How Burma adds up

A statistical comparison of Burma and its neighbours.

SHARING BORDERS with Bangladesh, India, Tibet/China, Laos and Thailand, Burma is located at the junction of South and Southeast Asia. In October 2002, Himal carried a special focus on Burma and its role in South Asia. In this profile, with inputs provided by Burma Alert bulletin, Himal presents a statistical comparison of Burma and its neighbours.

As a rule, statistical data about Burma are unreliable. However, this comparison is made with recently released intelligence data, which provide a consistent basis for drawing comparisons between Burma and the other countries. Vietnam is included here because many economists like to compare Burma with Vietnam, says Burma Alert.

In the following tables, countries are represented by two-letter abbreviations: BA (Bangladesh), BR (Burma), LA (Laos), TH (Thailand), MA (Malaysia) and VN (Vietnam). Among the countries compared, Burma is the largest, followed by Thailand, which has more arable land.

The land (Area – thousands of sq km)

BABRLATHMAVN
134678236514330330

In terms of population and population density, Burma is in the mid-range.

The people (millions)

BABRLATHMAVN
133426622381

Population density (people per sq km)

BABRLATHMAVN
995622412169246

But in terms of its economy, Burma lags behind its neighbours, even Laos.

GDP (USD Billions)

BABRLATHMAVN
230639410200168

Per capita GDP (USD)

BABRLATHMAVN
175015001630660090002100

GDP growth (percent)

BABRLATHMAVN
5.62.35.04.10.34.7

Given Burma's size, population base, and low economic performance, some see the country as a potential gold mine to be exploited. But a closer look at Burma's infrastructure shows that there are underlying structural weaknesses, such as insufficience in electricity available for basic consumption, let alone the amount necessary to develop either commerce or industry.

Electricity generation (billion kWh)

BABRLATHMAVN
13.54.81.094.363.125.8

Road coverage (kilometres per sq km)

BABRLATHMAVN
0.140.0050.0140.120.150.07

The same scarcity applies to air transport. Rail transport is similar in most countries except Laos, which has none, and Bangladesh, which has a good rail system.

Paved airports

BABRLATHMAVN
1589593417

The infrastructure problem becomes more acute when modern communications and technology are taken into account.

Telephones (thousands)

BABRLATHMAVN
50025025560046002600

Mobile phones (thousands)

BABRLATHMAVN
2838.54.931005000730

Internet Service Providers

BABRLATHMAVN
10111575

Internet access in Burma is restricted.

Internet users (thousands of people)

BABRLATHMAVN
300.5623004100160

Conditions are worse when the social sector is taken into account. As per the WHO's World Health Report 2000, Burma's Health Service Performance (HSP) for 1997 ranked 190 out of 191 worldwide. This might be due to the State Development and Peace Council (SDPC) not allocating resources for health.

WHO HSP ranking for 1997

BABRLATHMAVN
881901654749160

One effect of this neglect is that HIV/AIDS has become a major problem

HIV/AIDS population (thousands of people)

BABRLATHMAVN
13530175549100

Other health indicators in Burma also do not look good.

Life expectancy (years)

BABRLATHMAVN
615554697170

Burma has in the past won a UNESCO award for literacy, but today it is far behind its neighbours.

Literacy 15 years+ (percent)

BABRLATHMAVN
563057948494

Except Thailand, of all the nations surveyed Burma has been free from colonial rule for the longest, and thus has had the longest time to solve its internal problems. Even the current ruling military junta has had 14.5 years. Colonisation cannot be blamed for Burma's current problems.

Independence (Year)

BABRLATHMAVN
194719481954n/a19631954

Regime change (Year)

BABRLATHMAVN
197119621975191819631975

Part of the problem is the SDPC's obsession with strengthening the military at the expense of all other sectors. Its aim is to have a 500,000-strong military.

Armed forces – UNDP 2000 (thousands of men)

BABRLATHMAVN
1373442930096484

There is no real justification for Burma to have an army larger than its neighbours.

Land borders (kilometres)

BABRLATHMAVN
424658765083486326694639
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