Myanmar

American  

[myahn-mahr, mee-uhn-mahr] / ˈmyɑn mɑr, ˈmi ən mɑr /

noun

1. a country in Southeast Asia, bordering on the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal; area 262, 000 sq. mi. (678,500 sq. km). Nay Pyi Taw.

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Myanmar British  

/ ˈmaɪænmɑː, ˈmjænmɑː /

noun

1. Official full name: the Union of Myanmar.  Former official name (until 1989, though still widely used): Burma.  a republic in SE Asia, on the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea: unified from small states in 1752; annexed by Britain (1823–85) and made a province of India in 1886; became independent in 1948. It is generally mountainous, with the basins of the Chindwin and Irrawaddy Rivers in the central part and the Irrawaddy delta in the south. Official language: Burmese. Religion: Buddhist majority. Currency: kyat. Capital: Yangon. Pop: 55 167 330 (2013 est). Area: 676 577 sq km (261 228 sq miles)

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Myanmar Cultural  

1. The official name for Burma since 1989.

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Usage

Due to a history of political and civil unrest, the official name of this country has been the subject of controversy. In 1989 the ruling military government changed the country’s name from Burma to Myanmar. The United Nations as well as almost all news organizations—including The New York Times, the Associated Press, and the BBC—adopted the new name. However, many pro-democracy groups and opponents of the government, both in-country and internationally, rejected the new name as illegitimate and continue to refer to the country as Burma. Both the U.S. Department of State and the CIA (for example, in its authoritative World Factbook ), as a matter of policy in support of democratic change, also continue to refer to the country as Burma.

Example Sentences

One growth driver is an expected 23% increase in revenue from the Thailand healthcare company’s Myanmar operations, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Myanmar, which is a significant contributor to the healthcare company’s revenue, will be a key growth driver as the country’s government has started to ease restrictions on import licenses in 3Q 2025, the analyst says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Its programme in Myanmar, for example, was cut by 60 percent.

From Barron's

But increasingly they are observing governments in countries like Iran and Myanmar emerging from internet shutdowns with a supercharged ability to censor internet access.

From Barron's

Zhang joined the army at the age of 18 and moved up the ranks in a regiment headquartered in southwestern Yunnan province, which borders Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam.

From Barron's