Myanmar is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination for visitors from all over the world. To understand about this country better, besides the famous landscapes here, you should also learn about Myanmar people, cuisine and culture. Firstly, the article below will help you understand more about people in this country.
Information about the Myanmar country
Before learning about the Myanmar people, let’s take a look at somethings you should know about this country. Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia, the northwestern part of the Sino-Indian Peninsula, with the official name ‘’the Republic of the Union of Myanmar’’. The country has 5,876 km of border lines with China (2,185 km), Thailand (1,800 km), India (1,463 km), Laos (235 km) and Bangladesh (193 km). The coastline is 1,930 km long and covers an area of 676,577 km².
Myanmar is one of the most attractive destination for tourists
The Myanmar’s national day is January 4, 1948, the capital is Nay Pyi Taw (from January 2006), formerly Yangon. Myanmar is divided into 7 states and 7 administrative regions. The largest area is Bamar. The states, in essence, are inhabited by some particular race. The administrative divisions are further subdivided into cities, regions and villages. The major cities are divided into districts. The coastal zone and the center are plain. To the west, north and east are the Bago, Rakhine and Shan highlands.
Things to know about Myanmar people
1. The population of Myanmar
According to the Myanmar government’s July 2012 data, the total population of Myanmar is 59.1 million. The average population density in the country is 1.75% per year. Myanmar is a multi-ethnic country, with 135 different ethnicities. The majority of them are Burmese, accounting for 68% of Myanmar’s population. Followed by ethnic groups: Shan (9%), Keren (8%), Kachin (7%), Rakhine (4%). The remaining ethnic groups account for about 4%. Most ethnic groups in Myanmar emigrated from elsewhere. The majority of Myanmar’s population lives in the Ayeyarwady Valley, between Rakhine Yoma and the Shan Plateau. More than 80% of Myanmar’s population is Buddhist. Religious freedom is respected in Myanmar.
2. The religion of Myanmar people:
All Myanmar citizens are free in their faith. Although following to different religions, they still live in peace, as evidenced by the architecture of different religions are built and respected in the big cities. Buddhism accounts for 89.3% of the population; Christian 5.6%; Islamic 3.8%; Hindu 0.5%; Other religions such as Judaism, polytheism, spirituality, etc about 0.8% of the population.Among the Buddhists in Myanmar, 99% were Burmese, Shan and Karen. Buddhism has a great influence in Myanmar, people’s life are not separate from the Buddhist rituals.
Buddhism accounts for 89.3% of Myanmar people
Because Buddhism is the main religion here, when you travel to Myanmar, you can admire thousands of temples, pagodas and towers that scatter throughout the country. So, like Cambodia, Myanmar is also known as the country of the Temples and Towers.
3. The typical culture of Myanmar people
Language: Burmese is the official language in Myanmar for a long time. At work, English is also used quite commonly.
Costume: The government of Myanmar encourages people to preserve their national identity. Therefore, Myanmar is known for its distinctiveness, character in dress and customs. Myanmar’s traditional costume is Longchy for men (a kind of seamed satin wrapped in the middle) with a shirt or a Taipon (traditional shirt), while the ladies wear Thummy, which is similar to the Lao dress. They all go slippers like Laotian slippers.
The traditional costumes of Myanmar women
Music: The Myanmar’s traditional music is very typical with the traditional orchestras including a set of drums, a set of gongs, bamboo bells; and wind instruments, including hne that has very high sound, flute and cymbals. A large drum sets has up to twenty-one, while the small drum sets have nine. The gong consists of nineteen pieces. Sometimes, instead of gongs, it consists of a gong set that hangs on a rectangular frame and adds a few gongs.
Dancing: Not only impressed with the folk music, the traditional dance of Myanmar is also unique and makes a typical culture of Myanmar. The dance art of the country dates back to pre-Buddhist times, where divine worship is always accompanied by dancing. The dance is very active and requires the performer the very hard movements that like circus. In addition, the Burmese dance is also very respectable, the dancers do not always touch each other. When traveling here, do not forget to experience the traditional music and dance of Myanmar.
The typical and charismatic dance of Myanmar people
Thanaka: Instead of making up with chalk, lipstick, women cover Thanaka on their face, neck, and hands. Thanaka powder has many effects on skin. The natural ingredients found in Thanaka help the skin to be supplied with moisture. Myanmar people have used Thanaka for daily skin care and protection over 2,000 years ago. That makes Thanaka not only a traditional cosmetic but also a part of Burmese culture – an identity that people here are proud to maintain.
Go to temple: In traditional Burmese villages, temples are the center of cultural life of Myanmar people. The monks are revered and everyone always kneel in front of them to show the respect. Myanmar people are very religious and respect religious works. Therefore, visitors should pay attention to certain rules when visiting the temple in this country:
– Take off shoes before entering temple grounds.
– Dress politely when entering temples, monasteries.
– Keep silent, do not disturb the person praying or meditating
– Respect the monk and do not sit back with the Buddha statue
– Note when you want to take pictures, because some temples do not allow shooting to avoid affecting the sacred atmosphere
Hopefully the information about Myanmar people above will help you understand more about this country. Myanmar is a land with friendly and hospitable people,, cultural specialties and scenic temples. So do not hesitate to come here to discover more new things.
