A country of southeast Asia on the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. Site of ancient Mon and Burman kingdoms, Burma was a province of British India from 1886 to 1937 and a separate crown colony from 1937 to 1948, when it gained its independence. The civilian government was overthrown by a military coup in 1962 and again in 1988. The country was officially renamed Myanmar in 1989. Yangon (formerly Rangoon) is the capital and the largest city. Population: 47,400,000.
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