Burma is known for its ethnic tensions within the country, but did you know that religious tensions are heightening as you are reading this? The largest religious group in Burma are Buddhists and 89% of the people practice it. The second largest religious groups are the Christians and Muslims which each accounting for 4% of …
Tag: Burma
Jul 23
Economic Boom in Myanmar
As you may recall, I’ve written a couple posts about Myanmar (or Burma) in the past, though mostly in the context of tourism. I’d like to switch gears a bit this time and write about another new opportunity for the country: a stock market. Myanmar’s legislative body, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, recently approved …
Apr 05
Myanmar and the Politics of Tourism
Several months ago I wrote a post on the future of tourism in Myanmar (better known as Burma), which many groups were hoping to capitalize on in the coming years. Myanmar has been largely untouched by tourists thanks to a combination of government restrictions and sanctions imposed by countries like the US, and now that …
Feb 07
Is a “Burmese Spring” Happening?
“What about Burma?” Since the beginning of the Arab Spring I have found myself thinking this often. Burma has been torn apart by civil war for over 60 years in what is currently the longest running war in the world. Even today, in a time where Burma seems to be heading more and more towards …
Dec 01
Myanmar: The Final Frontier
The Republic of Myanmar (commonly known as Burma) is not the most tourist-friendly place. That may change soon, however, as the government seeks to capitalize on the benefits of 50 years of heavy tourist restrictions and isolation: beautiful, unspoiled landscapes and culture. For decades the country has faced heavy sanctions because of the oppressive regime …
Jul 06
Microfinancing Myanmar
The president of Myanmar (formerly Burma) announced an interesting way to fight poverty and increase economic development in the countryside: a sustainable microfinance system. Microfinance, for those of you that don’t know, is a system in which low-income clients and others who do not have access to banking services are given loans with the assumption …