Whose woods are these?

Long known for its repressive military government, Burma has experienced a breathtaking degree of change within a relatively short span of time. Only last month, Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest for her opposition to the Burmese government, took her seat in the country's parliament.

However, the transformation is hindered by the lack of a political solution to long-standing conflicts in many of Burma's ethnic areas: some ethnic states are operating under fragile ceasefires, while in Kachin State, fierce fighting between the army and Kachin resistance groups continues. In spite of this, governments around the world have responded enthusiastically to the promise of democratic reform in Burma. The US and the European Union have relaxed their long-standing trade sanctions: the EU has given its companies the green light to invest in Burma, and has suspended its ban on Burmese imports such as timber, gems and precious metals. International financial institutions such as the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank have also begun cautious re-engagement with Burma. All in all, a country that was once an international pariah is bracing itself for an influx of foreign direct investment and development aid over the next few years.