1044 - Foundation of the Pagan Dynasty, considered "Golden Age" of Burmese history

1287 - Mongol invasion destroys the Pagan. Ethnic Shan rulers, who had established a political centre at Ava, fill political vacuum. A series of different dynasties, invasions by the Chinese and wars with the British follow.

1752 onwards - The final Burman royal dynasty, the Konbaung, established. Wars are fought with ethnic Mons, Arakanese, and Siamese. This period sees four invasions by the Chinese and three wars with the British.

1824 - The British begin colonising Burma and expanding their holdings after each of the three wars

1885 - British gain complete control of Burma, annexing it to India. The British establish strong administrative institutions and reorganise the economy from subsistence farming to a large-scale export economy

1939 - Burma becomes world's leading exporter of rice

1941 - Burmese nationalists, led by General Aung San, join Japanese forces in driving out the British at the outbreak of World War Two, only to backtrack in mid-1945, when the Burmese Army switch sides and help U.S. and British forces reach Rangoon

1947 - General Aung San sets up a cabinet, but is assassinated along with most members of it before a constitution can be put into effect

1948 - Myanmar becomes independent from Britain

1949 - Karen Free State proclaimed by KNU President Saw Baw U Gyi, the start of an insurgency movement

1958 - Prime Minister U Nu asks military to help restore order. They do and step down after 18 months

1962 - General Ne Win leads a coup, abolishes the constitution and founds a socialist, military and isolationist government. Economy is devastated

1988

Aug - The military kills more than 1,000 demonstrators at protests in Rangoon. In a rally after this violence, the daughter of General Aung San, Aung San Suu Kyi, makes her first political speech and takes the helm of the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD)

Sep - Military deposes Ne Win's Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP) and establishes a new ruling junta called the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). SLORC sends army onto streets to suppress public demonstrations. About 3,000 are killed and more than 10,000 students flee the city. Martial law imposed

1989

Jun - Junta changes country's name from Burma to Myanmar

1990

May - Parliamentary elections held. Even though she is under house arrest, Suu Kyi's NLD wins 82 percent of parliamentary seats. SLORC refuses to recognise results

Dec - NLD and other anti-government groups elect Sein Win, a first cousin of Suu Kyi, as head of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) - a government in exile

1991 - Suu Kyi wins Nobel Peace Prize

1995 - Suu Kyi released from house arrest but soon apprehended

1997 - Junta changes its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Then-U.S. President Bill Clinton bans all new investments in country, while EU suspends privileged trade relationships with Myanmar

1999 - Suu Kyi's husband, British academic Michael Aris, dies of cancer in Britain, after failing to get a Myanmar visa to see his wife for the last time. She fears travelling to see him in case she is denied permission to return. The military government says Suu Kyi can travel to Britain for the funeral, but she declines

2002 - Suu Kyi travels throughout country after she is allowed to leave her home

2003 - A pro-government crowd attacks Suu Kyi and a convoy of her supporters. Several people are killed or injured. Suu Kyi and other members of her party are detained. Suu Kyi and NLD Vice Chairman U Tin Oo remain under house arrest

2004 - Members of the senior military leadership consolidate power by ousting Prime Minister Khin Nyunt and remove him and his allies from control of the military intelligence apparatus

Junta releases thousands of prisoners - including political prisoners - who it says were improperly jailed by Khin Nyunt's National Intelligence Bureau.

2005 - Authorities release at least a few hundred political prisoners, including key figures in the 1988 demonstrations

Apr-May - Several explosions kill more than 20 people and wound several hundred

Nov - Government moves national capital from Yangon to a greenfield site near Pyinmana

2006

Mar - The new capital is named "Naypyidaw" meaning "Seat of Kings".

Apr - Army accused of its biggest offensive against the ethnic Karen people in years

May - Ibrahim Gambari, U.N. undersecretary for political affairs, is the first senior U.N. official allowed into the country for more than two years

2007

Jan - China and Russia veto a U.S.-submitted Security Council resolution calling on the military junta to stop persecution of minority and ethnic groups

Sep - Tens of thousands take to streets in pro-democracy protests initiated by Buddhist monks. Junta cracks down. Unknown number killed and other detained

2008

May 2-3 - Cylcone Nargis hammers Myanmar, killing tens of thousands and leaving an estimated 2.4 million destitute

May 10 - Myanmar holds referendum on new constitution and delays vote in areas hit by cyclone to May 24

May 15 - Junta says referendum has approved new constitution, with a 92.4 per cent "yes" vote