Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is located in Southeast Asia. Its neighboring countries are India and Bangladesh to the west, China to the north, and Laos and Thailand to the east. Myanmar is shaped like a kite, with a long, tapering southern coastal strip facing the Andaman Sea. To the west, the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean surround Myanmar.

From north to south the country's length is about 1,275 miles. Forty-four million people live in Myanmar. The average life span for a man is 53 years and 56 years for a woman. Eighty three percent of the people are literate.

The climate is hot and wet. The monsoon season stretches from May to late October. During this time, strong winds from the southwest bring almost daily thunderstorms with torrential rain. In the rural towns and villages, the streets are often flooded during the downpours. Some areas receive from 120 to 200 inches of annual rainfall. Central Myanmar may only receive 20 to 40 inches of annual rainfall. The cool, dry season, which lasts from November to February, averages about 70 - 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The hottest and driest months are March and April, when temperatures exceed 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
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