Strong and quick

“It is not power that corrupts but fear.”  ― Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar is a country the size of Texas in Southeast Aisa bordered by Bangladesh, China, Laos, India and Thailand. It has a proud and rich history reflected by its abundant natural resources, diverse ethnic mix and the meaning of the country's name: strong and quick.

The name of the country was changed from Burma to Myanmar in 1989 to be more inclusive of the country's 135 ethnic groups, even though the Burmese are the majority of the 60 million population.

Myanmar’s capital has been Naypyidaw since 2005. The former capital Yangon, previously called Rangoon, is the largest city and the country’s commercial center. Its houses 10% of the population,

Myanmar is rich in precious stones, oil and natural gas. China imports natural gas, agricultural goods and textiles, even labeling some of the textiles as "Made in China." 

The archaeological record shows that homo sapiens first inhabited the region in the late Stone Age around 11,000 B.C. 

Imperial Burma was ruled by three dynasties from the 8th to the 18th Centuries, with Portuguese interference in the 17th century. The British colonized Burma in 1885, and then Japanese took control from 1942-1945 during World War Two. Burma became independent in 1948, and its democracy lasted 10 years. Following two years of civil unrest, the military took over in 1962 and aligned the country with the Soviet Union. The situation worsened in 1988 when a students' rebellion was crushed by the military, resulting in university closings that set the country's education, healthcare system and economy back several decades.

Suu Kyi at her Nobel acceptance speech in Oslo in June 2012,
two decades after it was awarded. AFP photo.

There is now hope for the beautiful people of Myanmar. Following protests by the country’s monks and human rights activist Aung San Suu Kyi, the military have very slowly began to relinquish control. 

Elections were held in 2010, and "The Lady," as the Burmese call the Nobel Peace Prize-winning Suu Kyi, was released from house arrest in 2011. The National League for Democracy won many parliamentary seats, though the military is still in control. Many are looking forward to the election of 2015, hoping that "The Lady" will run for president. Her highly revered father,  Aung San, is considered the father of Burma's independence, and his assassination in the 1960s is still very present in the minds of many citizens.