Burma: Introduction

Burma, also known as Myanmar, is a Southeast Asian country bordered by the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Neighboring countries include Bangladesh, China, India, Laos, and Thailand. Burma has a strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes. The government system is a parliamentary republic; the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. Burma has a complex economic system combining both traditional and command economic systems. Many citizens engage in subsistence agriculture; however, the central government has a strong influence. Burma is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).