2020 Edition

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.

Area

land

653,508 sq km

total

676,578 sq km

water

23,070 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Texas

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)

Coastline

1,930 km

Elevation

highest point

Gamlang Razi 5,870 m

lowest point

Andaman Sea/Bay of Bengal 0 m

mean elevation

702 m

Geographic coordinates

22 00 N, 98 00 E

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

Irrigated land

17,140 sq km (2020)

Land boundaries

border countries

Bangladesh 271 km; China 2,129 km; India 1,468 km; Laos 238 km; Thailand 2,416 km

total

6,522 km

Land use

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.)

forest

42.4% (2023 est.)

other

37.7% (2023 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, between Bangladesh and Thailand

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

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)

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm or to the edge of the continental margin

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

Natural hazards

destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts

Natural resources

petroleum, timber, tin, antimony, zinc, copper, tungsten, lead, coal, marble, limestone, precious stones, natural gas, hydropower, arable land

Population distribution

population concentrated along coastal areas and in general proximity to the shores of the Irrawaddy River; the extreme north is relatively underpopulated

Terrain

central lowlands ringed by steep, rugged highlands

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.5 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

1.55 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

2.06 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.02 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

15.44 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

5% (2016)

women married by age 15

1.9% (2016)

women married by age 18

16% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

19.5% (2018 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58% (2019 est.)

Death rate

7.17 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

10.7 (2025 est.)

potential support ratio

9.3 (2025 est.)

total dependency ratio

45.7 (2025 est.)

youth dependency ratio

35 (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.)

Ethnic groups

Burman (Bamar) 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%

Gross reproduction rate

0.95 (2025 est.)

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.)

Hospital bed density

1.1 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

28.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

35.4 deaths/1,000 live births

total

30.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Languages

Burmese (official)

major-language sample(s)

ကမ္ဘာ့အချက်အလက်စာအုပ်- အခြေခံအချက်အလက်တွေအတွက် မရှိမဖြစ်တဲ့ အရင်းအမြစ် (Burmese) The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

72.1 years

male

68.5 years

total population

70.3 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

92.7% (2020 est.)

male

94.7% (2020 est.)

total population

93.5% (2020 est.)

Major urban areas - population

5.610 million RANGOON (Yangon) (capital), 1.532 million Mandalay (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

185 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

31.6 years

male

29.9 years

total

31.1 years (2025 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

24.7 years (2015/16 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Burmese

noun

Burmese (singular and plural)

Net migration rate

-1.36 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

5.8% (2016)

Physician density

0.76 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

female

29,340,251

male

28,591,467

total

57,931,718 (2025 est.)

Population growth rate

0.69% (2025 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 87.9%, Christian 6.2%, Muslim 4.3%, Animist 0.8%, Hindu 0.5%, other 0.2%, none 0.1% (2014 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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

12 years (2018 est.)

male

11 years (2018 est.)

total

12 years (2018 est.)

Sex ratio

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

at birth

1.06 male(s)/female

total population

0.97 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

17.1% (2025 est.)

male

68.1% (2025 est.)

total

42.2% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.95 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.85% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

32.1% of total population (2023)

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

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"

geographic coordinates

16 48 N, 96 10 E

name

Rangoon (aka Yangon, continues to be recognized as the primary Burmese capital by the US Government); Nay Pyi Taw is the administrative capital

time difference

UTC+6.5 (11.5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

Constitution

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

history

previous 1947, 1974 (suspended until 2008); latest drafted 9 April 2008, approved by referendum 29 May 2008

Country name

conventional long form

Union of Burma

conventional short form

Burma

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

former

Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma, Union of Myanmar

local long form

Pyidaungzu Thammada Myanma Naingngandaw (translated as the Republic of the Union of Myanmar)

local short form

Myanma Naingngandaw

Diplomatic representation from the US

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/

embassy

110 University Avenue, Kamayut Township, Rangoon

FAX

[95] (1) 751-1069

mailing address

4250 Rangoon Place, Washington DC 20521-4250

telephone

[95] (1) 753-6509

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

2300 S Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

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/

FAX

[1] (202) 332-4351

telephone

[1] (202) 332-3344

Executive branch

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)

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

head of government

Prime Minister NYO SAW (since 31 July 2025)

most recent election date

8 November 2020

state counsellor

State Counselor AUNG SAN SUU KYI (since 6 April 2016); note - under arrest since 1 February 2021

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

Government type

military regime

Independence

4 January 1948 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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

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

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law (as introduced in codifications designed for colonial India) and customary law

Legislative branch

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

legislative structure

bicameral

legislature name

Assembly of the Union (Pyidaungsu Hluttaw)

most recent election date

28 December 2025

National anthem(s)

history

adopted 1948

lyrics/music

SAYA TIN

title

"Kaba Ma Kyei" (Till the End of the World)

National color(s)

yellow, green, red, white

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Pyu Ancient Cities; Bagan

total World Heritage Sites

2 (both cultural)

National holiday

Independence Day, 4 January (1948); Union Day, 12 February (1947)

National symbol(s)

chinthe (mythical lion)

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)

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

rice, sugarcane, vegetables, beans, maize, groundnuts, plantains, fruits, coconuts, onions (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

53.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$10.22 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$10.945 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance

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.)

Debt - external

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

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.)

Exports

Exports 2018

$15.728 billion (2018 est.)

Exports 2019

$17.523 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2021

$20.4 billion (2021 est.)

Exports - commodities

garments, natural gas, dried legumes, rare-earth metal compounds, precious stones (2023)

Exports - partners

China 32%, Thailand 16%, Japan 7%, Germany 6%, India 5% (2023)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

20.8% (2024 est.)

industry

37.8% (2024 est.)

services

41.4% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$74.08 billion (2024 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

30.7 (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

25.5% (2017 est.)

lowest 10%

3.8% (2017 est.)

Imports

Imports 2018

$18.664 billion (2018 est.)

Imports 2019

$17.356 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2021

$23.1 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - commodities

refined petroleum, synthetic fabric, fertilizers, crude petroleum, fabric (2023)

Imports - partners

China 40%, Thailand 18%, Singapore 15%, Indonesia 4%, Malaysia 4% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-0.2% (2024 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

Inflation rate (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.)

Labor force

22.742 million (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

24.8% (2017 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

35.7% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

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.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2022

4% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

-1% (2024 est.)

Real GDP per capita

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.)

Remittances

Remittances 2021

1.9% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

2% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

1.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

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.)

Taxes and other revenues

6% (of GDP) (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

3.1% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.1% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

9.4% (2024 est.)

male

10.5% (2024 est.)

total

10% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

907,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

221,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

67,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

production

1.031 million metric tons (2023 est.)

proven reserves

252 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

23.625 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

200 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

7.419 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

1.855 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

62.8%

electrification - total population

73.7% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

93.9%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

1% 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.)

solar

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

8.384 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

4.241 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports

9.29 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports

219.822 million cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

13.549 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

637.129 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

139 million barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

122,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

7,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

3 (2023 est.)

total

1.51 million (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

Internet users

percent of population

59% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

1 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

559,000 (2024 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

114 (2024 est.)

total subscriptions

62.3 million (2024 est.)

Airports

74 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

XY

Heliports

6 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 1, general cargo 44, oil tanker 5, other 51

total

101 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Bassein, Mergui, Moulmein Harbor, Rangoon, Sittwe

large

0

medium

0

ports with oil terminals

3

small

5

total ports

7 (2024)

very small

2

Railways

narrow gauge

5,031 km (2008) 1.000-m gauge

total

5,031 km (2008)

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 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 and security service personnel strengths

information varies; estimated 150,000 active military personnel (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 expenditures

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 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)

Illicit drugs

USG identification

major illicit drug-producing and/or drug-transit country major precursor-chemical producer (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

3,646,658 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

619,429 (2024 est.)

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/

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.24 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

8.376 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

17.39 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

27.005 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

deforestation; industrial pollution of air, soil, and water; inadequate sanitation and water treatment; rapid depletion of the country's natural resources

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

Particulate matter emissions

27.2 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

1.168 trillion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

29.57 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

498.4 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

3.323 billion cubic meters (2022 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.)