Biodiversity and Protected Areas – Myanmar

Myanmar lies on the western side of Indochina between latitudes 10000' and 28030' N, and longitudes 92010' and 101010' E, the northernmost areas lying outside the tropics. Its area is 677,000 km2 , making it the largest of the GMS countries. Elevations range from sea level to 5,881 metres on the snow-capped mountain of Kha Ka Borhazi in the extreme north. Most of the country comprises low lying plain along three parallel river systems, flanked by mountain ranges along the eastern and western frontiers. Myanmar spans a vast area and has diverse geographical features and climates from tropical coral reefs to alpine habitats. It falls within six of Udvardy’s (1975) global biounits, and nine sub-units of MacKinnon (1997).