Myanmar — a small state in Southeast Asia, hot, dusty and poor. Despite its proximity to Thailand, Myanmar differs significantly from it, although here, too, the majority of the population professes Buddhism. Tourists go to Myanmar not for the sea and beaches, but for antiquities that can only be seen here. What is worth the Valley of a Thousand Pagodas alone!.
Interesting facts about Myanmar
- The word “Myanmar” in Burmese means “fast” and “strong”. There is also a connection with the word “Mya”, which translates as “emerald”.
- Until the 1990s, the country was called Burma, but inside the country this name, given to the country by foreigners, was extremely unpopular. The Burmese call their homeland “Bama”.
- In this country, all important decisions are made on the basis of astrological forecasts. For example, the transfer of the capital from Yangon to Pyingmana was supposed to begin on November 6, 2005 at 6:37 am, and not a minute earlier.
- Myanmar is a multinational country with more than 100 ethnic groups.
- n Myanmar, where the education system is modeled on Britain, children start going to school at the age of 5.
- In the universities of Myanmar, future military and economists study for 4 years, dentists, farmers, engineers, veterinarians and IT specialists for six years, and doctors for 7 years. During the military dictatorship that ended only in 2011, all universities in the country were closed for 12 years.
- Myanmar ranks second in the world after Afghanistan in illicit opium production (interesting facts about Afghanistan).
- In Myanmar, one hundred dollar bills can be exchanged for local currency at a better rate than other US banknotes. The appearance of the bills also affects the prices.
- Internet penetration in Myanmar is no more than 1%, so most locals get online only through Internet cafes. These establishments are under the strict control of the authorities, and the country’s leadership has the right to view the population’s e-mail and record information about bloggers. During riots, access to the Web is completely blocked.
- A blogger from Myanmar was sentenced to 59 years in prison for publishing a video of the destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis, but he was released a few years later.
- About 7,000 plants grow in this country, more than 1,000 of which they are not found anywhere else on the planet.
- The main attraction of the former capital of Myanmar, Yangon, is a pagoda built around the 5th century BC. It took 8,000 sheets of gold, 5,000 diamonds and 2,000 other gems to decorate this 110-meter-high structure. Inside the temple is a priceless artifact — 4 Buddha hairs.
- Myanmar is often called the “Land of Pagodas”, as about 2.5 thousand such structures were erected on its territory. The ruins of varying degrees of preservation also remained from the three empires that existed on the lands of the state at different times.
- In the city of Pagan, founded in the 9th century and destroyed during hostilities at the end of the 13th century, about 5,000 temples have survived. It is known that during the heyday of this ancient capital there were 13 thousand religious buildings.
- Another ancient capital, Mandalay, has a four-meter Buddha statue, a five-ton gong and a pagoda with 729 marble pavilions, where in pages of sacred Buddhist texts are immortalized on the stone. The latter site is often referred to as the “marble book.”
- Mingun, Myanmar, is famous for its 90-tonne bell, perhaps the largest in operation on the planet.
- In Pyin-U -Luin is a 500-meter cave that has been converted into a temple. The city is also famous for its waterfalls and Botanical Garden.