Burma

American  

[bur-muh] / ˈbɜr mə /

noun

1. a country in Southeast Asia, renamed Myanmar in 1989.

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Burma British  

/ ˈbɜːmə /

noun

1. the former official name (until 1989, though still widely used) of Myanmar

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Burma Cultural  

1. Republic in Southeast Asia, now officially known as Myanmar, bordered by Bangladesh, India, and the Bay of Bengal to the west; China to the north and northeast; Laos and Thailand to the east; and the Andaman Sea to the south. Rangoon is its capital and largest city.

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Usage

See Myanmar.

Discover More

Run by its military in the 1970s and 1980s, Burma saw its economy decline. Free elections in 1990 were won by the main opposition party, but the military government refused to relinquish its powers.

During World War II, the Allies and Japanese troops fought intense campaigns over control of the Burma Road, a vital supply link between China and India.

Under British control until 1948, it then became an independent republic.

Example Sentences

The U.K. recently enacted a policy banning student visas for four countries, including Burma, citing increasing asylum claims.

From Slate • Mar. 19, 2026

“I have no doubt in my mind,” he wrote, “that Burma cannot form part of India under Swaraj,” or self-rule.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, won its independence in 1948 as Britain dissolved its empire after World War II.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

“His own biography — born in India, sent to Burma as a young soldier, doing what he did there and being ashamed of it — drew him closer to my own experience,” Peck says.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 7, 2025

The Indian Ocean flashed incredible colors of emerald jade and opal in the shallow water surrounding the Maldive Islands, then on to the Burma coast and lush green jungle, followed by mountains and coastline.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins