Burma
Burma⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Burma is home to ethnic Burmans and scores of other ethnic and religious minority groups that have resisted external efforts to consolidate control of the country throughout its history. Britain conquered Burma over a period extending from the 1820s to the 1880s and administered it as a province of India until 1937, when Burma became a self-governing colony. Burma gained full independence in 1948. In 1962, General NE WIN seized power and ruled the country until 1988 when a new military regime took control.
In 1990, the military regime permitted an election but then rejected the results after the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) and its leader AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) won in a landslide. The military regime placed ASSK under house arrest until 2010. In 2007, rising fuel prices in Burma led pro-democracy activists and Buddhist monks to launch a "Saffron Revolution" consisting of large protests against the regime, which violently suppressed the movement. The regime prevented new elections until it had drafted a constitution designed to preserve the military's political control; it passed the new constitution in its 2008 referendum. The regime conducted an election in 2010, but the NLD boycotted the vote, and the military’s political proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party, easily won; international observers denounced the election as flawed.
Burma nonetheless began a halting process of political and economic reforms. ASSK's return to government in 2012 eventually led to the NLD's sweeping victory in the 2015 election. With ASSK as the de facto head of state, Burma’s first credibly elected civilian government drew international criticism for blocking investigations into Burma’s military operations -- which the US Department of State determined constituted genocide -- against its ethnic Rohingya population. When the 2020 elections resulted in further NLD gains, the military denounced the vote as fraudulent. In 2021, the military's senior leader General MIN AUNG HLAING launched a coup that returned Burma to authoritarian rule, with military crackdowns that undid reforms and resulted in the detention of ASSK and thousands of pro-democracy actors.
Pro-democracy organizations have formed in the wake of the coup, including the National Unity Government (NUG). Members of the NUG include representatives from the NLD, ethnic minority groups, and civil society. In 2021, the NUG announced the formation of armed militias called the People's Defense Forces (PDF) and an insurgency against the military junta. As of 2024, PDF units across the country continued to fight the regime with varying levels of support from and cooperation with the NUG and other anti-regime organizations, including armed ethnic groups that have been fighting the central government for decades.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 653,508 sq km
- Water
- 23,070 sq km
- Total
- 676,578 sq km
- Climate
- tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
- Terrain
- central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
Land Use
- Other
- 37.7% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 42.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 19.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 16.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 0.7% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
- Coastline
- 1,930 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 m
- Highest point
- Gamlang Razi 5,870 m
- Mean elevation
- 702 m
- Irrigated land
- 17,140 sq km (2020)
- Map references
- Southeast Asia
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 6,522 km
- Border countries
- Bangladesh 271 km; China 2,129 km; India 1,468 km; Laos 238 km; Thailand 2,416 km
Maritime Claims
- Contiguous zone
- 24 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
- Exclusive economic zone
- 200 nm
- Natural hazards
- destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
- Geography note
- strategic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes; the north-south flowing Irrawaddy River is the country's largest and most important commercial waterway
- Natural resources
- petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land
- Area comparative
- slightly smaller than Texas
- Geographic coordinates
- 22 00 N, 98 00 E
- Population distribution
- population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Indian ocean drainage
- Brahmaputra (651,335 sq km), Ganges (1,016,124 sq km), Irrawaddy (413,710 sq km), Salween (271,914 sq km)
- Pacific ocean drainage
- Mekong (805,604 sq km)
- Major rivers (BY length in km)
- Mekong (shared with China [s], Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam [m]) - 4,350 km; Salween river mouth (shared with China [s] and Thailand) - 3,060 km; Irrawaddy river mouth (shared with China [s]) - 2,809 km; Chindwin - 1,158 km
note: [s] after country name indicates river source; [m] after country name indicates river mouth
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 94.7% (2020 est.)
- Female
- 92.7% (2020 est.)
- Total population
- 93.5% (2020 est.)
Languages
- Note
- note: minority ethnic groups use their own languages
- Languages
- Burmese (official)
- Major language sample(s)
ကမ္ဘာ့အချက်အလက်စာအုပ်- အခြေခံအချက်အလက်တွေအတွက် မရှိမဖြစ်တဲ့ အရင်းအမြစ် (Burmese)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2014 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.06 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 0.97 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 0.77 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 15.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 29.9 years
- Total
- 31.1 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 31.6 years
Population
- Male
- 28,591,467
- Total
- 57,931,718 (2025 est.)
- Female
- 29,340,251
Nationality
- Noun
- Burmese (singular and plural)
- Adjective
- Burmese
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 68.1% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 42.2% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 17.1% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 32.1% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 24.4% (male 7,197,177/female 6,843,879)
- 15 64 years
- 68.5% (male 19,420,361/female 19,998,625)
- 65 years and over
- 7.1% (2024 est.) (male 1,770,293/female 2,296,804)
- Ethnic groups
- Burman (Bamar) 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
Child Marriage
- Men married BY age 18
- 5% (2016)
- Women married BY age 15
- 1.9% (2016)
- Women married BY age 18
- 16% (2016)
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 45.7 (2025 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 35 (2025 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 9.3 (2025 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 10.7 (2025 est.)
- Physician density
- 0.76 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 5.6% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 2.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- -1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 1.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 77.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 82.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 22.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 17.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 2% of GDP (2019 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 9.7% national budget (2019 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 35.4 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 28.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 0.69% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.95 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 68.5 years
- Female
- 72.1 years
- Total population
- 70.3 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 185 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 82% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 85.9% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 18% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 14.1% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 2.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 1.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 5.610 million RANGOON (Yangon) (capital), 1.532 million Mandalay (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 5.8% (2016)
- Mother's mean age at first birth
- 24.7 years (2015/16 est.)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 58% (2019 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 19.5% (2018 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 11 years (2018 est.)
- Total
- 12 years (2018 est.)
- Female
- 12 years (2018 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: three equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top), green, and red; centered on the green band is a five-pointed white star that overlaps onto the yellow and red stripes
history: the design revives the triband colors that Burma used from 1943 to 1945, during the Japanese occupation
Capital
- Name
- Rangoon (aka Yangon, continues to be recognized as the primary Burmese capital by the US Government); Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital
- Etymology
- Rangoon/Yangon derives from the Burmese words yan and koun, commonly translated as "end of strife"; Nay Pyi Taw translates as "abode of kings"
- Time difference
- UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 16 48 N, 96 10 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal
Citizenship
- Note
- note: an applicant for naturalization must be the child or spouse of a citizen
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- both parents must be citizens of Burma
- Dual citizenship recognized
- no
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- none
Constitution
- History
- previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest drafted 9 April 2008, approved by referendum 29 May 2008
- Amendment process
- proposals require at least 20% approval by the Assembly of the Union membership; passage of amendments to sections of the constitution on basic principles, government structure, branches of government, state emergencies, and amendment procedures requires 75% approval by the Assembly and approval in a referendum by absolute majority of registered voters; passage of amendments to other sections requires only 75% Assembly approval; military granted 25% of parliamentary seats by default
Country Name
- Note
- note: since 1989 the military authorities in Burma and the deposed parliamentary government have promoted the name Myanmar as a conventional name for their state; the US Government has not officially adopted the name
- Former
- Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, Union of Myanmar
- Etymology
- both "Burma" and "Myanmar" derive from the name of the majority Burman (Bamar) ethnic group, with the term myanma, or "the strong," being the group's name for itself
- Local long form
- Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar)
- Local short form
- Myanma Naingngandaw
- Conventional long form
- Union of Burma
- Conventional short form
- Burma
- Independence
- 4 January 1948 (from the UK)
- Legal system
- mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law
- Government type
- military regime
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges)
- Subordinate courts
- High Courts of the Region; High Courts of the State; Court of the Self-Administered Division; Court of the Self-Administered Zone; district and township courts; special courts (for juvenile, municipal, and traffic offenses); courts martial
- Judge selection and term of office
- chief justice and judges nominated by the president, with approval of the Lower House, and appointed by the president; judges normally serve until mandatory retirement at age 70
Executive Branch
- Note
- note 1: on 31 July 2025, the military ended the state of emergency that had been in place since taking over the government in February 2021, although martial law continues to exist in parts of the country; at the same time, the military dissolved the State Administrative Council (SAC), which had been the official name of the military government in Burma, and replaced it with the National Security and Peace Commission (NSPC), chaired by Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING, who also retains his position as chief of the armed forces
note 2: prior to the military takeover, the state counsellor served the equivalent term of the president and was similar to a prime minister - Cabinet
- Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief
- Chief of state
- Acting President Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING (since 31 July 2025)
- Election results
2020: the National League for Democracy (NLD) won 396 seats across both houses -- well above the 322 required for a parliamentary majority -- but on 1 February 2021, the military claimed the results of the election were illegitimate and deposed State Counsellor AUNG SAN SUU KYI and President WIN MYINT of the NLD, causing military-affiliated Vice President MYINT SWE (USDP) to become acting president; MYINT SWE subsequently handed power to coup leader MIN AUNG HLAING; WIN MYINT and other key leaders of the ruling NLD party were placed under arrest after the military takeover
2018: WIN MYINT elected president in an indirect by-election held on 28 March 2018 after the resignation of HTIN KYAW; Assembly of the Union vote for president - WIN MYINT (NLD) 403, MYINT SWE (USDP) 211, HENRY VAN THIO (NLD) 18, 4 votes canceled (636 votes cast)- State counsellor
- State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021
- Head of government
- Prime Minister NYO SAW (since 31 July 2025)
- Most recent election date
- 8 November 2020
- Election/appointment process
- prior to the military takeover in 2021, president was indirectly elected by simple majority vote by the full Assembly of the Union from among 3 vice-presidential candidates nominated by the Presidential Electoral College (consists of members of the lower and upper houses and military members); the other 2 candidates became vice presidents (president elected for a 5-year term)
- Expected date of next election
- on 31 July 2025, the military government announced that it was preparing for elections to be held in December 2025
- National holiday
- Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
- National color(s)
- yellow, green, red, white
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 2 (both cultural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Pyu Ancient Cities; Bagan
- Political parties
- according to the military regime, more than 50 parties registered and were approved for the December 2025 election, but only 9 contested nationwide; the remainder ran in regional or state constituencies
the 9 parties included:
Democratic Party of National Politics (DNP)
Myanmar Farmers Development Party (MFDP)
National Democratic Force Party (NDF)
National Unity Party (NUP)
People’s Party
People’s Pioneer Party (PPP)
Shan and Ethnic Democratic Party (SEDP)
Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP)
Women’s Party (Mon)
Legislative Branch
- Note
- note: on 1 February 2021, the Burmese military claimed the results of the 2020 general election were illegitimate and launched a coup led by Sr. General MIN AUNG HLAING; the military subsequently dissolved the Assembly of the Union and replaced it with the military-led State Administration Council
- Legislature name
- Assembly of the Union (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw)
- Legislative structure
- bicameral
- Most recent election date
- 28 December 2025
- Expected date of next election
- on 31 July 2025, the military government announced that it was preparing for elections to be held in late December 2025
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World)
- History
- adopted 1948
- Lyrics/music
- SAYA TIN
- National symbol(s)
- chinthe (mythical lion)
- Administrative divisions
- 7 regions (taing-myar, singular - taing), 7 states (pyi ne-myar, singular - pyi ne), 1 union territory
regions: Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, Yangon (Rangoon)
states: Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Karen, Mon, Rakhine, Shan
union territory: Nay Pyi Taw
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 332-4351
- Chancery
- 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 332-3344
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Soe Thet NAUNG (since 24 June 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Los Angeles
- Email address and website
washington-embassy@mofa.gov.mm
https://www.mewashingtondc.org/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [95] (1) 751-1069
- Embassy
- 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon
- Telephone
- [95] (1) 753-6509
- Mailing address
- 4250 Rangoon Place, Washington DC 20521-4250
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan STEVENSON (since 10 July 2023)
- Email address and website
ACSRangoon@state.gov
https://mm.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ADB, ARF, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, CP, EAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), NAM, OPCW (signatory), SAARC (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Legislature
BURMA · LOWER HOUSE
House of Representatives
440 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
440
Majority line
221
Largest party
National League for Democracy
Parties
4
All political parties
Upper house
BURMA · UPPER HOUSE
House of Nationalities
224 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
224
Majority line
113
Largest party
National League for Democracy
Parties
4
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Myint Swe
- Head of State
Min Aung Hlaing
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $10.945 billion (2019 est.)
- Expenditures
- $10.22 billion (2019 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $15.728 billion (2018 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2018
- $15.728 billion (2018 est.)
- Exports 2019
- $17.523 billion (2019 est.)
- Exports 2021
- $20.4 billion (2021 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $18.664 billion (2018 est.)
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2018
- $18.664 billion (2018 est.)
- Imports 2019
- $17.356 billion (2019 est.)
- Imports 2021
- $23.1 billion (2021 est.)
- Industries
- agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments; jade and gems
- Labor force
- 22.742 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 35.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 35.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2021
- 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Remittances 2022
- 2% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- kyats (MMK) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2019
- 1,518.255 (2019 est.)
- Exchange rates 2020
- 1,381.619 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 1,615.367 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 1,932.543 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 2,100 (2023 est.)
Debt External
- Note
- note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
- Debt external 2023
- $8.748 billion (2023 est.)
- Economic overview
- slowly recovering Southeast Asian economy; household incomes weaken domestic consumption; growing trade deficit; declining employment; high inflation and reduced currency power; agriculture sector remains most stable
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.0%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 3.1% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 3.1% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 3.1% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- China 32%, Thailand 16%, Japan 7%, Germany 6%, India 5% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 40%, Thailand 18%, Singapore 15%, Indonesia 4%, Malaysia 4% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $5,997
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $5,400 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $5,400 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $5,300 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -1.0%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 4% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 1% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- -1% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- rice, sugarcane, vegetables, beans, maize, groundnuts, plantains, fruits, coconuts, onions (2023)
- Exports commodities
- garments, natural gas, dried legumes, rare-earth metal compounds, precious stones (2023)
- Imports commodities
- refined petroleum, synthetic fabric, fertilizers, crude petroleum, fabric (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $67.7M
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2017
- -$4.917 billion (2017 est.)
- Current account balance 2018
- -$2.561 billion (2018 est.)
- Current account balance 2019
- $67.72 million (2019 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 6% (of GDP) (2019 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $74.08 billion (2024 est.)
- Population below poverty line
- 24.8% (2017 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 53.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 8.8%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2017
- 4.6% (2017 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2018
- 6.9% (2018 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019
- 8.8% (2019 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- -0.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $287.559 billion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $287.624 billion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $290.381 billion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $287.559 billion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 10.5% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 10% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 9.4% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021
- $9.103 billion (2021 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $8.182 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $9.338 billion (2023 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 37.8% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 41.4% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 20.8% (2024 est.)
Household Income or Consumption BY Percentage Share
- Note
- note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
- Lowest 10%
- 3.8% (2017 est.)
- Highest 10%
- 25.5% (2017 est.)
Gini Index Coefficient Distribution of Family Income
- Note
- note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
- Gini index coefficient distribution of family income 2017
- 30.7 (2017 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 221,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 67,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Production
- 1.031 million metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 907,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 252 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 139 million barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 122,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Exports
- 200 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 23.625 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 7.419 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 1.855 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Exports
- 9.29 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 219.822 million cubic meters (2021 est.)
- Production
- 13.549 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 4.241 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 637.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification rural areas
- 62.8%
- Electrification urban areas
- 93.9%
- Electrification total population
- 73.7% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 8.384 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Solar
- 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 61.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Hydroelectricity
- 36.7% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Biomass and waste
- 1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 59% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- government controls all domestic broadcast media; 2 state-controlled TV stations, with 1 controlled by the armed forces; 2 pay-TV stations are joint state-private ventures; 1 state-controlled radio station; 9 FM stations are joint state-private ventures; several international broadcasts are available in some areas; the Voice of America (VOA), Radio Free Asia (RFA), BBC Burmese service, the Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB), and Radio Australia use shortwave to broadcast; VOA, RFA, and DVB produce daily TV news programs that are transmitted by satellite; in 2017, the government granted licenses to 5 private broadcasters for digital free-to-air TV channels to be operated in partnership with government-owned Myanmar Radio and Television (MRTV); after the 2021 military coup, the regime revoked the media licenses of most independent outlets, including the free-to-air licenses for DVB and Mizzima (2022)
- Internet country code
- .mm
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 559,000 (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 1 (2024 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 62.3 million (2024 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 114 (2024 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 1.51 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 3 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 5
- Medium
- 0
- Key ports
- Bassein, Mergui, Moulmein Harbor, Rangoon, Sittwe
- Very small
- 2
- Total ports
- 7 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 3
- Airports
- 74 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 5,031 km (2008)
- Narrow gauge
- 5,031 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge
- Heliports
- 6 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 101 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 5, other 51
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- XY
Environment
- Climate
- tropical monsoon; cloudy, rainy, hot, humid summers (southwest monsoon, June to September); less cloudy, scant rainfall, mild temperatures, lower humidity during winter (northeast monsoon, December to April)
Land Use
- Other
- 37.7% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 42.4% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 19.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 16.9% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 0.7% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 32.1% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 4.677 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 12.3% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment; rapid depletion of the country's natural resources
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 3.323 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 498.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 29.57 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 27.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 8.376 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 1.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 17.39 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 1.168 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 2006, Wetlands
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- since the country’s founding, the Tatmadaw has been deeply involved in domestic politics and the national economy; it ran the country for five decades following a military coup in 1962; prior to the most recent coup in 2021, the military already controlled three key security ministries (Defense, Border, and Home Affairs), one of two vice presidential appointments, 25% of the parliamentary seats, and had a proxy political party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP); it owns and operates two business conglomerates that have over 100 subsidiaries; the business activities of these conglomerates include banking and insurance, hotels, tourism, jade and ruby mining, timber, construction, real estate, and the production of palm oil, sugar, soap, cement, beverages, drinking water, coal, and gas; some of the companies supply goods and services to the military, such as food, clothing, insurance, and cellphone service; the military also manages a film industry, publishing houses, and television stations
the Tatmadaw's primary operational focus is internal security, and it is conducting counterinsurgency operations against anti-regime forces that launched an armed rebellion following the 2021 coup and an array of ethnic armed groups (EAGs); as of 2024, the Tatmadaw was reportedly engaged in combat operations in 10 of its 14 regional commands
EAGs have been fighting for self-rule against the Burmese Government since 1948; they range in strength from a few hundred fighters up to an estimated 30,000; some are organized along military lines with "brigades" and "divisions" and armed with heavy weaponry, including artillery; they control large tracts of the country’s territory, primarily in the border regions; key groups include the United Wa State Army, Karen National Union, Kachin Independence Army, Arakan Army, Ta’ang National Liberation Army, and the Myanmar Nationalities Democratic Alliance Army
the opposition National Unity Government claims its armed wing, the People's Defense Force (PDF), has more than 60,000 fighters loosely organized into battalions; in addition, several EAGs have cooperated with the NUG and supported local PDF groups (2024)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 6.8%
- Military expenditures 2019
- 4.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
- Military expenditures 2020
- 3% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 3.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 3.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military and security forces
- Burmese Defense Service (aka Armed Forces of Burma, Myanmar Army, Royal Armed Forces, the Tatmadaw, or the Sit-Tat): Army (Tatmadaw Kyi), Navy (Tatmadaw Yay), Air Force (Tatmadaw Lay); People’s Militia
Ministry of Home Affairs: Burma (People's) Police Force, Border Guard Forces/Police (2025) - Military service age and obligation
- 18-35 years of age (men) and 18-27 years of age (women) for voluntary and conscripted military service; 24-month service obligation; conscripted professional men (ages 18-45) and women (ages 18-35), including doctors, engineers, and mechanics, serve up to 36 months; service terms may be extended to 60 months in an officially declared emergency (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the Burmese military's inventory is comprised of mostly Chinese, Russian, or Soviet-era armaments; Burma's defense industry is involved in shipbuilding and the production of ground force equipment based largely on Chinese and Russian designs (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- information varies; estimated 150,000 active military personnel (2025)
Transnational Issues
Illicit Drugs
- Usg identification
major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country
major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
Trafficking in Persons
- Tier rating
- Tier 3 — Burma does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so, therefore, Burma remained on Tier 3; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/burma/
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Idps
- 3,646,658 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 619,429 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index10.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4180 / 1902024-Q4
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.02as of 2024-Q4167 / 1702024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (8/100)as of 2024-Q4—2024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Restricted press (28/100)as of 2024—2024
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Burma — vintage 2026-Q1: Burma factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/burma
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata