Here are some of the major festivities or holidays in Myanmar along with a brief explanation of their cultural traditions and how they are celebrated:
1. Thingyan (Water Festival) - This is the biggest celebration in Myanmar and it marks the start of the New Year in mid-April. People splash water on each other as a symbol of cleansing and purification, and many also visit pagodas to make offerings and seek blessings.
2. Thadingyut Festival (Festival of Lights) - Held in October, this festival celebrates the end of Buddhist lent and the return of Buddha from heaven. People light candles, lanterns, and electric bulbs to decorate their homes and streets, and there are also processions and traditional dance performances.
3. Tazaungdaing Festival (Festival of Lights and Robes) - Celebrated in November, this festival is dedicated to offering robes to monks. There are also hot air balloon competitions and fireworks displays.
4. Full Moon Day of Kason - This holiday falls on the full moon day of the month of Kason (usually in May) and commemorates the day that Buddha was born, achieved enlightenment, and passed away. Many people visit pagodas to make offerings and perform good deeds.
5. Independence Day - Celebrated on January 4th, this holiday marks Myanmar's independence from British colonial rule in 1948. There are parades, speeches, and flag-raising ceremonies.
6. Martyrs' Day - Observed on July 19th, this holiday commemorates the assassination of General Aung San and other leaders who fought for Myanmar's independence. There are tributes and wreath-laying ceremonies at the Martyrs' Mausoleum.
7. Eid al-Fitr - This Muslim holiday marks the end of Ramadan and is celebrated with feasting, gift-giving, and prayer. In Myanmar, there is a significant Muslim minority and Eid al-Fitr is a public holiday.
These holidays are celebrated throughout Myanmar with various customs and traditions depending on the region and ethnic group.
The tourist season in Myanmar can be divided into three main seasons:
1. Peak Season (November to February): The weather during this period is generally cool and dry, making it the most popular time for tourists to visit Myanmar. However, due to high demand, prices for accommodation and transportation may be higher than usual. It's recommended to book in advance.
2. Shoulder Season (March to May): This season is characterized by rising temperatures and occasional rain showers. Although it may not be as crowded as the peak season, visitors should be prepared for the heat and humidity. It's recommended to bring lightweight clothing and sunscreen.
3. Low Season (June to October): This season is marked by heavy rainfall and occasional flooding. While some areas may be inaccessible, others may offer beautiful scenery due to the lush vegetation. Visitors should be aware of the possibility of travel disruptions and plan accordingly. Prices for accommodation and transportation may be lower during this time, making it a good option for budget-conscious travelers.
As of my knowledge cutoff date (September 2021), the following were the special visa rules for citizens of some countries that wanted to visit Myanmar:
1. E-visa: Citizens of over 100 countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and most European nations, can apply for an e-visa online before their trip to Myanmar. The cost of an e-visa is USD 50, and it takes around three working days to process.
2. Visa on arrival: Citizens of Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macau can obtain a visa on arrival at Yangon, Mandalay, and Nay Pyi Taw international airports. The cost of a visa on arrival is USD 50, and travelers must have a return ticket and a passport valid for at least six months.
3. Embassy/consulate visa: Citizens of countries not eligible for e-visas or visas on arrival must apply for a visa through a Myanmar embassy or consulate in their home country. The cost of a visa varies depending on the country, but it usually ranges from USD 20 to USD 50, and the processing time can take up to two weeks.
It is important to note that visa rules and fees are subject to change, and travelers should check with the nearest Myanmar embassy or consulate for updated information before applying for a visa. Additionally, due to the current political situation in Myanmar, travel restrictions and visa requirements may have changed since my knowledge cutoff date, so it is important to check for any updates before planning a trip.
Some of the best souvenirs to buy from Myanmar are:
1. Lacquerware: Hand-crafted bowls, vases, and boxes made with a traditional lacquer technique. Prices range from $20 to $200 depending on size and complexity. You can find them at Bogyoke Aung San Market in Yangon or in the workshops around Bagan.
2. Longyi: A traditional Burmese garment worn by both men and women. Prices range from $5 to $20 depending on the quality and design. You can find them in most markets throughout the country.
3. Shan bags: Colorful shoulder bags made with woven fabric and embroidered designs. Prices range from $5 to $15 depending on size and intricacy. You can find them at local markets in Shan State.
4. Sand paintings: Intricate artwork made with colored sand and glue. Prices range from $10 to $50 depending on size and complexity. You can find them in souvenir shops in Bagan and Mandalay.
5. Thanaka: A natural skincare product made from ground bark that is applied to the face as a sunscreen and beauty treatment. Prices range from $1 to $5 depending on the quantity and packaging. You can find them in local markets throughout the country.
Note: The prices mentioned are approximate and may vary depending on the location and quality of the products.
Myanmar is an amazing country with a rich cultural heritage and breathtaking natural landscapes. There are so many places you can explore during your one week visit that will leave you with unforgettable memories. Here is my suggested itinerary for you:
Day 1: Start your trip in the vibrant city of Yangon. Visit the iconic Shwedagon Pagoda, one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in the world, and witness its golden glow at sunset. Stroll around the colonial-era buildings and take a walk through the bustling streets to experience the local culture.
Day 2: Head to Bagan, the ancient city filled with over 2,000 pagodas and temples. Take a hot air balloon ride during sunrise for a bird's eye view of the stunning landscape. Explore some of the famous temples like Ananda, Dhammayangyi, and Shwezigon, and learn about the history and architecture from a local guide.
Day 3: Take a scenic drive to Mandalay, the former royal capital of Myanmar, and visit the famous Mahamuni Buddha Temple. Take a boat ride along the Irrawaddy River to Mingun and see the unfinished Mingun Pahtodawgyi and the world's largest uncracked bell at Mingun Bell.
Day 4: Visit the U Bein Bridge in Amarapura, the longest teak bridge in the world, and enjoy a stunning sunset view. Check out the Maha Ganayon Kyaung Monastery, where you can witness monks gathering for their daily meal.
Day 5: Fly to Inle Lake, one of the most beautiful destinations in Myanmar. Take a boat trip to explore the floating gardens, stilt villages, and traditional handicrafts workshops. Experience the unique leg-rowing technique of the Intha people and witness the famous Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival (if it happens to be taking place during your visit).
Day 6: Hike to the Pindaya Caves, a series of caves filled with over 8,000 Buddha images. You can also explore some of the nearby Shan villages and interact with the locals to learn about their daily lives.
Day 7: Return to Yangon and end your trip with a visit to the National Museum and the Botataung Pagoda. Enjoy some delicious street food and do some last-minute shopping at Bogyoke Aung San Market before saying goodbye to Myanmar.
I hope this itinerary gives you a taste of the amazing experiences that Myanmar has to offer. Enjoy your trip!
Since you are located in Myanmar, I suggest starting your two-week itinerary in Bagan. Bagan is home to thousands of ancient temples and pagodas that date back to the 9th century. You can rent an e-bike or a bicycle to explore the vast complex of temples at your own pace, take a hot air balloon ride to get a panoramic view of the temples during sunrise, or even ride a horse-drawn carriage around the temples.
Next, you should visit Inle Lake, which is famous for its floating villages and unique fishing techniques. You can take a boat tour around the lake to see the stilt houses, floating gardens, and local artisans' workshops. You can also visit the Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda, where five Buddha images are housed, and witness the traditional leg-rowing fishermen in action.
After that, head to Mandalay, which is known as the cultural heart of Myanmar. You can visit the Mandalay Palace, the last royal palace of the Burmese monarchy, and explore the city's many monasteries and temples. Don't miss out on the U Bein Bridge, the world's longest teak bridge that spans across Taungthaman Lake, and catch the beautiful sunset over the bridge.
Finally, end your trip with a visit to Ngapali Beach. Ngapali is a quiet and peaceful beach town that offers stunning sunsets, crystal-clear waters, and fresh seafood. You can relax on the white sand beaches, go snorkeling or scuba diving, or take a boat tour to discover the nearby islands.
Overall, this two-week itinerary will allow you to experience some of Myanmar's most iconic destinations, from ancient temples to serene beaches. Each location offers unique experiences that showcase the country's rich history, culture, and natural beauty.
A diverse range of indigenous cultures exist in Myanmar, with majority culture primarily Buddhist and Bamar. Bamar culture has been influenced by the cultures of neighbouring countries, manifested in its language, cuisine, music, dance and theatre. The arts, particularly literature, have historically been influenced by the local form of Theravada Buddhism. Considered the national epic of Myanmar, the Yama Zatdaw, an adaptation of India's Ramayana, has been influenced greatly by Thai, Mon, and Indian versions of the play. Buddhism is practised along with nat worship, which involves elaborate rituals to propitiate one from a pantheon of 37 nats.
In a traditional village, the monastery is the centre of cultural life. Monks are venerated and supported by the lay people. A novitiation ceremony called shinbyu is the most important coming of age events for a boy, during which he enters the monastery for a short time. All male children in Buddhist families are encouraged to be a novice (beginner for Buddhism) before the age of twenty and to be a monk after the age of twenty. Girls have ear-piercing ceremonies (MY နားသ) at the same time. Burmese culture is most evident in villages where local festivals are held throughout the year, the most important being the pagoda festival. Many villages have a guardian nat, and superstition and taboos are commonplace.
British colonial rule introduced Western elements of culture to Myanmar. Myanmar's education system is modelled after that of the United Kingdom. Colonial architectural influences are most evident in major cities such as Yangon. Many ethnic minorities, particularly the Karen in the southeast and the Kachin and Chin who populate the north and northeast, practice Christianity. According to The World Factbook, the Burman population is 68% and the ethnic groups constitute 32%. In contrast, the exiled leaders and organisations claim the country is 40% ethnic.
Burmese cuisine is characterised by extensive use of fish products such as fish sauce, ngapi (fermented seafood) and dried prawn. Mohinga is the traditional breakfast dish and is Myanmar's national dish. Seafood is a common ingredient in coastal cities, while meat and poultry are more commonly used in landlocked cities like Mandalay. Freshwater fish and shrimp have been incorporated into inland cooking as a primary source of protein and are used in a variety of ways, fresh, salted whole or filleted, salted and dried, made into a salty paste, or fermented sour and pressed. Burmese cuisine also includes a variety of salads (a thoke), centred on one major ingredient, ranging from starches like rice, wheat and rice noodles, glass noodles and vermicelli, to potato, ginger, tomato, kaffir lime, long bean, and lahpet (pickled tea leaves).
The Lethwei, Bando, Banshay, and Pongyi thaing martial arts and chinlone are traditional sports in Myanmar. Football is played all over the country, even in villages, and its national team is ruled by the Myanmar Football Federation. The 2013 Southeast Asian Games took place in Naypyidaw, Yangon, Mandalay and Ngwesaung Beach in December representing the third occasion that the event has been staged in Myanmar. Myanmar previously hosted the games in 1961 and 1969.
Burmese traditional art concepts are popular and respected by the Burmese people and people from abroad. Burmese contemporary art has developed quite rapidly on its own terms. Artists born after the 1980s have had greater chances of art practice outside the country.
One of the first to study western art was Ba Nyan. Together with Ngwe Gaing and a handful of other artists, they were the pioneers of western painting style. Later on most young children learned the concepts from them. Some well known contemporary artists are Lun Gywe, Aung Kyaw Htet, MPP Yei Myint, Myint Swe, Min Wai Aung, Aung Myint, Kin Maung Yin, Po Po and Zaw Zaw Aung.
Because of Myanmar's political climate, there are not many media companies in relation to the country's population. Some are privately owned. All programming must meet with the approval of the censorship board. The Burmese government announced on 20 August 2012 that it would stop censoring media before publication. Following the announcement, newspapers and other outlets no longer required approved by state censors; however, journalists in the country can still face consequences for what they write and say. In April 2013, international media reports were published to relay the enactment of the media liberalisation reforms that we announced in August 2012. For the first time in numerous decades, the publication of privately owned newspapers commenced in the country.
Internet use is estimated to be relatively low compared to other countries. Myanmar's internet used to be subject to censorship, and authorities viewed e-mails and posts on Internet blogs until 2012 when the government removed media censorship. During the strict censorship days, activity at internet cafes was regulated, and one blogger named Zarganar was sentenced to prison for publishing a video of destruction caused by Cyclone Nargis in 2008; Zarganar was released in October 2011.
In regards to communications infrastructure, Myanmar is the last ranked Asian country in the World Economic Forum's Networked Readiness Index (NRI) – an indicator for determining the development level of a country's information and communication technologies. With 139 countries reported on, Myanmar ranked number 133 overall in the 2016 NRI ranking.
Myanmar's first film was a documentary of the funeral of Tun Shein—a leading politician of the 1910s, who campaigned for Burmese independence in London. The first Burmese silent film Myitta Ne Thuya (Love and Liquor) in 1920 which proved a major success, despite its poor quality due to a fixed camera position and inadequate film accessories. During the 1920s and 1930s, many Burmese-owned film companies made and produced several films. The first Burmese sound film was produced in 1932 in Bombay, India with the title Ngwe Pay Lo Ma Ya (Money Can't Buy It). After World War II, Burmese cinema continued to address political themes. Many of the films produced in the early Cold War era had a strong propaganda element to them.
In the era that followed the political events of 1988, the film industry has been increasingly controlled by the government. Film stars who had been involved in the political activities were banned from appearing in films. The government issues strict rules on censorship and largely determines who produces films, as well as who gets academy awards.
Over the years, the movie industry has also shifted to producing many lower-budget direct-to-video films. Most of the movies produced nowadays are comedies. In 2008, only 12 films worthy of being considered for an Academy Award were made, although at least 800 VCDs were produced. Myanmar is the primary subject of a 2007 graphic novel titled Chroniques Birmanes by Québécois author and animator, Guy Delisle. The graphic novel was translated into English under the title Burma Chronicles in 2008. In 2009, a documentary about Burmese videojournalists called Burma VJ was released. This film was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 2010 Academy Awards. The Lady had its world premiere on 12 September 2011 at the 36th Toronto International Film Festival.
Many religions are practised in Myanmar. Religious edifices and orders have been in existence for many years. The Christian and Muslim populations do, however, face religious persecution and it is hard, if not impossible, for non-Buddhists to join the army or get government jobs, the main route to success in the country. Such persecution and targeting of civilians is particularly notable in eastern Myanmar, where over 3,000 villages have been destroyed in the past ten years. More than 200,000 Muslims have fled to Bangladesh by 2007 to escape persecution.
A large majority of the population practices Buddhism; estimates range from 80% to 89%. According to 2014 Myanmar Census, 87.9% of the population identifies as Buddhists. Theravāda Buddhism is the most widespread. There are some 500,000 Buddhist monks and 75,000 nuns in this country of 54 million. Other religions are practised largely without obstruction, with the notable exception of some religious minorities such as the Rohingya people, who have continued to have their citizenship status denied and treated as illegal immigrants instead, and Christians in Chin State.
According to 2014 census, 6.2% of the population identifies as Christian; 4.3% as Muslim; 0.8% as followers of tribal religions; 0.5% as Hindus; 0.2% as followers of other religions; and 0.1% follow no religion. According to the 2010 estimates of the Pew Research Center, 7% of the population is Christian; 4% is Muslim; 1% follows traditional animistic beliefs; and 2% follow other religions, including Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism, and East Asian religions. Jehovah's Witnesses have been present since 1914 and have about 80 congregations around the country and a branch office in Yangon publishing in 16 languages. A tiny Jewish community in Yangon had a synagogue but no resident rabbi.
Although Hinduism is practised by 0.5% of the population, it was a major religion in Myanmar's past. Several strains of Hinduism existed alongside both Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism in the Mon and Pyu period in the first millennium, and down to the Pagan period (9th to 13th centuries) when "Saivite and Vaishana elements enjoyed greater elite influence than they would later do." Burmese folk religion is practised by many Bamars alongside Buddhism.
The provisional results of the 2014 Myanmar Census showed that the total population was 51,419,420. This figure includes an estimated 1,206,353 persons in parts of northern Rakhine State, Kachin State and Kayin State who were not counted. People who were out of the country at the time of the census are not included in these figures. There are over 600,000 registered migrant workers from Myanmar in Thailand, and millions more work illegally. Burmese citizens account for 80% of all migrant workers in Thailand. The national population density is 76 /km2, among the lowest in Southeast Asia.
Myanmar's fertility rate in 2011 was 2.23, slightly above the replacement level and low compared to Southeast Asian countries of similar economic standing, such as Cambodia (3.18) and Laos (4.41). There has been a significant decline in fertility in the 2000s, from a rate of 4.7 children per woman in 1983, down to 2.4 in 2001, despite the absence of any national population policy. The fertility rate is much lower in urban areas.
The relatively rapid decline in fertility is attributed to several factors, including extreme delays in marriage (almost unparalleled among developing countries in the region), the prevalence of illegal abortions, and the high proportion of single, unmarried women of reproductive age, with 25.9% of women aged 30–34 and 33.1% of men and women aged 25–34 being single.
These patterns stem from economic dynamics, including high income inequality, which results in residents of reproductive age opting for delay of marriage and family-building in favour of attempting to find employment and establish some form of wealth; the average age of marriage in Myanmar is 27.5 for men, 26.4 for women.
Myanmar is ethnically diverse. The government recognises 135 distinct ethnic groups. There are at least 108 different ethnolinguistic groups in Myanmar, consisting mainly of distinct Tibeto-Burman peoples, but with sizeable populations of Tai–Kadai, Hmong–Mien, and Austroasiatic (Mon–Khmer) peoples.
The Bamar form an estimated 68% of the population. 10% of the population are Shan. The Kayin make up 7% of the population. The Rakhine people constitute 4% of the population. Overseas Chinese form approximately 3% of the population. Myanmar's ethnic minority groups prefer the term "ethnic nationality" over "ethnic minority" as the term "minority" furthers their sense of insecurity in the face of what is often described as "Burmanisation"—the proliferation and domination of the dominant Bamar culture over minority cultures.
Mon, who form 2% of the population, are ethno-linguistically related to the Khmer. Overseas Indians are 2%. The remainder are Kachin, Chin, Rohingya, Anglo-Indians, Gurkha, Nepali and other ethnic minorities. Included in this group are the Anglo-Burmese. Once forming a large and influential community, the Anglo-Burmese left the country in steady streams from 1958 onwards, principally to Australia and the United Kingdom. It is estimated that 52,000 Anglo-Burmese remain in Myanmar. , 110,000 Burmese refugees were living in refugee camps in Thailand.
Refugee camps exist along Indian, Bangladeshi and Thai borders while several thousand are in Malaysia. Conservative estimates state that there are over 295,800 minority refugees from Myanmar, with the majority being Rohingya, Karen, and Karenni are principally located along the Thai-Myanmar border. There are nine permanent refugee camps along the Thai-Myanmar border, most of which were established in the mid-1980s. The refugee camps are under the care of the Thai-Burma Border Consortium (TBBC). Since 2006, over 55,000 Burmese refugees have been resettled in the United States.
The persecution of Burmese Indians, Burmese Chinese and other ethnic groups after the military coup headed by General Ne Win in 1962 led to the expulsion or emigration of 300,000 people. They migrated to escape racial discrimination and the wholesale nationalisation of private enterprise that took place in 1964. The Anglo-Burmese at this time either fled the country or changed their names and blended in with the broader Burmese society.
Many Rohingya Muslims have fled Myanmar. Many refugees headed to neighbouring Bangladesh, including 200,000 in 1978 as a result of the King Dragon operation in Arakan. 250,000 more left in 1991.
Myanmar is home to four major language families: Sino-Tibetan, Tai–Kadai, Austro-Asiatic, and Indo-European. Sino-Tibetan languages are most widely spoken. They include Burmese, Karen, Kachin, Chin, and Chinese (mainly Hokkien). The primary Tai–Kadai language is Shan. Mon, Palaung, and Wa are the major Austroasiatic languages spoken in Myanmar. The two major Indo-European languages are Pali, the liturgical language of Theravada Buddhism, and English. More than a hundred languages are spoken in total. Since many of them are known only within small tribes around the country, they may have been lost (many if not all) after a few generations.
Burmese, the mother tongue of the Bamar and official language of Myanmar, is related to Tibetan and Chinese. It is written in a script consisting of circular and semi-circular letters, which were adapted from the Mon script, which in turn was developed from a southern Indian script in the 5th century. The earliest known inscriptions in the Burmese script date from the 11th century. It is also used to write Pali, the sacred language of Theravada Buddhism, as well as several ethnic minority languages, including Shan, several Karen dialects, and Kayah (Karenni), with the addition of specialised characters and diacritics for each language.
The Burmese language incorporates widespread usage of honorifics and is age-oriented. Burmese society has traditionally stressed the importance of education. In villages, secular schooling often takes place in monasteries. Secondary and tertiary education take place at government schools.
Many religions are practised in Myanmar. Religious edifices and orders have been in existence for many years. The Christian and Muslim populations do, however, face religious persecution and it is hard, if not impossible, for non-Buddhists to join the army or get government jobs, the main route to success in the country. Such persecution and targeting of civilians is particularly notable in eastern Myanmar, where over 3,000 villages have been destroyed in the past ten years. More than 200,000 Muslims have fled to Bangladesh by 2007 to escape persecution.
A large majority of the population practices Buddhism; estimates range from 80% to 89%. According to 2014 Myanmar Census, 87.9% of the population identifies as Buddhists. Theravāda Buddhism is the most widespread. There are some 500,000 Buddhist monks and 75,000 nuns in this country of 54 million. Other religions are practised largely without obstruction, with the notable exception of some religious minorities such as the Rohingya people, who have continued to have their citizenship status denied and treated as illegal immigrants instead, and Christians in Chin State.
According to 2014 census, 6.2% of the population identifies as Christian; 4.3% as Muslim; 0.8% as followers of tribal religions; 0.5% as Hindus; 0.2% as followers of other religions; and 0.1% follow no religion. According to the 2010 estimates of the Pew Research Center, 7% of the population is Christian; 4% is Muslim; 1% follows traditional animistic beliefs; and 2% follow other religions, including Mahayana Buddhism, Hinduism, and East Asian religions. Jehovah's Witnesses have been present since 1914 and have about 80 congregations around the country and a branch office in Yangon publishing in 16 languages. A tiny Jewish community in Yangon had a synagogue but no resident rabbi.
Although Hinduism is practised by 0.5% of the population, it was a major religion in Myanmar's past. Several strains of Hinduism existed alongside both Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism in the Mon and Pyu period in the first millennium, and down to the Pagan period (9th to 13th centuries) when "Saivite and Vaishana elements enjoyed greater elite influence than they would later do." Burmese folk religion is practised by many Bamars alongside Buddhism.
The general state of health care in Myanmar is poor. The government spends anywhere from 0.5% to 3% of the country's GDP on health care, consistently ranking among the lowest in the world. Although health care is nominally free, in reality, patients have to pay for medicine and treatment, even in public clinics and hospitals. Public hospitals lack many of the basic facilities and equipment. The 2010 maternal mortality rate per 100,000 births for Myanmar is 240. This is compared with 219.3 in 2008 and 662 in 1990. The under 5 mortality rate, per 1,000 births is 73 and the neonatal mortality as a percentage of under 5's mortality is 47. According to the report named "Preventable Fate", published by Doctors without Borders, 25,000 Burmese AIDS patients died in 2007, deaths that could largely have been prevented by antiretroviral therapy drugs and proper treatment.
HIV/AIDS, recognised as a disease of concern by the Myanmar Ministry of Health, is most prevalent among sex workers and intravenous drug users. In 2005, the estimated adult HIV prevalence rate in Myanmar was 1.3% (200,000–570,000 people), according to UNAIDS, and early indicators of any progress against the HIV epidemic are inconsistent. However, the National AIDS Programme Myanmar found that 32% of sex workers and 43% of intravenous drug users in Myanmar have HIV.
According to the UNESCO Institute of Statistics, Myanmar's official literacy rate as of 2000 was 90%. Historically, Myanmar has had high literacy rates. The educational system of Myanmar is operated by the government agency, the Ministry of Education. The education system is based on the United Kingdom's system after nearly a century of British and Christian presences in Myanmar. Nearly all schools are government-operated, but there has been an increase in privately funded English language schools in the early 21st century. Schooling is compulsory until the end of elementary school, approximately about 9 years old, while the compulsory schooling age is 15 or 16 at international level.
There are 101 universities, 12 institutes, 9 degree colleges and 24 colleges in Myanmar, a total of 146 higher education institutions. There are 10 technical training schools, 23 nursing training schools, 1 sport academy and 20 midwifery schools. There are four international schools acknowledged by WASC and College Board—The International School Yangon, Myanmar International School, Yangon International School, and International School of Myanmar in Yangon. Myanmar was ranked 127th in the Global Innovation Index in 2021.
Myanmar had a murder rate of 15.2 per 100,000 population with a total of 8,044 murders in 2012. Factors influencing Myanmar's high murder rate include communal violence and armed conflict. Myanmar is one of the world's most corrupt nations. The 2012 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranked the country at number 171, out of 176 countries in total. Myanmar is the world's second largest producer of opium after Afghanistan, producing some 25% of the world's opium, and forms part of the Golden Triangle. The opium industry was a monopoly during colonial times and has since been illegally operated by corrupt officials in the Burmese military and rebel fighters, primarily as the basis for heroin manufacture. Myanmar is the largest producer of methamphetamines in the world, with the majority of Ya ba found in Thailand produced in Myanmar, particularly in the Golden Triangle and northeastern Shan State, which borders Thailand, Laos and China. Burmese-produced ya ba is typically trafficked to Thailand via Laos, before being transported through the northeastern Thai region of Isan.