--percent of vote by party NA;
seats--(NA total) number of seats by party NA

Communists: several hundred, est., primarily as an insurgent group
on the northeast frontier

Other political or pressure groups: Kachin Independence Army; Karen
National Union, several Shan factions (all insurgent groups); Burmese
Communist Party (BCP)

Member of: ADB, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
IDA, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IRC, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador U MYO AUNG; Chancery at
2300 S Street NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 332-9044 through 9046;
there is a Burmese Consulate General in New York;
US--Ambassador Burton LEVIN; Embassy at 581 Merchant Street, Rangoon
(mailing address is G. P. O. Box 521, Rangoon or
Box B, APO San Francisco 96346); telephone 82055 or 82181

Flag: 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

- Economy
Overview: Burma is one of the poorest countries in Asia, with a per
capita GDP of about $280. The government reports negligible growth
for FY88. The nation has been unable to achieve any significant
improvement in export earnings because of falling prices for many
of its major commodity exports. For rice, traditionally the most important
export, the drop in world prices has been accompanied by shrinking markets
and a smaller volume of sales. In 1985 teak replaced rice as the largest export
and continues to hold this position. The economy is heavily dependent on the
agricultural sector, which generates about 40% of GDP and provides employment
for more than 65% of the work force.

GDP: $11.0 billion, per capita $280; real growth rate 0.2%
(FY88 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 22.6% (FY89 est.)

Unemployment rate: 10.4% in urban areas (FY87)

Budget: revenues $4.9 billion; expenditures $5.0 billion,
including capital expenditures of $0.7 billion (FY89 est.)

Exports: $311 million (f.o.b., FY88 est.)
commodities--teak, rice, oilseed, metals, rubber, gems;
partners--Southeast Asia, India, China, EC, Africa

Imports: $536 million (c.i.f., FY88 est.)
commodities--machinery, transport equipment, chemicals, food products;
partners--Japan, EC, CEMA, China, Southeast Asia

External debt: $5.6 billion (December 1989 est.)

Industrial production: growt