Myanmar (Burma) is one of the poorest but at the same time
one of the most fascinating countries of Southeast Asia
and these two seemingly opposed attributes are more over connected.
The country is poor because for decades its government fiercely
protected it from almost each foreign influence, which
is also the reason for its fascinating character. Travelling to
Myanmar is not only a voyage into a different geographic region,
but also a voyage into another time.
How far back into the past one travels depends of course on the
destinations one chooses inside Myanmar. If you compare the Burmese
capital Yangon (Rangoon) to the Thai capital Bangkok, the
voyage may take you 30 to 40 years back into the past. On the
other hand, a visit to backwash hill tribes can equal a voyage
into the middle ages!
In the native tongue Burma's name has always been Myanmar.
In 1989 the Burmese military government issued a decree that the
country be known by the name of Myanmar among the international
community. Since then in official publications and in diplomatic
exchanges only Myanmar is mentioned referring to the country,
which so far most people had been accustomed to calling Burma.
But unofficially the name Burma is still very much in use.
This page: http://www.cockatoo.com/english/myanmar/myanmar_country.htm
