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A reader recently queried our use of the country name Burma in the March issue. Edward Hoagland wrote in his article on China’s Jiuzhaigou National Park that, “Once the panda’s range extended clear into Burma.”
The reader, who is Burmese, noted that we didn’t use the name Myanmar and expressed his hope that we were now using the traditional name of his home country. Like many Burmese living abroad, he left after military forces seized power in 1988. The military junta then renamed the country to the Union of Myanmar, in 1989. Many former residents are political refugees and prefer to call the country Burma, to show their dissent from the current rulers.
Myanmar is the official short name of the country, however, and therefore the name we use in text and maps, sometimes adding Burma in parentheses to remind readers of the former name. In this instance, since we were referring to the historical range of pandas, we decided to use the historical country name, Burma. This was an exception. In general, we follow a de facto policy on place-names. In part, our cartographic place-name policy states:
In keeping with the National Geographic Society’s 121-year chartered purpose as a not-for-profit scientific and educational organization, the Society’s cartographic policy is one of portraying de facto situations; that is, to portray to the best of our judgment a current reality. National Geographic strives to be apolitical, to consult multiple authoritative sources, and to make independent decisions based on extensive research.
Our use of Myanmar instead of Burma doesn’t signify a political stance. But when we cover highly politicized regions such as Myanmar, every word is often parsed for meaning.
Map: Copyright 2009 National Geographic Society
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Comments
Apr 13, 2009 1PM #
Fascinating topic. I am currently working on the origins and use of the term 'Bristol Channel' instead of the historic, geographic, neutral 'Severn Estuary' or Môr Hafren (Severn Sea in the Welsh language).
Geoff Simmons has done some brilliant pioneering work on this and I am much indebted to him.
With the assertion of Celtic nationalisms in Wales, Scotland and Ireland, this is a hot topic. The term 'Irish Sea' is becoming more commonly known as the 'Celtic Sea', especially by oil companies. And how on earth is 'St George's Channel' the waterway between Wales and Ireland?
David, I think you have started something of great interest and significance here!
Apr 13, 2009 1PM #
Having recently spent five years researching hundreds of place-names in a Litchfield County, Connecticut town, I can attest to the politics of place-names. Not only do we still have, after over 300-years, differences in the spelling of Rucum Hill or Rucuum Hill, but no agreement about it name origin. And the name Chalybes is suspect as to origin and pronunciation, even with documented research!
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