Formerly known as Burma, Myanmar had its golden age in the 11th century. Its Bamar king at the time, Anawrahta, introduced the land to the religion Theravada Buddhism. The first temples were built in Pagan and continued to be constructed by succeeding kings. As the Mongols invaded Myanmar in the 13th century, it declined from its former glory. Three centuries later, the Portuguese and British came with conquest on their agenda. By 1885, the British had complete control over Myanmar which influenced their infrastructure, culture, and demographics. Being unhappy with their colonists, demonstrations were led by nationalists. By the 1900s, the Burmese would eventually be able to drive out the foreign invaders.
The twentieth century was marked with political strife: inside and outside the country. In the 1940s, with the help of the Japanese, the Burmese were able to drive out the British; however, that alliance was short lived. By 1947, Bogyoke Aung San, an activist, won elections as the new leader for the country but was assassinated before taking office. In 1962, General Ne Win lead a coop over the country. Consequences of his reforms lead to the decline of the economy. Unhappy citizens started protesting in 1987, lead by monks.
Two parties emerged in 1989: State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) and National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD, lead by Aung San Suu Kyi (Bogyoke Aung San’s daughter) won 85% of the votes for the parliamentary seats, but before they were able to assume the seats, the party’s leaders were arrested by Slorc. They also placed Aung San under house arrest. Aung San received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She was arrested twice but finally released in 2010 and has entered the lower house in 2012. Currently, the country has been stable enough to allow more economic growth as well as foreign investment. However, the people still do not have the confidence in their currency, the kyat, and still trades with US dollars.