Important and Interesting Facts about Myanmar
- One third of Myanmar’s total perimeter of 1,930 kilometres (1,200 miles) forms an uninterrupted coastline along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
- It is the world’s 40th largest country and the second largest in Southeast Asia.
- Myanmar is a country rich in jade and gems, oil, natural gas and other mineral resources.
- As of 2013, according to the Human Development Index (HDI), Myanmar had a low level of human development, ranking 150 out of 187 countries.
- The Irrawaddy River, Myanmar’s longest river, nearly 2,170 kilometres (1,348 mi) long, flows into the Gulf of Martaban.
- Swedagon Golden Temple (Yangon) is a golden symbol of Myanmar, the temple is 2500 years old, its legend was born before the Buddha died. Swedagon tower is 98m high and many smaller towers are around where save many sacred treasures of Buddhism. Although there are a lot of wars and calamity, Swedagon is still one of the largest temples in the world.
- It’s more than 200km far from Yangon, Golden Rock’s at an altitude of 1,100 m, with little pagodas Kyaiktyo create a relic unique. Golden Rock is famous by the protruding and gold surfaces. If you want to go on the Kyaiktiyo temple, you sure have to pass Golden Rock. However, only men can approach Golden Rock, women could only remote viewing .
- Located in Bagan (capital of the ancient Pagan kingdom where focused thousands of big and small temples). Shwezigon Golden temple that is the second largest In Myanmar, was built in the 12th century.
- Ubein Bridge that is in Amarapura ancient village, is the longest teak bridge in the world (1.2 km). Wooden bridge was almost 200 years old. The way that Amarapura Villagers comeback home, was the pilgrims path of the monks who wore long robes … From U Bein Bridge, sunset was brilliant and impressive that any visitor will remember if they have ever seen.
- Inle Lake is about 11km wide, stretches 22 km from north to south. When you have adventure tour or sightseeing tour to the lake, you will experience many emotions: going through the floating house, the boat, the fisherman who wear traditional dress Longiy, sailing as artists ….
- Mingun there are many monuments and landscapes but the most prominent is the Mingun bell and sometimes people object Chinthe are considered treasures. Chinthe (mascot half lion half dragon) is a pair of giant statues standing guard by the river bank. But stupa Mingun gives the opposite feeling overwhelmed, orange brick block striking blue sky lofty.
- Inwa is a beautiful little village beside Ayeyarwady River. This ancient village is famous tourist destination with multiple heritages as Bagaya Kyaung monastery was built by 267 teak pillars or Nanmyin leaning tower that is 27m high …
Cool, Funny, and Fun Facts about Myanmar
- Very small children wear holy thread around their neck or wrist for protection from bad spirits or spells!
- You shouldn’t get a hair cut on Monday, Friday, or on a birthday!
- Boxing is very violent…the victor is the one who draws blood first.
- Pregnant women are banned from doing and eating certain things. Bananas= Baby will be too big,Chili= Baby will have no hair,No weddings or funerals while pregnant.
- After birth you shouldn’t wash your hair for a month.
- Babies names aren’t chosen until 7 days after the birth.
- New Year is on April 16th. It’s a 3 day festival where you clean your house, make traditional foods, and give gifts.
- Weddings are set on a day picked by an astrologer for good luck.
- They regard plumpness as a sign of health.
- In Myanmar, lives a tribe in which all women specifically lengthen the neck at 25-30 cm. On the territory of Myanmar (and Thailand) lives the tribe padaung. Tribe padaung have ancient tradition – women of this tribe wears rings on their necks. The first ring is worn on the girl is 5 years old, then they are added throughout life and can achieve the total weight of 9 kg. There is a myth that the neck muscles atrophy in these women and the removal of rings can cause suffocation. However, they are free to put on and put off the rings. X-ray images showed, that the woman’s neck does not change, but the shoulder girdle is lowered.
- In Myanmar, people do not use the metric system of measures. Only 3 countries in the world have not adopted it – Myanmar, the United States and Liberia.
Historical and Cultural Facts about Myanmar
- The earliest inhabitants of recorded history were the Pyu who entered the Irrawaddy valley from Yunnan c. 2nd century BCE. By the 4th century CE, the Pyu had founded several city states as far south as Prome (Pyay), and adopted Buddhism.
- In the second half of the 16th century, the Toungoo Dynasty (1510–1752) reunified the country, and founded the largest empire in the history of Southeast Asia for a brief period.
- The kingdom fell to the British over a six-decade span (1824–85).The British rule brought several enduring social, economic, cultural and administrative changes that completely transformed the once-agrarian society. Most importantly, the British rule highlighted out-group differences among the country’s myriad ethnic groups.
- Since independence in 1948, the country has been in one of the longest running civil wars that remains unresolved.
- The country was under military rule under various guises from 1962 to 2010, and in the process has become one of the least developed nations in the world.
- Rice is the staple food except among those in highland areas where rice is difficult to grow. In those areas, rice, millet, sorghum, and corn are the staples. Rice is accompanied by a raw salad of leaves, fruit, or vegetables; a soup; and curries of fish, meat, prawns, or eggs. In addition to turmeric and chili, curries are seasoned with fermented fish or shrimp paste.
- It is considered improper to lose one’s temper or show much emotion in public, but the Burmese are a very friendly and outgoing people. The Burmese and other Buddhists follow the Buddhist custom of not touching a person on the head, since spiritually this is considered the highest part of the body.
- Between ages of ten and sixteen, most young Burmese men and some young women become Buddhist novices and go to live in a monastery. While most young men remain at the monastery for only a short time before returning to the secular life, some become fully ordained monks. A person who wants to become a monk is expected to be free of debt and certain diseases, have the permission of his parents or spouse, agree to follow the disciplinary rules of the monkhood, and not become involved in secular life.
- The focus of writing within Burmese society was, and to a large extent still is, focused on writing for theater performances ( pwe ) and producing texts relating to Buddhism. In addition, since the nineteenth century there is a fair amount of popular fiction.
