Myanmar: Capital, Flag and Fun Facts

About Myanmar

Myanmar is a country in Southeast Asia on the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea, between Bangladesh and Thailand. The mighty Irrawaddy River runs through its middle, with mountains in the north and the east. It is known for its golden pagodas and the thousands of ancient temples of Bagan.

About Nay Pyi Taw

Nay Pyi Taw is a planned city in central Myanmar, built in the early 2000s. It is known for its very wide, quiet highways and the golden Uppatasanti Pagoda.

Fun facts about Myanmar

1. The ancient city of Bagan, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has more than 3,500 recorded temples, stupas and other monuments.
2. The Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is covered in gold, and its tip is decorated with thousands of diamonds and rubies.
3. Fishermen on Inle Lake row their boats by wrapping one leg around the oar, leaving their hands free.
4. Many people wear thanaka, a pale yellow paste made from ground tree bark, on their cheeks as a cooling sunscreen.
5. The Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important waterway, flowing from the northern mountains to the sea.
6. In the traditional sport of chinlone, players keep a woven rattan ball in the air without using their hands.