World Factbook
Myanmar
Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar)
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a five-pointed white star that overlaps onto the yellow and red stripes history: the design revives the triband colors that Burma used from 1943 to 1945, during the Japanese occupation
Capital
name
Rangoon (aka Yangon, continues to be recognized as the primary Burmese capital by the US Government); Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital
etymology
Rangoon/Yangon derives from the Burmese words yan and koun , commonly translated as "end of strife"; Nay Pyi Taw translates as "abode of kings"
time difference
UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
geographic coordinates
16 48 N, 96 10 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
note
note: an applicant for naturalization must be the child or spouse of a citizen
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
both parents must be citizens of Burma
dual citizenship recognized
no
residency requirement for naturalization
none
Constitution
history
previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest drafted 9 April 2008, approved by referendum 29 May 2008
amendment process
proposals require at least 20% approval by the Assembly of the Union membership; passage of amendments to sections of the constitution on basic principles, government structure, branches of government, state emergencies, and amendment procedures requires 75% approval by the Assembly and approval in a referendum by absolute majority of registered voters; passage of amendments to other sections requires only 75% Assembly approval; military granted 25% of parliamentary seats by default
Country name
note
note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma and the deposed parliamentary government have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; the US Government has not officially adopted the name
former
Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, Union of Myanmar
etymology
both "Burma" and "Myanmar" derive from the name of the majority Burman (Bamar) ethnic group, with the term myanma , or "the strong," being the group's name for itself
local long form
Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar)
local short form
Myanma Naingngandaw
conventional long form
Union of Burma
conventional short form
Burma
Independence
4 January 1948 (from the UK)
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law
Government type
military regime
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges)
subordinate courts
High Courts of the Region; High Courts of the State; Court of the Self-Administered Division; Court of the Self-Administered Zone; district and township courts; special courts (for juvenile, municipal, and traffic offenses); courts martial
judge selection and term of office
chief justice and judges nominated by the president, with approval of the Lower House, and appointed by the president; judges normally serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Executive branch
note
note 1: on 31 July 2025, the military ended the state of emergency that had been in place since taking over the government in February 2021, although martial law continues to exist in parts of the country; at the same time, the military dissolved the State Administrative Council (SAC), which had been the official name of the military government in Burma, and replaced it with the National Security and Peace Commission (NSPC), chaired by Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING, who also retains his position as chief of the armed forces note 2: prior to the military takeover, the state counsellor served the equivalent term of the president and was similar to a prime minister
cabinet
Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief
chief of state
Acting President Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING (since 31 July 2025)
election results
2020: the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 396 seats across both houses -- well above the 322 required for a parliamentary majority -- but on 1 February 2021, the military claimed the results of the election were illegitimate and deposed State Counsellor AUNG SAN SUU KYI and President WIN MYINT of the NLD, causing military-affiliated Vice President MYINT SWE (USDP) to become acting president; MYINT SWE subsequently handed power to coup leader MIN AUNG HLAING; WIN MYINT and other key leaders of the ruling NLD party were placed under arrest after the military takeover 2018 : WIN MYINT elected president in an indirect by-election held on 28 March 2018 after the resignation of HTIN KYAW; Assembly of the Union vote for president - WIN MYINT (NLD) 403, MYINT SWE (USDP) 211, HENRY VAN THIO (NLD) 18, 4 votes canceled (636 votes cast)
state counsellor
State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021
head of government
Prime Minister NYO SAW (since 31 July 2025)
most recent election date
8 November 2020
election/appointment process
prior to the military takeover in 2021, president was indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates became vice presidents (president elected for a 5-year term)
expected date of next election
on 31 July 2025, the military government announced that it was preparing for elections to be held in December 2025
National holiday
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
National color(s)
yellow, green, red, white
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
2 (both cultural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Pyu Ancient Cities; Bagan
Political parties
according to the military regime, more than 50 parties registered and were approved for the December 2025 election, but only 9 contested nationwide; the remainder ran in regional or state constituencies the 9 parties included: Democratic Party of National Politics (DNP) Myanmar Farmers Development Party (MFDP) National Democratic Force Party (NDF) National Unity Party (NUP) People’s Party People’s Pioneer Party (PPP) Shan and Ethnic Democratic Party (SEDP) Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Women’s Party (Mon)
note: more than 90 political parties participated in the 2020 elections; political parties continued to function after the 2021 coup, although some political leaders have been arrested by the military regime; in 2023, the regime announced a new law with several rules and restrictions on political parties and their ability to participate in elections; dozens of parties refused to comply with the new rules; the regime's election commission has subsequently banned more than 80 political parties, including the National League for Democracy
Legislative branch
note
note: on 1 February 2021, the Burmese military claimed the results of the 2020 general election were illegitimate and launched a coup led by Sr. General MIN AUNG HLAING; the military subsequently dissolved the Assembly of the Union and replaced it with the military-led State Administration Council
legislature name
Assembly of the Union (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw)
legislative structure
bicameral
most recent election date
28 December 2025
expected date of next election
on 31 July 2025, the military government announced that it was preparing for elections to be held in late December 2025
National anthem(s)
title
"Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World)
history
adopted 1948
lyrics/music
SAYA TIN
National symbol(s)
chinthe (mythical lion)
Administrative divisions
7 regions ( taing-myar , singular - taing ), 7 states ( pyi ne-myar , singular - pyi ne ), 1 union territory regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon) states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan union territory: Nay Pyi Taw
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
[1] (202) 332-4351
chancery
2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 332-3344
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Soe Thet NAUNG (since 24 June 2025)
consulate(s) general
Los Angeles
email address and website
washington-embassy@mofa.gov.mm https://www.mewashingtondc.org/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[95] (1) 751-1069
embassy
110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon
telephone
[95] (1) 753-6509
mailing address
4250 Rangoon Place, Washington DC 20521-4250
chief of mission
Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan STEVENSON (since 10 July 2023)
email address and website
ACSRangoon@state.gov https://mm.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt