The Ayeyarwady River, flows for more than 2,000km through Myanmar, before fanning out in a delta on the south coast. Yangon stands beside one of its many mouths. Central Myanmar is dominated by the Ayeyarwady basin which is shielded by the Rakhine, Chin and Naga Mountains and the Patkai Hills to the west, the Kachin Hills to the north, and the Shan Plateau to the east - which include peaks rising to over 3,000m, influencing the local climate. The river's valley and delta are considered one of the most fertile agricultural regions in Asia. Fruit, vegetables and citrus crops grow abundantly on the Shan Plateau. Forest covers more than 50% of Myanmar's land area.

Myanmar has three seasons; the monsoon or rainy season is from May to October; the cool season from November to February and the hot season from March to may. The average temperature ranges from 32C in central and lower areas to 21C in the northern highlands.