Telephones-Main lines in use

812,000 (2009)

Telephones - mobile cellular:

448,000 (2009)

Telephone system

General assessment: meets minimum requirements for local and intercity service for business and government Domestic: system barely capable of providing basic service; mobile-cellular phone system is grossly underdeveloped with a subscribership base of only 1 per 100 persons International: country code - 95; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 2, Intelsat ( Indian Ocean ) and ShinSat (2009)

Broadcast Media

Government controls all domestic broadcast media; 3 state-controlled television stations with 1 of the stations controlled by the armed forces; a fourth TV channel, a pay-TV station, is a joint state-private venture; access to satellite TV is limited with residents required to register and pay a fee for all satellite television receivers; 2 state-controlled domestic radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available in Burma; the opposition-backed station Democratic Voice of Burma broadcasts into Burma via shortwave (2009)

Internet Country Code

.mm

Internet Hosts

172 (2010)

Internet Users

110,000 (2009)

Transportation

Airports

76 (2010)

Airports-with paved runways

Total: 37  
Over 3,047 m: 12  
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8  
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15  
914 to 1,523 m: 1  
Under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Airports-with unpaved runways

Total: 39  
Over 3,047 m: 1  
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4  
914 to 1,523 m: 11  
Under 914 m: 23 (2010)

Railways

Total: 3,955 km  
Narrow gauge: 3,955 km 1.000-m gauge (2008)

Roadways

Total: 27,000 km  
Paved: 3,200 km  
Unpaved: 23,800 km (2006)

Waterways

12,800 km (2008)

Pipelines

Gas 2,228 km; oil 558 km (2009)

Ports and harbors

Moulmein , Rangoon , Sittwe

Merchant Marine

Total: 26  
By type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 19, passenger 2,
passenger/cargo 3, specialized tanker 1  
Foreign-owned: 3 ( Cyprus 1, Germany 1, Japan 1) Registered in other countries: 3 ( Panama 3) (2010)

Disputes-International

Over half of Burma's population consists of diverse ethnic groups who have substantial numbers of kin in neighboring countries; Thailand must deal with Karen and other ethnic refugees, asylum seekers, and rebels, as well as illegal cross-border activities from Burma; Thailand is studying the feasibility of jointly constructing the Hatgyi Dam on the Salween River near the border with Burma; citing environmental, cultural, and social concerns, China is reconsidering construction of 13 dams on the Salween River but energy-starved Burma with backing from Thailand remains intent on building five hydro-electric dams downstream, despite identical regional and international protests; India seeks cooperation from Burma to keep Indian Nagaland separatists, such as the United Liberation Front of Assam, from hiding in remote Burmese Uplands; after 21 years, Bangladesh in January 2008 resumed talks with Burma on delimiting a maritime boundary

International organization participation

ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO