recipient AUNG San Suu Kyi, under house
arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention in
September 2000; her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.

Burma Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay
of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

Geographic coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 678,500 sq km

land: 657,740 sq km

water: 20,760 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Texas

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

Coastline: 1,930 km

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

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)

Terrain: central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m

highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Natural resources: petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper,
tungsten, lead, coal, some marble, limestone, precious stones,
natural gas, hydropower

Land use: arable land: 15%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 1%

forests and woodland: 49%

other: 34% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10,680 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and
landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic
droughts

Environment - current issues: deforestation; industrial pollution of
air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment
contribute to disease

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

Geography - note: strategic location near major Indian Ocean
shipping lanes

Burma People

Population: 41,994,678

note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the
effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower
life expectancy, higher infant morta