Timeline of Myanmar

1824-1886 - There are 3 wars between Burma and Britain, and Burma is annexed to British India.

January 1947 - Britain gives Burma independence after negotiations.

July 1947 - Aung San and six members of his interim government are assassinated.

January 1948 - Burma wins independence from Britain.

March 1962: General Ne Win makes a coup d'état and wins; his government adopts socialism and ruins the country economicaly.

November 1981 - Ne Win steps down as president.

September 1987 - Rice shortages hit the country.

March 1988 - There are several protests in the capital by students who want democracy.

August 1988 - Police open fire on protests and hundreds are killed.

September - Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of Aung San, forms National League for Democracy party.

October - The army kills thousands of people in demonstrators.

June 1989 - The country is renamed as Myanmar and the capital as Yangon.

July: Suu Kyi and her deputy, Tin Oo, are put under house arrest.

May 1990: There are general elections. Suu Kyi's party wins, but military refuses to hand over the power.

October 1991: Suu Kyi is awarded Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful struggle against the military regime.

July 1992: Gen. Than Shwe is named head of junta, prime minister and defense minister.

July 1995: Suu Kyi is released from house arrest.

July 1997: Myanmar is admitted to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

September 2000: Suu Kyi is placed under house arrest after attempting to leave Yangon for a political meeting.

May 2002: Suu Kyi is released from house arrest.

May 2003: Suu Kyi taken into "protective custody" after an assasination attempt from the government.

November 2005: Government begins moving administrative capital to Naypyitaw.

January 2007: Russia and China urge Myanmar to stop persecuting opposition and minority groups.

Aug. 15: Government raises fuel prices 500 per cent.

Sept. 5: Soldiers fire warning shots at a monks' protest in Pakokku, injuring several of them.

Sept. 22: As many as 10,000 monks march in protest in Mandalay. In Yangon, Suu Kyi greets monks as they march past her house. It is her first public appearance in more than four years.

Sept. 24: About 100,000 people led by Buddhist monks demonstrate in the largest anti-government protests.