Geography of Myanmar

Geography of Myanmar
ContinentAsia
RegionSoutheast Asia
Coordinates22°00′N 98°00′E / 22.000°N 98.000°E / 22.000; 98.000
AreaRanked 40th
 • Total261,228 sq mi (676,580 km2)
 • Land96.94%
 • Water3.06%
Coastline1,384 mi (2,227 km)
BordersTotal land borders:
4,053 mi (6,523 km)
Bangladesh:
168 mi (270 km)
People's Republic of China:
1,323 mi (2,129 km)
India:
912 mi (1,468 km)
Laos
148 mi (238 km)
Thailand:
1,501 mi (2,416 km)
Highest pointHkakabo Razi
5881 m (19,294.62 ft)
Lowest pointAndaman Sea
0 m (0 ft)
(sea level)
Longest riverAyeyarwady River
Largest lakeIndawgyi Lake
Natural resourcesJade, Rubies, Sapphires, Petroleum, Natural Gas, Gold, Teak, Tin, Antimony, Zinc, Hydropower potential, Copper, Iron, Coal[1]
Exclusive economic zone205,706 sq mi (532,780 km2)
Myanmar (Burma) map of Köppen climate classification

Myanmar (also known as Burma) is the northwesternmost country of mainland Southeast Asia located on the Indochinese peninsula. With an area of 261,228 sq mi (676,578 km2), it is the second largest country in Southeast Asia and the largest on mainland Southeast Asia.[2] The kite-shaped country stretches from 10'N to 20'N for 1,275 miles (2,050 km) with a long tail running along the western coast of the Malay Peninsula.[3]

Myanmar lies along the Indian and Eurasian Plates, to the southeast of the Tibetan Plateau. To its west is the Bay of Bengal and to its south is the Andaman Sea. The country is nestled between several mountain ranges with the Arakan Mountains on the west and the Shan Plateau dominating the east.[3] The central valley follows the Irrawaddy River, the most economically important river to the country with 39.5 million people, including the largest city Yangon, living within its basin.[4] The country is home to many diverse ethnic groups, with 135 officially recognized groups. It is strategically located near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes and was historically home to overland trade routes into China from the Bay of Bengal. The neighboring countries are China, India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Laos.

  1. ^ Allen, David; Einzenberger, Rainer (11 December 2013). "Myanmar's Natural Resources: Blessing or Curse?". Heinrich Böll Stiftung. Archived from the original on 26 June 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference cia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "Myanmar". britannica.com. Britannica. Archived from the original on 4 May 2021. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  4. ^ "Irrawaddy River Basin". WLE Great Mekong. WLE Greater Mekong. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.