Formerly a British colony, it became an independent republic (the Union of Burma) on 4 January 1948. On 18 June 1989, it took the name of Myanmar. After the long dictatorship (1962-88) of General Ne Win, a new military junta seized power and called free elections for the new Assembly in 1990. The landslide victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) resulted in a new military coup, which outlawed all political parties, suspended the Assembly and created a State Council to restore law and order (replaced in 1997 by the State Peace and Development Council), dissolved in 2012, when powers were formally passed to the civil authorities. In the 2015 elections, the NLD obtained a wide majority that allowed it to elect the president; Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the party and held under house arrest for many years (1989-95 and 2007-2010), became the Minister of Foreign Affairs and State Counsellor.
In 2008, a referendum was held to approve a new Constitution, leading to the dissolution of the Council of State and the institution of a Parliament, consisting of the House of Nationalities (168 members elected by direct suffrage and 56 chosen by the military) and the House of Representatives (330 elected and 110 chosen by the military), both of which serve for five years. Since 1948, guerrilla warfare has been conducted between numerous ethnic minorities (Kachin, Karen, Kokang, Mon, Palaung, Rakhine, Shan) in western and eastern states; fighting in the states of Kachin and Shan is recurrent. In the western regions on the border with Bangladesh (Rakhine State), there is often violence by Buddhist nationalists against the Rohingya, a Muslim minority; in 2017, after an attack against police forces by ethnic Rohingya militiamen, there was a tough suppression by the military that led to many deaths and over 700 000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

Primary sector.
The main crop is rice. In the drier regions of the north, and in hilly and mountainous areas other cereals are grown (maize, sorghum, wheat and millet), potatoes, sugar-cane and pulses. Opium poppies are cultivated in the mountains of the south-east (near the border with Laos and Thailand), fueling the drug trade. Livestock raising (especially cattle) is very important, and fishing is common along the coasts and in the channels of the Irrawaddy delta. The forests in the Tenasserim and in the states of Kachin and Shan are a source of prized timber (teak, bamboo and pyinkado). Extensive rubber plantations stretch along the coast of the Tenasserim.

Secondary sector.
Myanmar has fairly large reserves of crude oil, which is extracted on the islands off the coast and in the central part of the country (at Chauk, Lanywa, Myanaung, Taunggyi, Yenangyaung and Yenangyat).
A 400-km pipeline links the oil wells to the refineries in Yangon area. There are important natural gas reserves on the west bank of the River Irrawaddy and in the Gulf of Martaban. A gas and an oil pipeline link the Bay of Bengal with Yunnan (China). Other minerals include lead (Namtu-Bawdwin), nickel (around Mogok), copper (around Monywa), zinc, tin, tungsten (in Mawchi in the state of Kayah and in Tenasserim), precious stones (jade, sapphire, ruby), gold and rare earths. There is a great deal of potential for hydroelectric power: indeed, a number of plants are found in Shan State. The food-processing industry includes rice dehusking plants and sugar refineries. There are textile factories at Thamaing, Myingyan and Yangon. Cement factories (especially in the Mandalay region), fertilizer factories, a lead foundry in Namtu and a steel mill in Yangon.

Tertiary sector.
The Central Bank of Myanmar is the country’s main bank. Starting in 2012, the EU and USA suspended most of the sanctions against the country, which later approved laws that favoured foreign investments, reduced restrictions for international banks and opened some markets (insurance, retail and wholesale) to foreign companies.

Principali esportazioni
(ml $ USA - 2008)
gas naturale 3 122, legname 908, ortaggi 723, abbigliamento e accessori 371, pesce e crostacei 293, semi oleaginosi 97, caucciù 90, riso e mais 80, calzature 61, pietre preziose e semipreziose 53