Country facts
![Myanmar [Burma] Appeal](/var/storage/images/media/youth_images/whats_happening/myanmar_burma_appeal/home_reduced_w_credit/26940-3-eng-GB/home_reduced_w_credit_large.jpg "Myanmar [Burma] Appeal")
Photo: REUTERS/Stringer, courtesy of www.alertnet.org
– almost 10 times that of Scotland.*
Religion: Buddhism is the most popular religion followed by Christianity and Islam.
Government: the country is ruled by military generals [or junta]. The Head of State is Senior General Than Shwe.
Life expectancy: 61 years
Technology: Over 45 million people in the country live without electricity and only 9 out of every thousand people have access to a telephone. **
Politics:
- There has been conflict and violence in Myanmar for many years between the government and ethnic minority groups. Many thousands have been killed, imprisoned, or fled. Large numbers of people peacefully calling for freedom and democracy have been imprisoned by the government in Myanmar (Burma).
- Around 250,000 refugees have fled Myanmar (Burma) because of conflict and are living in Thailand and India..***
- It is estimated that over 100,000 people are hiding in the jungle of Myanmar to avoid the frequent attacks by the army.
* source: UNICEF
** source: UNDP, Human Development Report 2007/2008
*** source: Burmese Women’s Union, Caught Between Two Hells, 2007