7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing), 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne), 1 union territory
regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon)
states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan
union territory: Nay Pyi Taw
Chinthe (mythical lion); national colors: yellow, green, red, white.
Title | "Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World, Myanmar) |
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Lyric/music | SAYA TIN |
Date of Independence | 4 January 1948 (from the UK) |
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National holiday | Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947) |
Legal system | mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law |
International law organization participation | has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt |
Constitution | |
History | Previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest drafted 9 April 2008, approved by referendum 29 May 2008 |
Amendments | Proposals require at least 20% approval by the Assembly of the Union membership; passage of amendments to sections of the constitution on basic principles, government structure, branches of government, state emergencies, and amendment procedures requires 75% approval by the Assembly and approval in a referendum by absolute majority of registered voters; passage of amendments to other sections requires only 75% Assembly approval; military granted 25% of parliamentary seats by default; amended 2015 |
Citizenship | |
Citizenship by birth | no |
Citizenship by descent only | both parents must be citizens of Burma |
Dual citizenship recognized | no |
Residency requirement for naturalization | none |
Executive Branch | |
Chief of state | Prime Minister, State Administration Council Chair, Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING (since 1 August 2021) |
Head of government | Prime Minister, State Administration Council Chair, Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING (since 1 August 2021) |
Cabinet | Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief; note - on 2 February 2021, the military leadership replaced the Cabinet with the State Administrative Council (SAC), which is the official name of the military government in Burma |
Elections/appointments | prior to the military takeover in 2021, president was indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates become vice presidents (president elected for a 5-year term); general election last held on 8 November 2020; the military junta has pledged to hold new general elections but has repeatedly announced delays |
Election results | 2020: the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 396 seats across both houses, well above the 322 required for a parliamentary majority, which would have ensured that its preferred candidates would be elected president and second vice president in the Presidential Electoral College; however, on 1 February 2021 the military claimed the results of the election were illegitimate and launched a coup d'état that deposed State Counsellor AUNG SAN SUU KYI and President WIN MYINT of the NLD, causing military-affiliated Vice President MYINT SWE (USDP) to become Acting President; MYINT SWE subsequently handed power to coup leader MIN AUNG HLAING; WIN MYINT and other key leaders of the ruling NLD party were placed under arrest following the military takeover 2018: WIN MYINT elected president in an indirect by-election held on 28 March 2018 after the resignation of HTIN KYAW; Assembly of the Union vote for president - WIN MYINT (NLD) 403, MYINT SWE (USDP) 211, HENRY VAN THIO (NLD) 18, 4 votes canceled (636 votes cast) |
State counsellor | State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021; formerly served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for the Office of the President |
Legislative branch | |
Description | Bicameral Assembly of the Union or Pyidaungsu consisted of: House of Nationalities or Amyotha Hluttaw, (224 seats; 168 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by absolute majority vote with a second round if needed and 56 appointed by the military; members served 5-year terms) House of Representatives or Pyithu Hluttaw, (440 seats, currently 433; 330 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 110 appointed by the military; members served 5-year terms) |
Elections | House of Nationalities - last held on 8 November 2020 House of Representatives - last held on 8 November 2020 |
Election results | House of Nationalities - percent of vote by party - NLD 61.6%, USDP 3.1%, ANP 1.8%, MUP 1.3%, KySPD 1.3%, other 5.9%, military appointees 25%; seats by party - NLD 138, USDP 7, ANP 4, MUP 3, KySPD 3, SNLD 2, TNP 2, other 2, vacant 7 (canceled due to insurgency), military appointees 56 House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NLD 58.6%, USDP 5.9%, SNLD 3.0%, other 7.5%, military 25%; seats by party - NLD 258, USDP 26, SNLD 13, ANP 4, PNO 3, TNP 3, MUP 2, KySPD 2, other 4, vacant 15 (canceled due to insurgency), military appointees 110 |
Judicial branch | |
Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges) |
Judge selection and term of office | Chief justice and judges nominated by the president, with approval of the Lower House, and appointed by the president; judges normally serve until mandatory retirement at age 70 |
Subordinate courts | High Courts of the Region; High Courts of the State; Court of the Self-Administered Division; Court of the Self-Administered Zone; district and township courts; special courts (for juvenile, municipal, and traffic offenses); courts martial |
Diplomatic representation in the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires THET WIN (since 22 June 2022) |
Chancery | 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
Telephone | [1] (202) 332-3344 |
FAX | [1] (202) 332-4351 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://www.mewashingtondc.org/ |
Consulate(s) general | Los Angeles |
Diplomatic representation from the US | |
Chief of mission | Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan STEVENSON (since 10 July 2023) |
Embassy | 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon |
Mailing address | 4250 Rangoon Place, Washington DC 20521-4250 |
Telephone | [95] (1) 753-6509 |
FAX | [95] (1) 751-1069 |
Email address and website | [email protected] https://mm.usembassy.gov/ |
National heritage | |
Total World Heritage Sites | 2 (both cultural) |
Selected World Heritage Site locales | Pyu Ancient Cities; Bagan |
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