GEOGRAPHY OF MYANMAR
Myanmar (formally known as Burma) is second largest country in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia or the largest if you don't include Indonesia in Southeast Asia. Bordered by India, Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal to west, China to the northeast, Laos and Thailand to east, and the Andaman Sea to the south, Myanmar covers 676,578 square kilometers (261,228 square miles), which is roughly the same size of Texas or Britain and France combined. Most of this arable land is in the central lowlands or along rivers. The central lowlands are ringed by steep, rugged highlands. Nearly half the country is covered by dense tropical forests.
Myanmar is the 40th largest country in the world. Strategically located near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes and sandwiched between two of the world's great superpowers, India and China, Myanmar is an oddly shaped country: it looks like a diamond-shaped kite with a tail hanging off the southeast corner. From the peak of the kite in the north to the southern end of its tail, the country extends 2,052 kilometers (1,275 miles). At its broadest extent from east to west, it measures approximately 933 kilometers (580 miles).
Mountains, dense forests and Myanmar's 60 or so ethnic minorities occupy the northern, eastern and western parts of the country. Most of the mountains are less than a 2,000 meters (6,560 feet). Many of these are covered by forests. The highest mountains, including Myanmar's highest peak, Hkakabo Razi, are found in northern Myanmar, which lies in the eastern Himalayas. There are some nice beaches along the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea coasts.
Myanmar has an extraordinary variety of terrain, from glaciers in the north to coral reefs in the south. Sharing the Malay Peninsula with Thailand, it is comprised of mountainous frontiers, a high plateau in the northeast, and a fertile central plain ending in the deltas of the Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady) and Sittang (Sittoung) Rivers. Myanmar is located on the Eurasian Tectonic Plate and is seismically active territory, with frequent earthquakes. Northern and central Myanmar have many extinct volcanoes. In the late 1980s the military government changed the name of the country from Burma to Myanmar and changed the names or spellings of many geographic features. [Source: Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc., 2003]
Administrative divisions: 7 regions ( taing-myar , singular - taing ), 7 states ( pyi ne-myar , singular - pyi ne ), 1 union territory; regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon); states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan; union territory: Nay Pyi Taw. [Source: CIA World Factbook]
Geography Data of Myanmar
Area: total: 676,578 square kilometers (261,228 square miles); 653,508 square kilometers (252,321 square miles); water:23,070 square kilometers (8,907 square miles). Geographic coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E. [Source: CIA World Factbook] Elevation: highest point: Gamlang Razi 5,870 meters (19, 259 feet); lowest point: Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 meters; mean elevation: 702 meters (2,303 feet). [Source: CIA World Factbook]
Land boundaries: total: 6,522 kilometers (4,052 miles); border countries (5): Bangladesh 271 kilometers (168 miles); China 2,129 kilometers (1,323 miles); India 1,468 kilometers (912 miles); Laos 238 kilometers (148 miles); Thailand 2,416 kilometers (1,501 miles). Coastline: 1,930 kilometers (1,200 miles).
Land use: agricultural land: 19.9 percent (2023 estimate); arable land: 16.9 percent (2023 estimate); permanent crops: 2.3 percent (2023 estimate); permanent pasture: 0.7 percent (2023 estimate); forest: 42.4 percent (2023 estimate); other: 37.7 percent (2023 estimate). Arable land is land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest. Permanent crops is land cultivated for crops like fruit trees oranges that are not replanted after each harvest. Irrigated land: 17,140 square kilometers (6,618 square miles) (2020).
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometers); contiguous zone: 24 nautical miles (44.4 kilometers);; exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers); continental shelf: 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) or to the edge of the continental margin.
Population distribution: The population of Myanmar is concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated.
Geography of Southeast Asia
Much of what is considered Southeast Asia sits on a peninsula that juts out from below China. Its forest have traditionally been the source of teak and sandalwood and its mines have traditionally been sources of rubies and sapphires. Today it produces much of the world’s rubber, palm oil, coffee, tea and rice.
Southeast Asia was known in the past as Indochina, especially during the colonial period and afterwards. Six important rivers flow through the region, including the Irrawaddy in Myanmar; the Mekong in Thailand, Laos and Vietnam; and the Red River in Vietnam. Many Southeast Asians live along the water. Floating markets, coastal kampong villages and houses on stilts are all fixtures of the region.
Southeast Asia lies at the convergence pint of three continental plates: the Eurasian Plate. the Indo-Australia Plate and the Philippine Sea Plate. Much of Southeast Asia was created when frgm,enst broke off of the supercontinent Gondwanaland 400 million years ago and were pushed dup against the Asian continent 200 million years ago. When the Indian subcontinent began colliding with Asia about 55 million years ago and pushing up the Himalayas it also pushed mountain ranges in Southeast Asia.
While the Indian subcontinent was pushing against Asia, climate changes caused sea levels to rise and fall creating land bridges the appeared when the water was low and disappeared when it rose. These changes shaped the landscape along eth costs and played a big part in how animals and plant were dispersed and new species were created.
During the last set of Ice Ages main of the islands in Southeast Asia were connected to the mainland by land bridges.
Major Regions of Myanmar
Myanmar is divided into four topographic regions: a mountainous area in the north and west; the Shan Highlands and plateau in the east; central Myanmar, a principal area of cultivation; and the fertile delta and lower valley regions of the Irrawaddy and Sittang rivers in the south. Central Myanmar, a principal area of cultivation, is bounded by the Salween River in the east and the Irrawaddy River and its tributary, the Chindwin, in the west; and the fertile delta and lower valley regions of the Irrawaddy and Sittang rivers in the south, covering an area of about 25,900 square kilometers (10,000 square miles) and forming one of the world's great rice granaries.
The Irrawaddy divides Myanmar in two.The western region is more densely populated and his better transporation links to Yangon. The western region is less densely populated and more rugged. Sometimes the only transportation links are by river. The Dry Zone is a semi-desert area, roughly in the center of the country dominated by thorny trees and shrubs. It is 600 kilometers long and 110 kilometers wide. Pagan and Mandalay are located here. The Burmese refer to the dry zone as Upper Burma, even though it is geographically in the middle of the country. Lower Burma refers to Irrawaddy Delta Area, which embraces Yangon and Myanmar’s main rice-growing region.
The middle portion of Myanmar is centered around the Irrawaddy River, with a large delta area at its mouth and the area above the delta featuring floodplains. Most of the population and agricultural lands are found along the Irrawaddy, which is navigable for about 1,450 kilometers (900 miles). The western, northern, and eastern regions have mountains and high valleys and plateaus. The western region has the Arakan, Chin, and Naga hills. The most important geographic feature to the east is the Shan Plateau.
The majority of the population lives in the central lowlands and the valleys along the north-south-running Irrawaddy, Salween (Thaanlwin), Chindwinn and Sittong rivers. The Burmese live primarily in the central lowlands, while the other ethnic groups live mainly in the highlands. The Burmese have traditionally occupied the central plain formed by the Irrawaddy and Salween Rivers. The vast, wet, alluvial plains in Central Myanmar along the Irrawaddy are perfect for growing rice.
The eastern part of Myanmar lies in the Golden Triangle, along with northern Thailand and Laos. This is where much of the world's illegal opium used be—and to to some degree still is— grown. Much of this region is controlled by warlords not the Myanmar government and smugglers transport opium, heroin, gems and other contraband though the porous Thai, Laotian and Chinese borders.
Topography of Myanmar
Myanmar is characterized by a broad central lowland region surrounded by rugged mountain ranges and highlands. The country's most important lowland areas are the valleys, floodplains, and deltas of the Irrawaddy and Sittang rivers, which form the agricultural heartland of Myanmar. These fertile plains support much of the country's rice cultivation and other farming activities.
Myanmar is a naturally formed geographical unit consisting of a vast central plain surrounded by three mountainous areas to the north and by the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea to the South. There are four major land divisions: the large central plains area is encircled by mountains and plateaus; along the west and northwest by the Arakan Yoma (mountains) and Chin Hills; along the northern border by the Kumon mountains; and along the northeast and eastern borders by the Shan Plateau and attendant mountains. The surrounding highlands include the Shan Plateau in the east and mountain ranges along the country's northern, western, and southeastern borders. In many areas, foothills connect the central plains to the higher mountain regions. In northeast Myanmar, the Shan Plateau—149,743 square kilometers (57,816 square miles) in area—rises to an average elevation of about 914 meters (3,000 feet). Its western edge is clearly marked by a north-south cliff that often rises 610 meters (2,000 feet) in a single step. Southeastern Myanmar contains steep limestone hills marked by cliffs, caves, and karst formations. [Source: Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc., 2003]
The dry zone of upper central Myanmar experiences a long dry season, with as many as seven months receiving little or no rainfall. Rivers and streams often shrink significantly during this period. The landscape is characterized by eroded terrain and drought-resistant vegetation, including scrub plants, acacia trees, and cacti.
Myanmar contains several important lakes. The largest is Indawgyi Lake, covering about 116 square kilometers (45 square miles), which is believed to have formed as a result of an earthquake. Inle Lake, located on the Shan Plateau, covers about 67 square kilometers (26 square miles) and is a remnant of a much larger ancient inland water body. Other lakes include crater lakes in the lower Chindwin River basin and numerous ponds formed from abandoned river channels or human-made reservoirs. Several artificial lakes and dams can be found throughout the river regions. The largest of the dams is the Thaphanseik Dam in Kyunhla Township, which was completed in 2001.
Land Cover of Myanmar
Land cover varies considerably across the country. Large areas of grassland and scrub vegetation are found on the Shan Plateau and in central Myanmar's "dry zone," where many former forests have been cleared. Bamboo grows extensively throughout much of the country and is an important component of many natural ecosystems. [Source: Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc., 2003]
Historically, Myanmar contained some of the largest remaining tropical and temperate forests in mainland Asia. These included tropical rainforests, monsoon deciduous forests, and extensive coastal mangrove forests. However, much of this forest cover has been lost due to logging, agricultural expansion, road construction, and other forms of land clearing.
Deforestation accelerated during the late twentieth century as timber extraction increased, particularly for valuable hardwood species such as teak. Large areas of forest in eastern and western Myanmar were cleared, and logging activities expanded into previously remote northern regions. As a result, much of the country's remaining forest cover is now concentrated in the more inaccessible mountainous areas of the north and northeast.
Major Rivers of Myanmar:
The north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is Myanmar’s largest and most important commercial waterway. Navigable for 1,450 kilometers (900 miles), the Irrawaddy effectively divides Myanmar into two: east and west. The eastern part is more densely populated and contains the railroad and best roads. The western part is more isolate and can only be reached by ferry or riverboat as there are no bridges, except the Ava Bridge near Mandalay. The Irrawaddy’s annual flooding during the rainy seasons creates fertile banks, flood plains and deltas ideal of rice farming,
Other major rivers include the Chindwinn, the Sittong and the Salween (Thaanlwin) Two major rivers—the Irrawaddy and the Salween—originate in Tibet and the Himalayas and flow southward across the central plains. The Irrawaddy is Burma’s longest and most important river and a succession of Burma’s capitals were built within a short distance of its banks. To the east of the Irrawaddy, the much shorter Salween River drains the Shan Plateau and empties into the Gulf of Martaban between the ancient cities of Pegu and Thaton. [Source: Wikipedia]
Major rivers (by length in kilometers): Irrawaddy (shared with China) — 2,809 kilometers (1,745 miles); Salween river (shared with China and Thailand) — 3,060 kilometers (1,901 miles); Chindwin — 1,158 kilometers (720 miles); Mekong (shared with China Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam — 4,350 kilometers (2,702 miles). [Source: CIA World Factbook]
See Separate Article: GREAT RIVERS OF MYANMAR: IRRAWADDY, SALWEEN, MEKONGfactsanddetails.com
Impact of Burma-Myanmar’s Geography on Its History and Culture
Dr. Richard M. Cooler wrote in “The Art and Culture of Burma”:“The Burmese refer to the dry zone as Upper Burma, even though it is geographically in the middle of the country. It was here that the Burmese ethnic group first settled and it was here that most of the Burmese capitals were subsequently built, including Pagan, Sagaign, Ava, Amarapura and Mandalay. Rangoon and the delta are referred to as Lower Burma, an area that gained in political and economic importance during the nineteenth century as a response to Britain’s need for a seaport-capital from which to govern its colony. [Source: “The Art and Culture of Burma,” Dr. Richard M. Cooler, Professor Emeritus Art History of Southeast Asia, Former Director, Center for Burma Studies =]
“The dense jungles, long distances, and extended mountain ranges between Burma and its powerful neighbors, India and China, have provided a natural barrier to foreign military invasion. (The Mongol incursions around the year 1287, credited with ending the Pagan Empire, are now thought to have penetrated only into northern Burma and did not succeed in capturing or occupying the capital city of Pagan. The incursion did serve from afar to topple an already weakened government.) Therefore, the Indianizaton of Burma and, particularly the adoption of art forms connected with Buddhism and Hinduism, was a peaceful and internally motivated process. Burma and Thailand have often been at war, having regularly plundered each other’s capitals, and for relatively short periods they colonized portions of the other’s territory. Otherwise, with the exception of the British Colonial period that ended with the close of World War II, Burma was not long dominated by foreign powers and has had a generally continuous development over time. =
“A mere fifteen percent of the soil in Burma is arable. The disparity in soil fertility between the fertile central plains and the relatively infertile mountainous areas has defined not only an economic but also a marked cultural, religious, and language difference between the lowland peoples and hill tribe groups. The lowlanders typically are rice farmers, speak Burmese (or in the past, Pyu or Mon) and are adherents of Theravada Buddhism. Eighty five percent of today’s lowland population practices Buddhism. The hill tribes typically engage in swidden or slash-and-burn agriculture, speak a non-Burmese language, and practice one of the many forms of Animism. Western missionaries have been successful in converting only members of the hill tribe groups, so that today, for example, there are hilltribe Karen who are Christian as well as animist. “ =
The western, northern, and eastern regions have mountains and high valleys and plateaus. The western region has the Arakan, Chin, and Naga hills. The Burmese live primarily in the central lowlands, while the other ethnic groups live mainly in the highlands. Under British rule, the political capital was moved from Mandalay in the center to Rangoon on the eastern edge of the Irrawaddy delta in 1885. That city was built in 1755 and named Dagon. Rangoon remained the capital after independence (its name was changed later to Yangon) and continues to be politically and economically the most important city. Both Rangoon and Mandalay lie within the area occupied primarily by Burmese peoples, although both cities have a significant Indian population as a legacy of British rule. [Source: Michael C. Howard, Countries and Their Cultures, Gale Group Inc., 2001]
Mountains, Hills and Plateaus of Myanmar
There are many mountain ranges throughout Myanmar. The northern mountains of Myanmar, including the Patkai and Kumon ranges, are among the southernmost extensions of the Himalayas. These high, rugged mountains include Hkakabo Razi, which is located at the northernmost tip of the country. At 5,881 meters (19,295 feet), it is the nation's highest peak. [Source: Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc., 2003]
The mountainous area in the north and west have mountains that range in height from about 1,830 to almost 6,100 meters (6,000–20,000 feet) and included the Arakan coastal strip between the Arakan Yoma mountain range and the Bay of Bengal; the Shan Highlands in the east, a deeply dissected plateau averaging 910 meters (2,990 feet) in height and extending southward into the Tenasserim Yoma, a narrow strip of land that projects some 800 kilometers (500 miles) along the Malay Peninsula, in the southeast.[Source: Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations, Thomson Gale, 2007]
The mountains run south along the western border with India and Bangladesh. This mountainous region comprises many ranges, including the Patkai, the Mangin and the Chin Hills, which extend southwards to the southwesternmost tip of the country. The Arakan (Rakhine) Mountains extend southeastward along the coast. Notable peaks in the west include Saramati (3,860 meters,12,663 feet) and Mount Victoria (3,053 meters,10,016 feet). To the southeast of Mount Victoria, almost 2500 kilometers (160 miles) south of Mandalay, lies Mount Popa, a spectacular extinct volcano that rises 1,518 meters (5,009 feet) from the surrounding plains.
In central Myanmar, the Pegu Yoma (Bago) Mountains run from north to south, breaking up the flatness of the alluvial plains between the Irrawaddy and Sittang rivers. In the southeast, the Dawna and Bilauktaung ranges mark the border with Thailand on the Malay Peninsula. In north-east Myanmar, the Shan Plateau covers an area of 149,743 square kilometres and rises to an average elevation of about 914 metres (3,000 feet) above sea level. Its western edge is clearly marked by a north-south cliff that often rises 610 metres (2,000 feet) in a single step. The Shan Plateau features deep limestone river gorges. The most notable of these are the gorges of the Salween (Thanlwin) and Namtu rivers.
Myanmar’s Highest Peak Not Really Myanmar’s Highest Peak
In November 2013, Robin McDowell of Associated Press wrote: “Myanmar may have a new tallest mountain, though so far it seems quite happy with the old one. A U.S.-Myanmar mountaineering team trekked through jungles crawling with cobras, made a brief, illegal detour through Chinese-controlled Tibet and survived a terrifying 600-foot drop into a crevice on their way to the top of what has long been thought to be the country's second-highest peak, Mount Gamlang. Satellite and digital data, together with recent U.S., Russian and Chinese topographical maps, indicate it may be No. 1 after all, said Andy Tyson, leader of the team that climbed the snow-capped mountain along the eastern edge of the Himalayas in September. [Source: Robin McDowell, Associated Press, November 20, 2013 ]
“When Myanmar's peaks were surveyed in 1925, back when the area was part of the British Indian empire, Gamlang was measured at 5,834 meters (19,140 feet), behind Mount Hkakabo at 5,881 meters (19,295 feet). Tyson's team, equipped with a hand-held GPS device, measured Gamlang at 5,870 meters (19,258 feet). Tyson also said digital elevation data indicate that the British overestimated the height of Hkakabo, which may be less than 5,800 meters (19,029 feet).
“That would make Gamlang the tallest mountain in Southeast Asia, not just Myanmar. But the country appears cool to the idea of rewriting a key national statistic that schoolchildren have learned uninterrupted for nearly a century, through colonial rule, bloody military coups and self-imposed isolation. After Tyson and his team brought back the revised measurement of Gamlang, President Thein Sein wrote a letter congratulating them for scaling the "second-highest" peak. There were no stories in the local press. Geologists at the main university in Yangon were unaware. Students in Kachin state, home to both mountains, continue to be taught that Hkakabo is Myanmar's tallest, said Naw San, an elementary school geography teacher there.
"As it turns out, even the mountains are unknown, or perhaps just poorly mapped," said Tyson, of Victor, Idaho, a specialist in remote summit expeditions in the Himalayas, Antarctica and the Americas. "I definitely stand behind the statement that Hkakabo may not be the highest mountain in Southeast Asia, and our ascent of Gamlang is an important step to discovering the truth," he said. Scott Walker, a digital cartography specialist at the Harvard Map Collection, said a German radar topographic mapping mission currently underway will provide high-resolution and high-precision height measurements, though that data will not be available until next year.
“If Gamlang does turns out to be the highest peak in Myanmar, it could turn into another magnet for climbers and adventure-seekers, thanks to its beauty and unique terrain, Tyson and other mountaineers on his team said. The expedition took 35 days and — before even reaching basecamp — included nearly two weeks of trekking through hot and humid jungles. The mountaineers passed through one of the only known pygmy villages in Asia. They dodged cobras and vipers, and swatted away mosquitoes and sand flies at every turn. They also ate and slept in the homes of villagers — in some cases the chief himself — most of whom had never before seen white faces.
“They spent 10 days scaling Gamlang, which was when they briefly entered Tibet. Three climbers tied together endured the long drop into a crevice, but no one was hurt. "The route itself was very classic, Himalayan mountaineering," said Mark Fisher, also of Victor, Idaho. "Glacier travel, snow, ice, crevices, exposed ridgeline. A really aesthetic, enjoyable climb." Summit team member Eric Daft recorded footage for a documentary about the expedition, scheduled for release later this year.
Seas, Islands and Coastal Areas in Myanmar
Myanmar's coastline stretches along the eastern edge of the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, both of which are part of the Indian Ocean. The country's western coast follows the Bay of Bengal southward to Cape Negrais, where the coast turns eastward toward the Gulf of Martaban and the Andaman Sea. The Irrawaddy Delta and the southeastern coastline together form the northern reaches of the Andaman Sea. Good harbors are located along the coastline. [Source: Geo-Data: The World Geographical Encyclopedia, Gale Group Inc., 2003]
Myanmar has numerous offshore islands, ranging from large inhabited islands to small rocky islets. Along the west coast, the largest islands include Ramree Island, covering about 1,350 square kilometers (520 square miles), and Cheduba Island, covering about 523 square kilometers (202 square miles). These islands are part of the Ramri Group and were formed through long-term coastal erosion and geological processes. On the southwest coast, Bilugyun Island is another major island.
Farther south lies the Mergui Archipelago, a chain of about 900 islands extending through the Andaman Sea. The archipelago was formed along an underwater mountain ridge and includes islands of many sizes, from large islands such as Kadan Island to numerous small rocky outcrops.
The character of Myanmar's coastline varies by region. In the northwest, the coast is marked by rocky ridges separated by deep channels. Extensive mangrove forests grow on mudflats along many parts of the shore. South of Cape Negrais, the coastline of the Irrawaddy Delta is largely formed by sediments deposited by the Irrawaddy and other rivers. Farther southeast, from the mouth of the Sittang River, the coast contains numerous inlets, rocky cliffs, and coral reefs.
Wetlands are an important feature of Myanmar's coastal environment. The Irrawaddy Delta contains extensive freshwater and saltwater swamps, mudflats, and habitats that support large populations of birds and other wildlife. Along the southeastern coast, numerous lagoons are connected to coastal salt marshes, creating additional wetland ecosystems that are important for biodiversity and fisheries.
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons
Text Sources: The Irrawaddy, Myanmar Travel Information, burmalibrary.org, burmanet.org, “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; National Geographic, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, Live Science, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.
Last updated June 2026