Myanmar Economic Activities
The Burmese Federal Union has been an independent state since 1948 made up of Burma proper and the national states of the Karen, Shan and Kachin, as well as the autonomous territory of the Chin. The Myanmar, from the administrative point of view, is divided into the following provinces: Arakan, capit. Akyab; Irawady, capit. Bassein; Magwe, capit. Magwe; Mandalay, capit. Mandalay; Pegu, capit. Rangoon; Sagaing, capit. Sagaing; Tenasserim, capit. Moulmein. The total area, including that of the states of the Kachin (87,808 km 2), the Karen (1,670 km 2) and the Shan, and the autonomous territory of the Chin (420,331 km 2) is 677,950 km 2, with 20,054,000 residents in 1958 and with a density of 29 residents per km 2. The capital is Rangoon with 737,080 residents (provisional figure) in 1955; other important cities: Mandalay, with 182,367 residents, and Moulmein, with 101,720 residents.
Economic activities. – The Burmese economy, although it has not yet overcome the crisis resulting from the abrupt transition from the semi-colonial state to absolute independence, seems to be heading towards considerable progress. In 1948 the government drew up a first five-year development plan and promulgated an agrarian law which, due to the uncertain internal political situation, became effective only in 1952. Under this law, the state expropriated about 8 million ha (of which 3,600,000 belong to large owners), which were distributed in an amount of about 4 ha for each concessionary family. The horticultural areas and rubber plantations, the latter spread along the Tenasserim coast, were excluded from the reform, in harmony with the general agricultural policy which tends to increase above all high-income crops. Plans are also implemented to enhance the uncultivated areas in the Karen and Kachin states (introducing jute, citrus and mulberry crops in the first; sugar cane, coffee and jute in the other). However, rice still remains the main crop (it occupies ⅔ of the cultivated area, and its production places Burma among the major world exporters). But the rice-growing area tends to shrink (1948: 5 million ha, 70-80 million q; 1957: 3.868.000 ha, 58.280.000 q), while the areas cultivated with cotton, peanuts and tobacco are expanding., sugar cane and rubber. coffee and jute again). However, rice still remains the main crop (it occupies ⅔ of the cultivated area, and its production places Burma among the major world exporters). But the rice-growing area tends to shrink (1948: 5 million ha, 70-80 million q; 1957: 3.868.000 ha, 58.280.000 q), while the areas cultivated with cotton, peanuts and tobacco are expanding., sugar cane and rubber. coffee and jute again). However, rice still remains the main crop (it occupies ⅔ of the cultivated area, and its production places Burma among the major world exporters). But the rice-growing area tends to shrink (1948: 5 million ha, 70-80 million q; 1957: 3.868.000 ha, 58.280.000 q), while the areas cultivated with cotton, peanuts and tobacco are expanding., sugar cane and rubber.
The enormous forest heritage, which covers about 57% of the national territory, is now systematically exploited. The finest tree essence, teak, occupies an area of about 9 million ha. The timber, flowed on the Irawady, is mostly processed in 6 sawmills in Rangoon, and is mainly exported to Great Britain. The regular exploitation of pines and mangroves has also recently begun, to be used – the latter – as firewood.
The livestock stock is mediocre: about five million cattle (zebu), 870,000 buffaloes, 544,000 pigs, 294,000 sheep and goats, 18,000 horses (1957).
The main energy resource is oil, whose fields (upper Chindwin and Yenangyaung) in 1954 were granted to the state-owned company Burma Oil Co., which has also extended prospecting to the delta. Oil production, although recovering (1951: 115,000 t; 1958: 465,000 t), is very modest and lower than the pre-war one (about 1 million t). A 400 km oil pipeline connects the Chauk oil district to the Syriam (Rangoon) refineries. New refineries have also sprung up in Chauk. In 1952 the rational exploitation of the coal fields of Kalewa began, destined to supply some thermoelectric plants and the railways. The investigation and exploitation of other mineral resources also continued. Iron deposits (magnetite, hematite and limonite) were discovered in the archipelago of Mergui. But the main mineral products are still (besides oil) tin (1957: 874,000 t of metal content), lead (27,400 t of metal) and volframium (385,000 t of WO3). The productions of tin and lead are however much lower than the pre-war ones.
The implementation of government industrialization programs is hampered by the lack of technicians and the difficulty of internal communications.
Foreign trade shows a prevalence of exports over imports (average for the four-year period 1953-56: imports about 900 million rupees, exports 1140).
