Myanmar units of measurement#Length

{{Short description|System of measurements formerly used in Myanmar}}

{{Redirect|Viss|the village in Hungary|Viss, Hungary}}

{{Use Oxford spelling|date=September 2019}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2015}}

{{Contains special characters|Burmese}}

The traditional Burmese units of measurement were a system of measurement used in Myanmar.{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Myanmar was one of three countries that had not adopted the International System of Units (SI) metric system as their official system of weights and measures according to the 2010 CIA Factbook.{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/appendix/print_appendix-g.html |title=The World Factbook, Appendix G: Weights and Measures |year=2010 |work=Web Pages |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |access-date=10 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528121337/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/appendix/print_appendix-g.html |archive-date=28 May 2010 |df=dmy-all }} However, in June 2011, U Kyaw Htoo from the Myanmar government's Ministry of Commerce began discussing proposals to reform the measurement system in Burma and adopt the kilogram for domestic trade, reasoning that this would simplify foreign trade which it conducts exclusively in metric;{{cite news

|last= Gyi

|first= Ko Ko

|others= Translated by Thit Lwin

|date=18-24 July 2011

|title= Ditch the viss, govt urges traders

|department=Business and Property

|url= http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/business/584/biz58401.html

|url-status=dead

|work=The Myanmar Times

|location=Myanmar

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920011617/http://www.mmtimes.com/2011/business/584/biz58401.html

|archive-date=2011-09-20

|access-date=2023-03-04}}

and in October 2013, Pwint San, Deputy Minister for Commerce, announced that the country was preparing to adopt the metric system.{{cite web| url=http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3684:myanmar-to-adopt-metric-system&catid=44:national&Itemid=384| title=Myanmar to adopt metric system| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324092305/http://elevenmyanmar.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3684:myanmar-to-adopt-metric-system&catid=44:national&Itemid=384| archive-date=2015-03-24| url-status=dead| website=www.elevenmyanmar.com |publisher=Eleven Media Group |access-date=2015-11-02}}

{{Asof|2006}}, Myanmar government web pages in English used imperial and metric units inconsistently. For instance, the Ministry of Construction used miles to describe the length of roads{{cite web |url=http://www.construction.gov.mm/PW/Activities.htm |title=Public Works, Fields Of Activities |year=2006 |work=Web Page |publisher=Ministry Of Construction |access-date=11 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201080406/http://www.construction.gov.mm/PW/Activities.htm |archive-date=1 February 2010 |url-status=dead }} and square feet for the size of houses,{{cite web |url=http://www.construction.gov.mm/DHSH/HousingD.htm |title=Housing Development |year=2006 |work=web page |publisher=Ministry Of Construction |access-date=11 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100201075816/http://www.construction.gov.mm/DHSH/HousingD.htm |archive-date=1 February 2010 |url-status=dead }} but square kilometres for the total land area of new town developments in Yangon City. {{Asof|2010}} the Ministry of Agriculture used acres for land areas.{{cite web |url=http://www.moai.gov.mm/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=2 |title=Ministry of Agriculture and Information |date=2009–2010 |work=Web Page |publisher=Myanmar Agriculture |access-date=11 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613032846/http://www.moai.gov.mm/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=16&Itemid=2 |archive-date=13 June 2013 |df=dmy-all }} {{Asof|2009}} the Ministry of Foreign Affairs used kilometres (with mile equivalents in parentheses) to describe the dimensions of the country.{{cite web |url=http://www.mofa.gov.mm/aboutmyanmar/geography.html |title=About Myanmar : Geography |year=2009 |work=web page |publisher= The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Myanmar |access-date=11 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805022516/http://www.mofa.gov.mm/aboutmyanmar/geography.html |archive-date=5 August 2010 }}