Exact population: 47,382,633 note: estimates for this country take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)

Literacy: Total population: 85.3%; male: 89.2%; female: 81.4%

Ethnicities: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Area: Total: 678,500 sq km; land: 657,740 sq km; water: 20,760 sq km

Land boundaries: Total: 5,876 km; border countries: Bangladesh 193 km, China 2,185 km, India 1,463 km, Laos 235 km, Thailand 1,800 km

Terrain: Central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

Extremes: Lowest point: Andaman Sea 0 m; highest point: Hkakabo Razi 5,881 m

Imports: China 29.8%, Singapore 20.8%, Thailand 19.3%, South Korea 5.2%, Malaysia 4.8% (2004)

Exports: Thailand 38.9%, India 11.5%, China 5.9%, Japan 5.2% (2004)

Industries: Agricultural processing; knit and woven apparel; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; cement; natural gas

Source: CIA World Factbook