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. Naypyidaw is the capital and Yangon (Rangoon) is the largest city.