Geography (Burma)
=================


     Total area:
         678,500 km2
     Land area:
         657,740 km2
     Comparative area:
         slightly smaller than Texas
     Land boundaries:
         5,876 km; Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km,
         Thailand 1,800 km
     Coastline:
         1,930 km
     Maritime claims:
       Contiguous zone:
         24 nm
       Continental shelf:
         edge of continental margin or 200 nm
       Exclusive economic zone:
         200 nm
       Territorial sea:
         12 nm
     Disputes:
         none
     Climate:
         tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June
         to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower
         humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
     Terrain:
         central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
     Natural resources:
         crude oil, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, some
         marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas
     Land use:
         arable land 15%; permanent crops 1%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and
         woodland 49%; other 34%; includes irrigated 2%
     Environment:
         subject to destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
         common during rainy season (June to September); deforestation
     Note:
         strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes