The Union of Myanmar remains predominantly a rural country. About 29 percent of the population are found in urban areas, although this continues to grow due to migration to the cities.

Over the past ten years, steps have been taken to introduce market-oriented management of the economy : liberalization of a number of sectors (including agriculture), expanded role of the private sector, and opening the country to foreign investors. Since July 1997 Myanmar is a member of the Association of South East Asian States (ASEAN).

In spite of this favorable evolution after long years of isolation, the economic situation has deteriorated in 1997 and 1998 partly due to the financial crisis in Southeast Asia and economic sanctions from western countries. Additional efforts will be necessary to address insufficient diversification of the economy (agriculture accounts for over half of the GDP), overall inadequate governance and a large informal/illegal economy.

From UNDCP

For more information on our Myanmar affairs, please contact:
Frances Zwenig
Counselor covering Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam
fzwenig@usasean.org or

Sarah Chambers
Manager, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos Affairs
schambers@usasean.org

Please contact Sarah Chambers at schambers@usasean.org for upcoming Myanmar event in the works.

more upcoming events

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more headline news

Cyclone Hits Myanmar

More Than 22,000 Dead

On Saturday, May 3, a deadly cyclone slammed into Myanmar. State radio has reported that the cyclone has killed over 22,500 people, and there are still 41,000 unaccounted for. The cyclone, the deadliest natural disaster to hit the ASEAN region since the tsunami of December 2004, is estimated to have left over one million homeless and has prompted aid organizations to mobilize for a major relief operation. Click here for more information on Council's recommended relief organizations.

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Restoration of the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue in Yangon, Myanmar

The US-ASEAN Council for Business and Technology, the US-ASEAN Business Council's 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, has recently obtained a license from the United States Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to raise funds for the maintenance and restoration of the Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue in Yangon, Myanmar (pictured above).

This is an exciting project for the Council not only because it is the first OFAC approved license for the purpose of providing assistance to a humanitarian project that we have received but also because the history of this Synagogue is so mesmerizing.

Yangon was once a thriving Jewish community consisting primarily of Jews from Cochin, Calcutta, Iraq and Iran. The Musmeah Yeshua Synagogue was built in 1893-1896 as a result of the growing Jewish population, which, at its peak was about 2500. During World War II, and in the years following, most of the Jews in Burma migrated to other countries. The Burmese government's nationalization of businesses in 1969 contributed greatly to this migration. Now, in 2007, there are only a small handful of Jewish people in the country and, as a result, the Synagogue, the only one in existence all of Myanmar, is in desperate need of restoration. Without restoration and maintenance, this unique piece of history will be lost. With the obtaining of the OFAC license, the Council plans to achieve a number of things:

• raise funds for the Synagogue's monthly expenses consisting of utilities, salaries for workers, and various miscellaneous expenses
• raise funds in order to complete restoration and necessary maintenance of the Synagogue
• raise funds to assist the Synagogue in the purchase of a new cemetery

Under US law, the exportation of financial services to Myanmar is prohibited. There are limited exceptions and the US-ASEAN Council for Business and Technology has qualified for an exception. Monitoring of funds will be conducted by a trustee of the Synagogue as well as an American attorney living in Yangon. The attorney will independently verify the proper use of the funds.

For more information about donating to the project, please contact Frances Zwenig at 202-416-6721 or Sarah Chambers at 202-416-6705. If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, the check should me made out to "US-ASEAN Council for Business and Technology" with "Synagogue Fund" in the subject line.

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GDP: $ 91.13 billion (2007 est.)
GDP Growth Rate: 5.5% (2007 est.)

Currency Rate

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H.E. U Linn Myaing
Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar to the United States