American Language 250

Standard American Almanac

World · permanent entity record · BM

Flag of Burma

Burma

Thirty-second orientation

Burma at a glance

Capital
Rangoon (aka Yangon, continues to be recognized as the primary Burmese capital by the US Government); Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · as of 2026-02-04
Population
54,850,648
World Bank, World Development Indicators · observation year 2025
Area
676,578 sq km
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · as of 2026-02-04
Nationality / demonym
noun: Burmese (singular and plural); adjective: Burmese
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · as of 2026-02-04
Government
military regime
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · as of 2026-02-04
Languages
Burmese (official)
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · as of 2026-02-04

Independently structured milestones · not a complete national history

Burma through time

  1. Admitted to the United Nations

    Burma became a member of the United Nations.

    United Nations, Member States · source checked 2026-09-04

Source history · changed fields only

Changes since the final CIA profile

FieldMaintained Almanac valueFinal CIA profile
Population54,850,648World Bank, World Development Indicators · observation year 2025total: 57,931,718 (2025 est.) male: 28,591,467 female: 29,340,251CIA World Factbook · as of 2026-01-20

A difference may reflect a newer observation, a revised estimate, or a different source definition. This table reports the values and dates; it does not manufacture a trend.

World Development Indicators · latest available observation

People, economy, and access

Observation years vary by measure. Each row identifies the series and year instead of presenting unlike dates as one current snapshot.

Gross domestic product
$81.7 billion
World Bank, World Development Indicators · indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.CD · observation year 2025 · dataset updated 2026-07-13World Development Indicators observation for 2025; indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.CD. Underlying providers: National statistical authorities, central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
Gross domestic product per person
$1,489
World Bank, World Development Indicators · indicator NY.GDP.PCAP.CD · observation year 2025 · dataset updated 2026-07-13World Development Indicators observation for 2025; indicator NY.GDP.PCAP.CD. Underlying providers: National statistical authorities, central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
Life expectancy at birth
67.1 years
World Bank, World Development Indicators · indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN · observation year 2024 · dataset updated 2026-07-13World Development Indicators observation for 2024; indicator SP.DYN.LE00.IN. Underlying providers: UN Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
Urban population
30.6%
World Bank, World Development Indicators · indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS · observation year 2025 · dataset updated 2026-07-13World Development Indicators observation for 2025; indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. Underlying providers: UN Population Division, World Urbanization Prospects. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
Access to electricity
80.4%
World Bank, World Development Indicators · indicator EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS · observation year 2024 · dataset updated 2026-07-13World Development Indicators observation for 2024; indicator EG.ELC.ACCS.ZS. Underlying providers: World Bank ESMAP, Tracking SDG 7. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
People using the internet
45.4%
World Bank, World Development Indicators · indicator IT.NET.USER.ZS · observation year 2020 · dataset updated 2026-07-13World Development Indicators observation for 2020; indicator IT.NET.USER.ZS. Underlying providers: International Telecommunication Union. Source footnote: Source and notes: ITU estimate., Retrieved 2026-09-08.

World Development Indicators data are provided under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). The linked indicator metadata identifies the underlying statistical providers.

Maintained profile

Capital
Rangoon (aka Yangon, continues to be recognized as the primary Burmese capital by the US Government); Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · The nation set and displayed federal short name follow the current State Department independent-states register, dated August 11, 2026.
Area
676,578 sq km
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · Final CIA source data preserved by a community mirror after the Factbook was retired; the mirror is not the issuing authority.
Population
54,850,648
World Bank, World Development Indicators · World Development Indicators observation for 2025; indicator SP.POP.TOTL. Underlying providers: UN Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat. Retrieved 2026-09-08.
Currency
kyats (MMK)
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · Currency label extracted from the Factbook exchange-rate field.
Languages
Burmese (official)
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · Factbook language listing reproduced without inferring official status beyond the source wording.
Nationality / demonym
noun: Burmese (singular and plural); adjective: Burmese
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json · The source’s noun and adjective forms are retained. These are language labels, not evidence of any individual person’s citizenship.
Government
military regime
CIA World Factbook final dataset, preserved by factbook.json ·
UN membership
1948-04-19
United Nations, Member States ·
Continent
Asia
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Continental label standardized from the archived profile region “East and Southeast Asia.”
Coastline
1,930 km
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Preserved final CIA profile; this field is a historical baseline, not a claim of current conditions.
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Preserved final CIA profile; this field is a historical baseline, not a claim of current conditions.
Religions
Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2014 est.) note: religion estimate is based on the 2014 national census, including an estimate for the non-enumerated population of Rakhine State, which is assumed to mainly affiliate with the Islamic faith; as of December 2019, Muslims probably make up less than 3% of Burma's total population due to the large outmigration of the Rohingya population since 2017
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Preserved final CIA profile; this field is a historical baseline, not a claim of current conditions.
Flag colors
yellow, green, red, white
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Colors extracted from the flag description in the preserved final CIA profile.
National symbol
chinthe (mythical lion)
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Preserved final CIA profile; this field is a historical baseline, not a claim of current conditions.
Highest point
Gamlang Razi · 19,259 ft (5,870 m)
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Preserved final CIA profile; this field is a historical baseline, not a claim of current conditions.
Lowest point
Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal · 0 ft (0 m)
CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · Preserved final CIA profile; this field is a historical baseline, not a claim of current conditions.
NATO membership
Not a member
NATO, What is NATO? · Membership status is reported from the organization's current member list as of the stated date.
BRICS membership
Not a member
BRICS Brazil, About the BRICS · Membership status is reported from the organization's current member list as of the stated date.

Preserved public-domain record · not maintained current data

Final CIA World Factbook profile

This is the preserved historical baseline from the Factbook’s final public snapshot. It is presented as the CIA stated it, not as a current Standard American Almanac finding. Current, independently maintained facts appear above when available.

CIA World Factbook historical record · final public snapshot · profile updated · pinned source record · commit d81154954b8b

Introduction1 fields
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.
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Geography19 fields
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Geographic coordinates
22 00 N, 98 00 E
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Map references
Southeast Asia
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Area
total : 676,578 sq km land: 653,508 sq km water: 23,070 sq km
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Texas
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Land boundaries
total: 6,522 km border countries (5): Bangladesh 271 km; China 2,129 km; India 1,468 km; Laos 238 km; Thailand 2,416 km
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Coastline
1,930 km
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Terrain
central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Elevation
highest point: Gamlang Razi 5,870 m lowest point: Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 m mean elevation: 702 m
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Natural resources
petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Land use
agricultural land: 19.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.7% (2023 est.) forest: 42.4% (2023 est.) other: 37.7% (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Irrigated land
17,140 sq km (2020)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Population distribution
population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Natural hazards
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
People and Society36 fields
Population
total: 57,931,718 (2025 est.) male: 28,591,467 female: 29,340,251
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Nationality
noun: Burmese (singular and plural) adjective: Burmese
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Ethnic groups
Burman (Bamar) 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5% note: the largest ethnic group — the Burman (or Bamar) — dominate politics, and the military ranks are largely drawn from this ethnic group; the Burman mainly populate the central parts of the country, while various ethnic minorities have traditionally lived in the peripheral regions that surround the plains in a horseshoe shape; the government recognizes 135 indigenous ethnic groups
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Languages
Burmese (official) major-language sample(s): ကမ္ဘာ့အချက်အလက်စာအုပ်- အခြေခံအချက်အလက်တွေအတွက် မရှိမဖြစ်တဲ့ အရင်းအမြစ် (Burmese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. note: minority ethnic groups use their own languages
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Religions
Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2014 est.) note: religion estimate is based on the 2014 national census, including an estimate for the non-enumerated population of Rakhine State, which is assumed to mainly affiliate with the Islamic faith; as of December 2019, Muslims probably make up less than 3% of Burma's total population due to the large outmigration of the Rohingya population since 2017
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 45.7 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 35 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.7 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 9.3 (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Median age
total: 31.1 years (2025 est.) male: 29.9 years female: 31.6 years
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Population growth rate
0.69% (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Birth rate
15.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Death rate
7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Net migration rate
-1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Population distribution
population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Urbanization
urban population: 32.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Major urban areas - population
5.610 million RANGOON (Yangon) (capital), 1.532 million Mandalay (2023)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Mother's mean age at first birth
24.7 years (2015/16 est.) note: data represents median age at first birth among women 25-49
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Maternal mortality ratio
185 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Infant mortality rate
total: 30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 35.4 deaths/1,000 live births female: 28.5 deaths/1,000 live births
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.3 years (2024 est.) male: 68.5 years female: 72.1 years
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Total fertility rate
1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Gross reproduction rate
0.95 (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Drinking water source
urban: 93.7% of population (2022 est.) rural: 77.1% of population (2022 est.) total: 82.4% of population (2022 est.) urban: 6.3% of population (2022 est.) rural: 22.9% of population (2022 est.) total: 17.6% of population (2022 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Health expenditure
5.6% of GDP (2021) 2.5% of national budget (2022 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Physician density
0.76 physicians/1,000 population (2019)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Hospital bed density
1.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Sanitation facility access
urban: 94.1% of population (2022 est.) rural: 82% of population (2022 est.) total: 85.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 5.9% of population (2022 est.) rural: 18% of population (2022 est.) total: 14.1% of population (2022 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
5.8% (2016)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Alcohol consumption per capita
total: 2.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 1.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Tobacco use
total: 42.2% (2025 est.) male: 68.1% (2025 est.) female: 17.1% (2025 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
19.5% (2018 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
58% (2019 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 1.9% (2016) women married by age 18: 16% (2016) men married by age 18: 5% (2016)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Education expenditure
2% of GDP (2019 est.) 9.7% national budget (2019 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Literacy
total population: 93.5% (2020 est.) male: 94.7% (2020 est.) female: 92.7% (2020 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 12 years (2018 est.) male: 11 years (2018 est.) female: 12 years (2018 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Environment10 fields
Environmental issues
deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment; rapid depletion of the country's natural resources
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Land use
agricultural land: 19.9% (2023 est.) arable land: 16.9% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.7% (2023 est.) forest: 42.4% (2023 est.) other: 37.7% (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Urbanization
urban population: 32.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Carbon dioxide emissions
27.005 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.) from consumed natural gas: 8.376 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Particulate matter emissions
27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 4.677 million tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 12.3% (2022 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Total renewable water resources
1.168 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Government23 fields
Country name
conventional long form: Union of Burma conventional short form: Burma local long form: Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar) local short form: Myanma Naingngandaw 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 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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Government type
military regime
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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 geographic coordinates: 16 48 N, 96 10 E time difference: UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) 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"
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Citizenship
citizenship by birth: no citizenship by descent only: both parents must be citizens of Burma dual citizenship recognized: no residency requirement for naturalization: none note: an applicant for naturalization must be the child or spouse of a citizen
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Executive branch
chief of state: Acting President Sr. Gen. MIN AUNG HLAING (since 31 July 2025) head of government: Prime Minister NYO SAW (since 31 July 2025) cabinet: Cabinet appointments shared by the president and the commander-in-chief 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) most recent election date: 8 November 2020 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) 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 state counsellor: State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021 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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Legislative branch
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 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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Supreme Court of the Union (consists of the chief justice and 7-11 judges) 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 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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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) note: more than 90 political parties participated in the 2020 elections; political parties continued to function after the 2021 coup, although some political leaders have been arrested by the military regime; in 2023, the regime announced a new law with several rules and restrictions on political parties and their ability to participate in elections; dozens of parties refused to comply with the new rules; the regime's election commission has subsequently banned more than 80 political parties, including the National League for Democracy
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Soe Thet NAUNG (since 24 June 2025) chancery: 2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 332-3344 FAX: [1] (202) 332-4351 email address and website: washington-embassy@mofa.gov.mm https://www.mewashingtondc.org/ consulate(s) general: Los Angeles
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Susan STEVENSON (since 10 July 2023) embassy: 110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon mailing address: 4250 Rangoon Place, Washington DC 20521-4250 telephone: [95] (1) 753-6509 FAX: [95] (1) 751-1069 email address and website: ACSRangoon@state.gov https://mm.usembassy.gov/
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
International organization participation
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Independence
4 January 1948 (from the UK)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
National holiday
Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
National symbol(s)
chinthe (mythical lion)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
National color(s)
yellow, green, red, white
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
National anthem(s)
title: "Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World) lyrics/music: SAYA TIN history: adopted 1948
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites: 2 (both cultural) selected World Heritage Site locales: Pyu Ancient Cities; Bagan
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Economy31 fields
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
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
$287.559 billion (2024 est.) $290.381 billion (2023 est.) $287.624 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Real GDP growth rate
-1% (2024 est.) 1% (2023 est.) 4% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Real GDP per capita
$5,300 (2024 est.) $5,400 (2023 est.) $5,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
GDP (official exchange rate)
$74.08 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.8% (2019 est.) 6.9% (2018 est.) 4.6% (2017 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 20.8% (2024 est.) industry: 37.8% (2024 est.) services: 41.4% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Agricultural products
rice, sugarcane, vegetables, beans, maize, groundnuts, plantains, fruits, coconuts, onions (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Industries
agricultural processing; wood and wood products; copper, tin, tungsten, iron; cement, construction materials; pharmaceuticals; fertilizer; oil and natural gas; garments; jade and gems
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Industrial production growth rate
-0.2% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Labor force
22.742 million (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Unemployment rate
3.1% (2024 est.) 3.1% (2023 est.) 3.1% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 10% (2024 est.) male: 10.5% (2024 est.) female: 9.4% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Population below poverty line
24.8% (2017 est.) note: % of population with income below national poverty line
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
30.7 (2017 est.) note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Average household expenditures
on food: 53.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.) on alcohol and tobacco: 0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 3.8% (2017 est.) highest 10%: 25.5% (2017 est.) note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Remittances
1.6% of GDP (2023 est.) 2% of GDP (2022 est.) 1.9% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Budget
revenues: $10.945 billion (2019 est.) expenditures: $10.22 billion (2019 est.) note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Public debt
35.7% of GDP (2016 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Taxes and other revenues
6% (of GDP) (2019 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Current account balance
$67.72 million (2019 est.) -$2.561 billion (2018 est.) -$4.917 billion (2017 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Exports
$20.4 billion (2021 est.) $17.523 billion (2019 est.) $15.728 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Exports - partners
China 32%, Thailand 16%, Japan 7%, Germany 6%, India 5% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Exports - commodities
garments, natural gas, dried legumes, rare-earth metal compounds, precious stones (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Imports
$23.1 billion (2021 est.) $17.356 billion (2019 est.) $18.664 billion (2018 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Imports - partners
China 40%, Thailand 18%, Singapore 15%, Indonesia 4%, Malaysia 4% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Imports - commodities
refined petroleum, synthetic fabric, fertilizers, crude petroleum, fabric (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$9.338 billion (2023 est.) $8.182 billion (2022 est.) $9.103 billion (2021 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Debt - external
$8.748 billion (2023 est.) note: present value of external debt in current US dollars
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Exchange rates
kyats (MMK) per US dollar - 2,100 (2023 est.) 1,932.543 (2022 est.) 1,615.367 (2021 est.) 1,381.619 (2020 est.) 1,518.255 (2019 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Energy7 fields
Electricity access
electrification - total population: 73.7% (2022 est.) electrification - urban areas: 93.9% electrification - rural areas: 62.8%
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 7.419 million kW (2023 est.) consumption: 23.625 billion kWh (2023 est.) exports: 200 million kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 1.855 billion kWh (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 61.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.4% 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.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Coal
production: 1.031 million metric tons (2023 est.) consumption: 907,000 metric tons (2023 est.) exports: 221,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 67,000 metric tons (2023 est.) proven reserves: 252 million metric tons (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 122,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 139 million barrels (2021 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Natural gas
production: 13.549 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 4.241 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 9.29 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) imports: 219.822 million cubic meters (2021 est.) proven reserves: 637.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Energy consumption per capita
8.384 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Communications6 fields
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 559,000 (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 1 (2024 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 62.3 million (2024 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 114 (2024 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Internet country code
.mm
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Internet users
percent of population: 59% (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
total: 1.51 million (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 3 (2023 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Transportation6 fields
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
XY
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Airports
74 (2025)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Heliports
6 (2025)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Railways
total: 5,031 km (2008) narrow gauge: 5,031 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Merchant marine
total: 101 (2023) by type: bulk carrier 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 5, other 51
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Ports
total ports: 7 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 5 very small: 2 ports with oil terminals: 3 key ports: Bassein, Mergui, Moulmein Harbor, Rangoon, Sittwe
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Military and Security6 fields
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) note 1: under the 2008 constitution, the Tatmadaw was given control over the appointments of senior officials to lead the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Border Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs; in 2022, a new law gave the commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw the authority to appoint or remove the head of the police force note 2: the military is supported by pro-government militias; some are integrated within the Tatmadaw’s command structure as Border Guard Forces, which are organized as battalions with a mix of militia forces, ethnic armed groups, and government soldiers that are armed, supplied, and paid by the Tatmadaw; other pro-military government militias are not integrated within the Tatmadaw command structure but receive direction and some support from the military and are recognized as government militias; a third type of pro-government militias are small community-based units that are armed, coordinated, and trained by local Tatmadaw forces and activated as needed
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Military expenditures
3.9% of GDP (2023 est.) 3.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.5% of GDP (2021 est.) 3% of GDP (2020 est.) 4.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; estimated 150,000 active military personnel (2025) note: the Tatmadaw has reportedly suffered heavy personnel losses in the ongoing fighting against anti-regime forces
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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) note: in February 2024, the military government announced that the People’s Military Service Law requiring mandatory military service would go into effect; the Service Law was first introduced in 2010 but had not previously been enforced; the military government also said that it intended to call up about 60,000 men and women annually for mandatory service; during the ongoing insurgency, the military has recruited men 18-60 to serve in local militias
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Transnational Issues3 fields
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 3,646,658 (2024 est.) stateless persons: 619,429 (2024 est.)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
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/
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source
Illicit drugs
USG identification: major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)
CIA World Factbook historical record · as of · source

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