuco, Pasco, Junin), Arequipa (from Arequipa), Chavin (from Ancash), Grau (from Tumbes, Piura), Inca (from Cusco, Madre de Dios, Apurimac), La Libertad (from La Libertad), Los Libertadores-Huari (from Ica, Ayacucho, Huancavelica), Mariategui (from Moquegua, Tacna, Puno), Nor Oriental del Maranon (from Lambayeque, Cajamarca, Amazonas), San Martin (from San Martin), Ucayali (from Ucayali); formation of another region has been delayed by the reluctance of the constitutional province of Callao to merge with the department of Lima; because of inadequate funding from the central government and organizational and political difficulties, the regions have yet to assume major responsibilities; the 1993 constitution retains the regions but limits their authority; the 1993 constitution also reaffirms the roles of departmental and municipal governments |
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:
34.41% (male 4,803,464; female 4,654,890) 15-64 years: 60.8% (male 8,408,210; female 8,302,943) 65 years and over: 4.79% (male 603,309; female 711,048) (2001 est.) |
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 | coffee, cotton, sugarcane, rice, wheat, potatoes, plantains, coca; poultry, beef, dairy products, wool; fish | rice, pulses, beans, sesame, groundnuts, sugarcane; hardwood; fish and fish products |
Airports | 233 (2000 est.) | 80 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
46 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 18 1,524 to 2,437 m: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
187 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 65 under 914 m: 95 (2000 est.) |
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:
1,285,220 sq km land: 1.28 million sq km water: 5,220 sq km |
total: 678,500 sq km
land: 657,740 sq km water: 20,760 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Alaska | slightly smaller than Texas |
Background | After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980. In recent years, bold reform programs and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity and drug trafficking have resulted in solid economic growth. | 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. |
Birth rate | 23.9 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 19.15 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$8.5 billion expenditures: $9.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $2 billion (1996 est.) |
revenues: $7.9 billion
expenditures: $12.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.7 billion (FY96/97) |
Capital | Lima | Rangoon (regime refers to the capital as Yangon) |
Climate | varies from tropical in east to dry desert in west; temperate to frigid in Andes | 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) |
Coastline | 2,414 km | 1,930 km |
Constitution | 31 December 1993 | 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:
Republic of Peru conventional short form: Peru local long form: Republica del Peru local short form: Peru |
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 |
Currency | nuevo sol (PEN) | kyat (MMK) |
Death rate | 5.78 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 12.17 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $31 billion (2000 est.) | $6.1 billion (2002 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador John HAMILTON embassy: Avenida La Encalada, Cuadra 17s/n, Surco, Lima 33 mailing address: P. O. Box 1995, Lima 1; American Embassy (Lima), APO AA 34031-5000 telephone: [51] (1) 434-3000 FAX: [51] (1) 434-3037 |
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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Alfonso RIVERO Monsalve chancery: 1700 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: [1] (202) 833-9860 through 9869 FAX: [1] (202) 659-8124 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Paterson (New Jersey), San Francisco |
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 |
Disputes - international | none | 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 |
Economic aid - recipient | $895.1 million (1995) | $99 million (FY98/99) |
Economy - overview | The Peruvian economy has become increasingly market-oriented, with major privatizations completed since 1990 in the mining, electricity, and telecommunications industries. Thanks to strong foreign investment and the cooperation between the FUJIMORI government and the IMF and World Bank, growth was strong in 1994-97 and inflation was brought under control. In 1998, El Nino's impact on agriculture, the financial crisis in Asia, and instability in Brazilian markets undercut growth. And 1999 was another lean year for Peru, with the aftermath of El Nino and the Asian financial crisis working its way through the economy. Political instability resulting from the presidential election and FUJIMORI's subsequent departure from office limited economic growth in 2000. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 17.565 billion kWh (1999) | 5.709 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 1 million kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 18.886 billion kWh (1999) | 6.139 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
23.04% hydro: 76.43% nuclear: 0% other: 0.53% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 44.4%
hydro: 55.6% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Nevado Huascaran 6,768 m |
lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m
highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m |
Environment - current issues | deforestation (some the result of illegal logging); overgrazing of the slopes of the costa and sierra leading to soil erosion; desertification; air pollution in Lima; pollution of rivers and coastal waters from municipal and mining wastes | deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment contribute to disease |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
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 | Amerindian 45%, mestizo (mixed Amerindian and white) 37%, white 15%, black, Japanese, Chinese, and other 3% | Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% |
Exchange rates | nuevo sol per US dollar - 3.5230 (January 2001), 3.4900 (2000), 3.383 (1999), 2.930 (1998), 2.664 (1997), 2.453 (1996) | kyats per US dollar - 6.64 (2002), 6.75 (2001), 6.52 (2000), 6.29 (1999), 6.34 (1998) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President Alejandro TOLEDO (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the Constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Conseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001) head of government: President Alejandro TOLEDO (since 28 July 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government; additionally two vice presidents are provided for by the Constitution, First Vice President Raul DIEZ Conseco (since 28 July 2001) and Second Vice President David WAISMAN (since 28 July 2001) note: Prime Minister Roberto DANINO (since 28 July 2001) does not exercise executive power; this power is in the hands of the president cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; special presidential election held 8 April 2001 with runoff election 3 June 2001); next to be held NA 2006 election results: President TOLEDO elected in runoff election; percent of vote - Alejandro TOLEDO 53.1%, Alan GARCIA 46.9% |
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 |
Exports | $7 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products, copper, zinc, gold, crude petroleum and byproducts, lead, coffee, sugar, cotton | gas, wood products, pulses, beans, fish, rice |
Exports - partners | US 29%, EU 25%, Andean Community 6%, Japan 4%, Mercosur 3% (1999) | Thailand 31.4%, US 13%, India 7.4%, China 4.7% (2002) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 April - 31 March |
Flag description | three equal, vertical bands of red (hoist side), white, and red with the coat of arms centered in the white band; the coat of arms features a shield bearing a llama, cinchona tree (the source of quinine), and a yellow cornucopia spilling out gold coins, all framed by a green wreath | 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 |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $123 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $73.69 billion (2002 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
15% industry: 42% services: 43% (1999) |
agriculture: 60%
industry: 9% services: 31% (2002 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $4,550 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,700 (2002 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.6% (2000 est.) | 5.3% (2002 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 10 00 S, 76 00 W | 22 00 N, 98 00 E |
Geography - note | shares control of Lago Titicaca, world's highest navigable lake, with Bolivia | strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes |
Heliports | - | 1 (2002) |
Highways | total:
72,900 km paved: 8,700 km unpaved: 64,200 km (1999 est.) |
total: 28,200 km
paved: 3,440 km unpaved: 24,760 km (1996 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
1.9% highest 10%: 34.3% (1994) |
lowest 10%: 2.8%
highest 10%: 32.4% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | until 1996 the world's largest coca leaf producer, Peru reduced the area of coca under cultivation by 64% to 34,200 hectares between 1996 and the end of 2000; much of the cocaine base is shipped to neighboring Colombia for processing into cocaine for the international drug market; increasing amounts of finished cocaine, however, are being shipped to Europe or to Brazil and Bolivia for use in the Southern Cone or transshipped to world markets | 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 | $7.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery, transport equipment, foodstuffs, petroleum, iron and steel, chemicals, pharmaceuticals | machinery, transport equipment, construction materials, crude oil; food products |
Imports - partners | US 32%, EU 21%, Andean Community 6%, Mercosur 8%, Japan 5% (1999) | China 27%, Singapore 19.5%, Thailand 12%, Malaysia 9.1%, Taiwan 6.3%, South Korea 5.3%, Japan 4.3% (2002) |
Independence | 28 July 1821 (from Spain) | 4 January 1948 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8.5% (2000 est.) | NA% |
Industries | mining of metals, petroleum, fishing, textiles, clothing, food processing, cement, auto assembly, steel, shipbuilding, metal fabrication | agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer |
Infant mortality rate | 39.39 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 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) | 3.7% (2000 est.) | 53.7% (2002 est.) |
International organization participation | ABEDA, APEC, CAN, CCC, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO | 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) | 10 (2000) | 1
note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses (2000) |
Irrigated land | 12,800 sq km (1993 est.) | 15,920 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Corte Suprema de Justicia (judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary) | 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 | 7.6 million (1996 est.) | 23.7 million (1999 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, mining and quarrying, manufacturing, construction, transport, services | agriculture 70%, industry 7%, services 23% (2001 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
5,536 km border countries: Bolivia 900 km, Brazil 1,560 km, Chile 160 km, Colombia 1,496 km (est.), Ecuador 1,420 km |
total: 5,876 km
border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km |
Land use | arable land:
3% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 21% forests and woodland: 66% other: 10% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 14.53%
permanent crops: 0.9% other: 84.57% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara | Burmese, minority ethnic groups have their own languages |
Legal system | based on civil law system; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Democratic Constituent Congress or Congresso Constituyente Democratico (120 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 April 2000 (next to be held 8 April 2001) note: many congressmen defected to and then from former President FUJIMORI's coalition in 2000 election results: percent of vote by party - Peru 2000 42.16%, Peru Possible 23.34%, FIM 7.56%, Somos Peru 7.2%, APRA 5.5%, others 14.24%; seats by party - Peru 2000 52, Peru Possible 29, FIM 9, others 30 |
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:
70.3 years male: 67.9 years female: 72.81 years (2001 est.) |
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: 88.7% male: 94.5% female: 83% (1995 est.) |
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 | Western South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Chile and Ecuador | Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand |
Map references | South America | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200 NM territorial sea: 200 NM |
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 |
Merchant marine | total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 40,623 GRT/61,769 DWT ships by type: cargo 5, petroleum tanker 1 (2000 est.) |
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 branches | Army (Ejercito Peruano), Navy (Marina de Guerra del Peru; includes Naval Air, Marines, and Coast Guard), Air Force (Fuerza Aerea del Peru), National Police (Policia Nacional) | Army, Navy, Air Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $1 billion (FY00) | $39 million (FY97) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.9% (FY00) | 2.1% (FY97) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
7,205,675 (2001 est.) |
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:
4,847,250 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 6,566,122
females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 20 years of age | 18 years of age (2003 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
276,458 (2001 est.) |
males: 453,420
females: 455,422 (2003 est.) |
National holiday | Independence Day, 28 July (1821) | Independence Day, 4 January (1948) |
Nationality | noun:
Peruvian(s) adjective: Peruvian |
noun: Burmese (singular and plural)
adjective: Burmese |
Natural hazards | earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic activity | destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts |
Natural resources | copper, silver, gold, petroleum, timber, fish, iron ore, coal, phosphate, potash, hydropower | petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower |
Net migration rate | -1.08 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -1.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | crude oil 800 km; natural gas and natural gas liquids 64 km | gas 2,056 km; oil 558 km (2003) |
Political parties and leaders | American Popular Revolutionary Alliance or APRA [Alan GARCIA]; Andean Rebirth [Ciro GALVEZ Herreria]; Avancemos [leader NA]; Democratic Cause [Jorge SANTISTEVAN]; Independent Moralizing Front or FIM [Fernando OLIVERA Vega]; National Solidarity or SN [Luis CASTANEDA Lossio]; National Unity [Lourdes FLORES Nano]; Peru 2000 [leader NA]; Peru Posible or PP [Alejandro TOLEDO Maniquez]; Popular Action or AP [leader NA]; Popular Agrarian Front of Peru or Frepap [leader NA]; Popular Solution [Carlos BOLONA Behr]; Project Country [Mario Antonio ARRUNATEGUI]; Somos Peru or SP [Alberto ANDRADE]; Union for Peru or UPP [leader NA]; Vamos Vecinos or VV [Absalon VASQUEZ] | 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 | leftist guerrilla groups include Shining Path [Abimael GUZMAN Reynoso (imprisoned), Gabriel MACARIO (top leader at-large)]; Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement or MRTA [Victor POLAY (imprisoned), Hugo AVALLENEDA Valdez (top leader at-large)] | 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 | 27,483,864 (July 2001 est.) | 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.) |
Population below poverty line | 49% (1994 est.) | 25% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | 1.7% (2001 est.) | 0.52% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Callao, Chimbote, Ilo, Matarani, Paita, Puerto Maldonado, Salaverry, San Martin, Talara, Iquitos, Pucallpa, Yurimaguas
note: Iquitos, Pucallpa, and Yurimaguas are all on the upper reaches of the Amazon and its tributaries |
Bassein, Bhamo, Chauk, Mandalay, Moulmein, Myitkyina, Rangoon, Akyab (Sittwe), Tavoy |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 472, FM 198, shortwave 189 (1999) | AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 3 (1998) |
Radios | 6.65 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
1,988 km standard gauge: 1,608 km 1.435-m gauge narrow gauge: 380 km 0.914-m gauge |
total: 3,955 km
narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2002) |
Religions | Roman Catholic 90% | Buddhist 89%, Christian 4% (Baptist 3%, Roman Catholic 1%), Muslim 4%, animist 1%, other 2% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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 | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
adequate for most requirements domestic: nationwide microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 12 earth stations international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); Pan American submarine cable |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 1.509 million (1998) | 250,000 (2000) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 504,995 (1998) | 8,492 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 13 (plus 112 repeaters) (1997) | 2 (1998) |
Terrain | western coastal plain (costa), high and rugged Andes in center (sierra), eastern lowland jungle of Amazon Basin (selva) | central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands |
Total fertility rate | 2.96 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.15 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 7.7%; extensive underemployment (1997) | 5.1% (2001 est.) |
Waterways | 8,808 km
note: 8,600 km of navigable tributaries of Amazon system and 208 km of Lago Titicaca |
12,800 km
note: 3,200 km navigable by large commercial vessels |