Demographics of Myanmar

Demographics of Myanmar
Population pyramid of Myanmar in 2020
Population57,526,449 (2022 est.)
Growth rate0.78% (2022 est.)
Birth rate16.34 births/1,000 population
Death rate16.34 births/1,000 population
Life expectancy69.92 years
 • male68.27 years
 • female71.67 years
Fertility rate2.02 children
Infant mortality rate32.94 deaths/1,000 live births
Net migration rate-1.37 migrant(s)/1,000 population
Age structure
0–14 years26.93%
15–64 years66.49%
65 and over6.58%
Sex ratio
Total0.97 male(s)/female (2022 est.)
At birth1.06 male(s)/female
Nationality
NationalityBurmese
Major ethnicBurman (Bamar) (68%)
An ethnolinguistic map of Burma.

This is a demography of Myanmar (also known as Burma) including statistics such as population, ethnicity, language, education level, and religious affiliations.

Population of Myanmar by census

Population

1983 census

At the time of the 1983 census in Burma, as of 31 March 1983, the population was 35,442,972. As of July 2012, this was estimated by the CIA World Factbook to have increased to 60,584,650. Other estimates put place the total population at around 60 million. China's People's Daily reported that Burma had a census in 2007, and at the end of 2009 has 59.2 million people, and growing at 2% annually. with exception for Cyclone Nargis in 2008. Most of these estimates have indeed overlooked the demographic changes that were at work since the 1970s in the country.

Britain-based human rights agencies place the population as high as 70 million. Estimates for the country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS. This can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.

No trustworthy census has occurred since the 1930s. In the 1940s, the detailed census results were destroyed during the Japanese invasion of 1942. Census results after that time have been flawed by civil wars and a series of military governments. The census in 1983 occurred at a time when parts of the country were controlled by insurgent groups and inaccessible to the government.

2014 census

The Provisional results of the 2014 census show that the total population of Myanmar is 51,419,420—a population well below the official estimates of more than 60 million. This total population includes 50,213,067 persons counted during the census and an estimated 1,206,353 persons in parts of northern Rakhine State, Kachin State and Kayin State who were not counted. More females (51.8%) were counted than males (48.2%). People who were out of the country at the time of the census are not included in these figures.

The provisional census results indicated that there were 10,889,348 households in Myanmar. On average, 4.4 people lived in each household in the country. The average household size was highest in Kachin State and Chin State at 5.1. The lowest household sizes were observed in Ayeyawady Region, Bago Region, Magway Region and Naypyidaw Union Territory, each at 4.1.

Vital statistics

Burma has a low fertility rate (2.23 in 2011), slightly above replacement level, especially as compared to other Southeast Asian countries of similar economic standing, like Cambodia (3.18) and Laos (4.41), representing a significant decline from 4.7 in 1983 to 2.4 in 2001, despite the absence of any national population policy.

The fertility rate is much pronouncedly lower in urban areas. This is attributed to extreme delays in marriage (almost unparalleled in the region, with the exception of developed countries), the prevalence of illegal abortions, and the high proportion of single, unmarried women of reproductive age (with 25.9% of women aged 30–34 and 33.1% of men and women aged 25–34 single).

These patterns stem from several cultural and economic dynamics. The first is economic hardship, which results in the delay of marriage and family-building (the average age of marriage in Burma is 27.5 for men, 26.4 for women). The second is the social acceptability of celibacy among the Burmese, who are predominantly Buddhist and value celibacy as a means of spiritual development.

Births and deaths

Year Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR1 CDR1 NC1 TFR1 IMR1
1950   808,000   496,000   312,000 45.6 28.0 17.6 5.95 213.7
1951   820,000   499,000   321,000 45.4 27.6 17.8 5.95 209.8
1952   832,000   485,000   347,000 45.2 26.4 18.9 5.95 201.1
1953   845,000   478,000   367,000 45.1 25.5 19.6 5.96 193.6
1954   858,000   469,000   389,000 44.8 24.5 20.3 5.97 186.7
1955   868,000   463,000   404,000 44.5 23.7 20.7 5.97 180.6
1956   879,000   458,000   421,000 44.1 23.0 21.1 5.98 175.2
1957   891,000   456,000   435,000 43.8 22.4 21.4 5.99 170.5
1958   900,000   452,000   447,000 43.3 21.7 21.5 5.99 166.4
1959   908,000   451,000   457,000 42.7 21.2 21.5 5.99 162.8
1960   917,000   449,000   467,000 42.2 20.7 21.5 5.98 159.3
1961   926,000   449,000   477,000 41.7 20.2 21.5 5.98 155.7
1962   938,000   447,000   491,000 41.3 19.7 21.6 5.99 151.7
1963   948,000   445,000   503,000 40.9 19.2 21.7 5.99 147.4
1964   960,000   439,000   521,000 40.4 18.5 22.0 5.99 142.3
1965   974,000   431,000   543,000 40.1 17.8 22.3 5.99 136.9
1966   983,000   425,000   559,000 39.6 17.1 22.5 5.96 131.3
1967   996,000   418,000   578,000 39.1 16.4 22.7 5.92 126.2
1968   1,007,000   413,000   594,000 38.7 15.9 22.8 5.87 121.8
1969   1,019,000   417,000   601,000 38.2 15.7 22.6 5.81 119.6
1970   1,032,000   420,000   612,000 37.8 15.4 22.4 5.75 117.8
1971   1,046,000   420,000   625,000 37.5 15.1 22.4 5.68 115.9
1972   1,056,000   424,000   632,000 37.0 14.9 22.1 5.59 113.8
1973   1,066,000   426,000   640,000 36.5 14.6 21.9 5.49 111.8
1974   1,069,000   427,000   643,000 35.9 14.3 21.6 5.38 109.7
1975   1,078,000   429,000   649,000 35.5 14.1 21.4 5.29 107.8
1976   1,088,000   428,000   659,000 35.1 13.8 21.3 5.21 105.7
1977   1,096,000   430,000   666,000 34.7 13.6 21.1 5.12 103.7
1978   1,105,000   435,000   670,000 34.3 13.5 20.8 5.02 102.0
1979   1,117,000   434,000   683,000 34.0 13.2 20.8 4.94 99.9
1980   1,122,000   434,000   687,000 33.5 13.0 20.5 4.83 98.0
1981   1,129,000   437,000   692,000 33.1 12.8 20.3 4.73 96.2
1982   1,145,000   439,000   706,000 32.9 12.6 20.3 4.67 94.5
1983   1,162,000   443,000   719,000 32.8 12.5 20.3 4.62 92.8
1984 1,169,000   447,000 722,000 32.3 12.4 20.0 4.50 91.3
1985   1,153,000   450,000   702,000 31.3 12.2 19.1 4.30 89.9
1986   1,133,000   452,000   681,000 30.2 12.0 18.1 4.09 88.4
1987   1,112,000   453,000   659,000 29.1 11.8 17.2 3.89 87.0
1988   1,094,000   459,000   636,000 28.1 11.8 16.4 3.71 85.5
1989   1,102,000   455,000   646,000 27.9 11.5 16.4 3.64 83.9
1990   1,102,000   461,000   641,000 27.5 11.5 16.0 3.54 82.3
1991   1,101,000   461,000   640,000 27.0 11.3 15.7 3.45 80.8
1992   1,096,000   462,000   634,000 26.6 11.2 15.4 3.36 79.1
1993   1,092,000   461,000   631,000 26.1 11.0 15.1 3.28 77.3
1994   1,082,000   461,000   621,000 25.5 10.9 14.7 3.19 75.6
1995   1,072,000   461,000   611,000 25.0 10.7 14.2 3.11 74.0
1996   1,068,000   452,000   616,000 24.6 10.4 14.2 3.04 72.2
1997   1,059,000   453,000   606,000 24.1 10.3 13.8 2.96 70.6
1998   1,051,000   448,000   603,000 23.6 10.1 13.5 2.89 69.0
1999   1,046,000   454,000   592,000 23.2 10.1 13.1 2.83 67.4
2000   1,046,000   456,000   590,000 22.9 10.0 12.9 2.79 65.9
2001   1,059,000   458,000   601,000 23.0 9.9 13.0 2.78 64.3
2002   1,071,000   460,000   612,000 23.0 9.9 13.1 2.78 62.8
2003   1,054,000   461,000   593,000 22.4 9.8 12.6 2.70 61.1
2004   1,033,000   462,000   571,000 21.8 9.7 12.0 2.62 59.5
2005   1,016,000   460,000   556,000 21.3 9.6 11.6 2.55 57.8
2006   1,004,000   461,000   543,000 20.8 9.6 11.3 2.50 56.0
2007   1,000,000   457,000   543,000 20.6 9.4 11.2 2.48 54.2
2008   984,000 593,000   391,000 20.2 12.1 8.0 2.43 62.8
2009   973,000   451,000   521,000 19.8 9.2 10.6 2.39 50.5
2010   960,000   456,000   504,000 19.4 9.2 10.2 2.35 48.7
2011   952,000   450,000   502,000 19.1 9.0 10.1 2.31 46.9
2012   943,000   453,000   489,000 18.8 9.0 9.7 2.27 45.2
2013   941,000   446,000   495,000 18.6 8.8 9.8 2.26 43.5
2014   941,000   450,000   491,000 18.4 8.8 9.6 2.24 42.0
2015   948,000   447,000   501,000 18.4 8.7 9.7 2.25 40.7
2016   952,000   455,000   497,000 18.3 8.8 9.6 2.25 39.4
2017   949,000   461,000   488,000 18.1 8.8 9.3 2.23 38.1
2018   942,000   455,000   488,000 17.9 8.6 9.2 2.21 36.9
2019   938,000   461,000   476,000 17.7 8.7 9.0 2.20 35.7
2020   928,000   471,000   457,000 17.4 8.8 8.5 2.17 34.6
2021   920,000   526,000   395,000 17.1 9.8 7.3 2.15 33.7
1 CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births

Fertility and births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):

Year CBR (Total) TFR (Total) CBR (Urban) TFR (Urban) CBR (Rural) TFR (Rural)
2015–2016 18 2.3 (2.0) 16 1.9 (1.7) 18.8 2.4 (2.1)

Crude Birth Rate (CBR), Total Fertility Rate (TFR), and Total Marital Fertility Rate (TMFR) by region (2014 Myanmar Population and Housing Census):

Region Crude Birth Rate (CBR) Total Fertility Rate (TFR) Total Marital Fertility Rate (TMFR)
Total (Myanmar) 18.8 2.29 4.0
Urban 15.8 1.79 3.6
Rural 20.1 2.52 4.2
Kachin 22.0 2.82 5.1
Kayah 26.1 3.34 5.7
Kayin 23.8 3.43 5.4
Chin 29.9 4.37 6.9
Sagaing 19.4 2.32 4.4
Tanintharyi 21.9 2.98 5.0
Bago 17.6 2.19 3.6
Magway 17.6 2.07 3.8
Mandalay 16.9 1.94 3.7
Mon 18.1 2.44 4.2
Rakhine 18.0 2.24 3.5
Yangon 15.5 1.72 3.3
Shan 21.2 2.67 4.3
Ayeyawady 20.2 2.58 4.1
Naypyitaw 18.7 2.15 3.4

Structure of the population

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.X.2012) (Estimates):
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 30 139 447 30 836 546 60 975 993 100
0-4 2 892 346 2 843 804 5 736 150 9.41
5-9 3 019 538 2 933 751 5 953 054 9.76
10-14 3 061 725 2 939 751 6 001 476 9.84
15-19 2 939 176 2 830 830 5 770 006 9.46
20-24 2 804 028 2 729 466 5 533 494 9.07
25-29 2 608 652 2 578 175 5 186 827 8.51
30-34 2 378 395 2 414 221 4 792 616 7.86
35-39 2 134 820 2 212 315 4 347 135 7.13
40-44 1 868 709 1 984 907 3 853 616 6.32
45-49 1 604 910 1 737 570 3 342 480 5.48
50-54 1 325 584 1 459 978 2 785 562 4.57
55-59 1 081 479 1 213 529 2 295 008 3.76
60-64 838 871 962 728 1 801 599 2.95
65-69 647 286 766 066 1 413 352 2.32
70-74 477 948 593 666 1 071 614 1.76
75-79 335 405 449 974 785 379 1.29
80+ 120 575 186 050 306 625 0.50
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0-14 8 973 609 8 717 306 17 690 915 29.01
15-64 19 584 624 20 123 484 39 708 108 65.12
65+ 1 581 214 1 995 756 3 576 970 5.87
Population by Sex and Age Group (Census 29.III.2014) (Data refer to enumerated population. - 50 279 900); Population - 51 486 253:
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 24 228 714 26 051 186 50 279 900 100
0-4 2 262 783 2 209 347 4 472 130 8.89
5-9 2 438 372 2 380 705 4 819 077 9.58
10-14 2 595 759 2 512 613 5 108 362 10.16
15-19 2 290 998 2 334 991 4 625 989 9.20
20-24 2 091 525 2 239 544 4 331 069 8.61
25-29 1 995 465 2 150 669 4 146 134 8.25
30-34 1 884 549 2 014 312 3 898 861 7.75
35-39 1 705 630 1 857 850 3 563 480 7.09
40-44 1 548 942 1 734 131 3 283 073 6.53
45-49 1 375 041 1 571 107 2 946 148 5.86
50-54 1 182 341 1 376 891 2 559 232 5.09
55-59 935 979 1 115 958 2 051 937 4.08
60-64 712 040 864 805 1 576 845 3.14
65-69 466 618 597 875 1 064 493 2.12
70-74 301 679 411 491 713 170 1.42
75-79 228 315 324 983 553 298 1.10
80-84 130 875 204 701 335 576 0.67
85-89 56 979 101 090 158 069 0.31
90+ 24 834 48 123 72 957 0.15
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0-14 7 296 904 7 102 665 14 399 569 28.64
15-64 15 722 510 17 260 258 32 982 768 65.60
65+ 1 209 300 1 688 263 2 897 563 5.76
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.X.2020) (Based on the results of the 2014 Population Census.):
Age Group Male Female Total %
Total 26 253 029 28 564 888 54 817 917 100
0–4 2 530 919 2 466 636 4 997 555 9.12
5–9 2 440 079 2 391 031 4 831 110 8.81
10–14 2 498 690 2 434 982 4 933 672 9.00
15–19 2 580 205 2 502 427 5 082 632 9.27
20–24 2 303 893 2 352 534 4 656 427 8.49
25–29 2 048 287 2 234 735 4 283 022 7.81
30–34 1 933 997 2 157 191 4 091 188 7.46
35–39 1 848 391 2 048 816 3 897 207 7.11
40–44 1 686 627 1 892 346 3 578 973 6.53
45–49 1 524 718 1 764 361 3 289 079 6.00
50–54 1 352 184 1 607 900 2 960 084 5.40
55–59 1 155 216 1 413 151 2 568 367 4.69
60–64 896 135 1 145 018 2 041 153 3.72
65-69 640 767 863 956 1 504 723 2.74
70-74 395 453 576 158 971 611 1.77
75-79 211 626 342 884 554 510 1.01
80-84 124 414 213 715 338 129 0.62
85-89 61 122 113 105 174 227 0.32
90+ 20 306 43 942 64 248 0.12
Age group Male Female Total Percent
0–14 7 469 688 7 292 649 14 762 337 26.93
15–64 17 329 653 19 118 479 36 448 132 66.49
65+ 1 453 688 2 153 760 3 607 448 6.58

Life expectancy

Period Life expectancy in
Years
Period Life expectancy in
Years
1950–1955 36.1 1985–1990 57.8
1955–1960 41.3 1990–1995 59.6
1960–1965 44.2 1995–2000 61.3
1965–1970 49.6 2000–2005 62.9
1970–1975 51.9 2005–2010 64.3
1975–1980 54.0 2010–2015 66.0
1980–1985 56.0

Source: UN World Population Prospects

Ethnic groups

Ethnic composition in Myanmar (estimates)
Ethnic group Percent
Burman
68%
Shan
9%
Karen
7%
Han Chinese
2.5%
Indians
2.5%
Mon
2%
Rakhine
1.7%
Kachin
1.5%
Kayah
0.75%
Other groups
2.5%

Government classifications

The Burmese government identifies eight major national ethnic groups (which comprise 135 "distinct" ethnic groups), which include the Burman (68%), Shan (10%), Karen (7%), Rakhine (4%), Mon (3%), Kayah (1.5%), and Kachin (1.3%). However, the government classification system is flawed, because it groups ethnic groups by geography, rather than by linguistic or genetic similarity (e.g. the Kokang are under the Shan ethnicity, although they are a Han Chinese sub-group).

Unrecognised ethnic groups include Burmese Han-Chinese and Burmese Indians, who form 3% and 2% of the population respectively. The remaining 5% of the population belong to small ethnic groups such as the remnants of the Anglo-Burmese and Anglo-Indian communities, as well as the Lisu, Rawang, Naga, Padaung, Burmese Gurkha, Moken, and many minorities across Shan State.

Language

The official language and primary medium of instruction of Burma is Burmese (65%). Multiple languages are spoken in Burma, that includes Shan (7.4%), Karen (6.2%), Hindi or Urdu (4.3%), Kachin (2.1%), Chinese (2%) Chin (1.6%), Bengali (1.3%), Mon (1.8%), and Rakhine (2%), Nepali (1%). Additionally English is spoken as a second language, particularly by the educated urban elite, and is the secondary language learnt in government schools. In recent years, instruction of the Chinese language has been recovered, after long-term limitations from the government of Myanmar.

Religious affiliation

Religious
group
Population
% 1973
Population
% 1983
Population
% 2014
Buddhism 88.8% 89.4% 87.9%
Christianity 4.6% 4.9% 6.2%
Islam 3.9% 3.9% 4.3%
Hinduism 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%
Tribal religions 2.2% 1.2% 0.8%
Other religions 0.1% 0.1% 0.2%
Not religious n/a n/a 0.1%
Religion in Myanmar
Faith %
(2008 est.)
Total Buddhism 89%
Theravada Buddhism 89%
Mahayana Buddhism <1%
Total Christianity 4%
Baptist 3%
Roman Catholicism 1%
Total Islam 4%
Sunni Islam 4%
Shia Islam >0%
Total other religions <1%
Animism 1%
Other (inc. Hinduism) 2%

Buddhist Sangha

Below are statistics regarding the Buddhist monastic community in Myanmar, compiled by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee.

Sangha in Myanmar
Division Samanera members % Bhikkhu members % Sangha members %
Kachin State 3,121 1.2% 4,845 1.7% 7,966 1.5%
Kayah State 1,300 0.5% 760 0.3% 2,060 0.4%
Kayin State 5,967 2.4% 8,113 2.9% 14,080 2.6%
Chin State 157 0.1% 300 0.1% 457 0.1%
Sagaing Region 25,050 9.9% 29,991 10.6% 55,041 10.3%
Tanintharyi Region 3,009 1.2% 6,086 2.2% 9,095 1.7%
Naypyidaw Union Territory 5,713 2.3% 5,243 1.9% 10,956 2%
Bago Region 18,032 7.1% 32,166 11.4% 50,198 9.4%
Magway Region 13,654 5.4% 17,695 6.3% 31,349 5.9%
Mandalay Region 47,217 18.7% 52,747 18.7% 99,964 18.7%
Mon State 13,466 5.3% 19,303 6.8% 32,769 6.1%
Rakhine State 6,395 2.5% 6,548 2.3% 12,943 2.4%
Yangon Region 36,654 14.5% 51,788 18.3% 88,442 16.5%
Shan State 57,850 22.9% 19,663 7% 77,513 14.5%
Ayeyawady Region 15,377 6.1% 27,117 9.6% 42,494 7.9%
Subtotal 252,962 100% 282,365 100% 535,227 100%
Thilashin in Myanmar
Division Thilashin members %
Kachin State 1,103 1.8%
Kayah State 303 0.5%
Kayin State 1,000 1.7%
Chin State 43 0.1%
Sagaing Region 9,915 16.4%
Tanintharyi Region 978 1.6%
Naypyidaw Union Territory 923 1.5%
Bago Region 5,100 8.4%
Magway Region 2,473 4.1%
Mandalay Region 8,174 13.5%
Mon State 3,550 5.9%
Rakhine State 534 0.9%
Yangon Region 16,960 28.1%
Shan State 3,814 6.3%
Ayeyawady Region 5,520 9.1%
Subtotal 60,390 100%

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

Demographics of Myanmar, Data of FAO, year 2009; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

The following demographic statistics are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated.

Age structure

  • 0–14 years: 26.85% (male 7,567,976/female 7,233,577)
  • 15–24 years: 17.75% (male 4,917,290/female 4,865,264)
  • 25–54 years: 42.36% (male 11,426,913/female 11,922,728)
  • 55–64 years: 7.52% (male 1,930,253/female 2,213,263)
  • 65 years and over: 5.53% (male 1,327,811/female 1,718,739)

Median age

  • total: 28.2 years (2017 est.)

Population growth rate

0.91% (2017 est.)

Urbanisation

  • Urban population: 29.6% of total population (2014 census)
  • Rate of urbanisation: 2.9% of annual rate of change (2010–15 est.)

Human sex ratios

  • at birth: 1.06 males/female
  • under 15 years: 1.03 males/female
  • 15–64 years: 0.98 male/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.75 male/female (2009 est.)
  • total population: 0.93 male/female (2014 census)

Life expectancy

  • total population: 69.92 years
  • male: 68.27 years
  • female: 71.67 years (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

  • 5.8% (2016)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

  • 18.9% (2016)

Literacy

Age 15 and over can read and write, official statistics:

  • Total: 89.5%
  • Male: 92.6%
  • Female: 86.9%

Education expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2011)


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