Population
54.1M persons, 1 July latest value, 2023
Population on 1 July. UN estimate to 2023, medium variant from 2024; past UN revisions for forecast checks.
Myanmar
All indicators of the Macroscope base for Myanmar, with sources. Below: what past UN and IMF releases projected and what actually happened.
What the data shows
Computed with the same code as the observations under the main chart and in the API (get_insights). Moving together in time does not prove a cause.
How the indicators changed
- Fertility (TFR): 5.94 in 1950 → 2.12 in 2023 (−64%). The trend broke around 1970 and 1998: −0.01 → −0.11 → −0.03 a year.
- Births: 812k in 1950 → 904k in 2023 (+11%). Peak: 1.17M in 1984; the latest value is 23% lower. The trend broke around 1983 and 2012: +10k → −6.59k → −3.56k a year.
- Population: 17.7M in 1950 → 54.1M in 2023 (×3.1).
- Internet: 0% in 1990 → 45.4% in 2020 (+45 pp). Threshold: above 10% since 2015. Fastest growth in 2015–2020: 10.9% → 45.4%.
- Urban share: 19% in 1960 → 30.6% in 2025 (+12 pp). The trend broke around 1968: change slowed down (+0.48 → +0.15 a year).
- GDP per person (PPP): 775 PPP dollars in 1990 → 5,137 PPP dollars in 2025 (×6.6). Peak: 6,563 PPP dollars in 2019; the latest value is 22% lower. The trend broke around 2002 and 2018: +71 → +293 → −169 a year.
- GDP growth: on average 11.5% in the 2000s, 6.5% in the 2010s. Lowest: −12% in 2021; highest: 15.3% in 2004.
- Inflation: on average 14.4% in the 2000s, 6.2% in the 2010s, 16.7% in the 2020s. Lowest: −19.8% in 2001; highest: 47.5% in 2003.
What changed at the same time
- The fastest decline of "Fertility (TFR)" was in 1983–1993: 4.63 → 3.28. Over the same years: births 1.16M → 1.09M; population 35.2M → 41.5M; urban share 24.8% → 26.3%; GDP per person (PPP) 859 PPP dollars (1993); no data for the others in those years.
- Over the last 10 years (2013–2023): fertility (TFR) 2.26 → 2.12; births 939k → 904k; population 50.3M → 54.1M; internet 1.8% (2013); urban share 29.5% → 30.4%; GDP per person (PPP) 4,667 PPP dollars → 5,364 PPP dollars; GDP growth 7.9% (2013); inflation 6.4% → 27.6%.
How the indicators relate
- Fertility (TFR) and internet (1990–2020, 22 years): levels are noticeably related, in opposite directions (r = −0.48); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = −0.28).
- Fertility (TFR) and urban share (1960–2023, 64 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.96); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.59). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
- Fertility (TFR) and GDP per person (PPP) (1990–2023, 34 years): levels are strongly related, in opposite directions (r = −0.90); year-to-year changes show no reliable link (r = 0.22). This looks like a shared trend: both change over time, but not in step from year to year.
Forecasts vs actual
- Fertility (TFR): past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 1 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 10; median gap +6.5%.
- The UN 2002 projection expected this level (2.12) already around 2019: reality is 4 years behind it.
- The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (2.12, 2023) only around 2024: reality is 1 year ahead of it.
- Fertility (TFR): UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 1.83 (−14% vs 2023), 2100 — 1.73 (−18% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 1.23.
- Births: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 4 of 11 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 7; median gap +0.5%.
- The UN 2000 projection did not expect today's level (904k, 2023) before its horizon ended (2047).
- The UN 2022 projection expected today's level (904k, 2023) only around 2024: reality is 1 year ahead of it.
- Births: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 732k (−19% vs 2023), 2100 — 486k (−46% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 171k.
- Population: past UN projections. The outcome was below the projection in 11 of 12 revisions (1998–2022) and above in 1; median gap −4.9%.
- The UN 2000 projection expected this level (54.1M) already around 2012: reality is 11 years behind it.
- The UN 2017 projection expected this level (54.1M) already around 2018: reality is 5 years behind it.
- Population: UN 2024 projection (medium): 2050 — 58.6M (+8% vs 2023), 2100 — 49.7M (−8% vs 2023); low variant for 2100: 31M.
- GDP growth: IMF next-year forecasts (28 editions, 2007–2020). On average the outcome was 2.4 pp below the forecast; below it in 54% of cases; typical error ±3.7 pp. The biggest miss was for 2021: IMF, April 2020 expected 7.5%, the outcome was −12%.
- GDP growth: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2022 — 4%, 2024 — −1%, 2031 — 1.8%.
- Inflation: IMF next-year forecasts (32 editions, 2007–2022). On average the outcome was 0.6 pp below the forecast; below it in 53% of cases; typical error ±6.8 pp. The biggest miss was for 2009: IMF, October 2008 expected 30%, the outcome was 3.7%.
- Inflation: latest IMF forecast (IMF, April 2026): 2024 — 29.6%, 2026 — 19%, 2031 — 7.8%.
UN projections vs actual
Solid line: actual data, UN WPP 2024 estimates to 2023, then national statistics where comparable with the UN. Dashed: medium variants of past UN revisions. The table shows what each revision expected for the latest year (or five-year period) with actual data.
Population
persons, 1 July
- Actual
- UN 1998
- UN 2000
- UN 2002
- UN 2004
- UN 2006
- UN 2008
- UN 2010
- UN 2012
- UN 2015
- UN 2017
- UN 2019
- UN 2022
- UN 2024, medium
| Release | Target period | Horizon | Expected | Actual | Actual vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN 1998 | 2023 | 25 years | 57.3M | 54.1M | −5.5% |
| UN 2000 | 2023 | 23 years | 59.3M | 54.1M | −8.7% |
| UN 2002 | 2023 | 21 years | 59M | 54.1M | −8.3% |
| UN 2004 | 2023 | 19 years | 58.3M | 54.1M | −7.1% |
| UN 2006 | 2023 | 17 years | 54.8M | 54.1M | −1.2% |
| UN 2008 | 2023 | 15 years | 56.8M | 54.1M | −4.7% |
| UN 2010 | 2023 | 13 years | 52.6M | 54.1M | +2.9% |
| UN 2012 | 2023 | 11 years | 57.1M | 54.1M | −5.2% |
| UN 2015 | 2023 | 8 years | 57.6M | 54.1M | −5.9% |
| UN 2017 | 2023 | 6 years | 56.2M | 54.1M | −3.6% |
| UN 2019 | 2023 | 4 years | 55.7M | 54.1M | −2.8% |
| UN 2022 | 2023 | 1 year | 54.6M | 54.1M | −0.8% |
Births
births per year
- Actual
- UN 1998
- UN 2000
- UN 2002
- UN 2004
- UN 2006
- UN 2008
- UN 2010
- UN 2012
- UN 2015
- UN 2017
- UN 2019
- UN 2022
- UN 2024, medium
| Release | Target period | Horizon | Expected | Actual | Actual vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN 1998 | 2015–2020 | 20 years | 902k | 945k | +4.7% |
| UN 2000 | 2015–2020 | 18 years | 1.01M | 945k | −6.6% |
| UN 2002 | 2015–2020 | 16 years | 1.05M | 945k | −9.7% |
| UN 2004 | 2015–2020 | 14 years | 904k | 945k | +4.6% |
| UN 2006 | 2015–2020 | 12 years | 819k | 945k | +15.4% |
| UN 2008 | 2015–2020 | 10 years | 947k | 945k | −0.3% |
| UN 2010 | 2015–2020 | 8 years | 780k | 945k | +21.1% |
| UN 2012 | 2015–2020 | 6 years | 884k | 945k | +6.9% |
| UN 2015 | 2015–2020 | 2 years | 940k | 945k | +0.5% |
| UN 2017 | 2015–2020 | 0 years | 942k | 945k | +0.3% |
| UN 2022 | 2023 | 1 year | 910k | 904k | −0.7% |
Total fertility rate
children per woman
- Actual
- UN 1998
- UN 2000
- UN 2002
- UN 2004
- UN 2006
- UN 2008
- UN 2010
- UN 2012
- UN 2015
- UN 2017
- UN 2019
- UN 2022
- UN 2024, medium
| Release | Target period | Horizon | Expected | Actual | Actual vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UN 1998 | 2015–2020 | 20 years | 2.10 | 2.24 | +6.5% |
| UN 2000 | 2015–2020 | 18 years | 2.10 | 2.24 | +6.5% |
| UN 2002 | 2015–2020 | 16 years | 2.17 | 2.24 | +2.9% |
| UN 2004 | 2015–2020 | 14 years | 1.85 | 2.24 | +20.9% |
| UN 2006 | 2015–2020 | 12 years | 1.85 | 2.24 | +20.9% |
| UN 2008 | 2015–2020 | 10 years | 2.11 | 2.24 | +5.8% |
| UN 2010 | 2015–2020 | 8 years | 1.83 | 2.24 | +22.4% |
| UN 2012 | 2015–2020 | 6 years | 1.86 | 2.24 | +20.5% |
| UN 2015 | 2015–2020 | 2 years | 2.13 | 2.24 | +4.8% |
| UN 2017 | 2015–2020 | 0 years | 2.18 | 2.24 | +2.4% |
| UN 2022 | 2023 | 1 year | 2.12 | 2.12 | −0.1% |
IMF forecasts vs actual
Solid line: actual values from the latest IMF edition (data get revised, so we use the newest). Dashed: April editions, current year and five years ahead. The table covers next-year forecasts from all editions: mean error shows bias, mean absolute error shows accuracy.
Real GDP growth
% per year
- Actual (IMF)
- WEO, April editions
| Indicator | Forecasts | Mean error | Mean absolute error | Actual below forecast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real GDP growth | 28 | −2.4 pp | 3.7 pp | 54% |
| Inflation | 32 | −0.6 pp | 6.8 pp | 53% |
| Government gross debt | 17 | −0.4 pp | 4.8 pp | 35% |
All indicators
Demography
Births
904k births per year latest value, 2023
Live births per calendar year. UN WPP 2024 and national statistics (64 countries, 2015-2025).
Total fertility rate
2.12 children per woman latest value, 2023
Average number of children a woman would have at the age-specific fertility rates of the year.
Life expectancy at birth, women
70.2 years latest value, 2023
Years a newborn girl would live at the mortality rates of the year (UN).
Life expectancy at birth, men
63.8 years latest value, 2023
Years a newborn boy would live at the mortality rates of the year (UN).
Median age
29.5 years latest value, 2023
Age that divides the population in two halves (UN).
Mean age of mothers at childbirth
28.8 years latest value, 2023
Mean age of mothers at the birth of their children of any order (UN).
Sex ratio at birth
106.6 boys per 100 girls latest value, 2023
Boys born per 100 girls born (UN).
Net migration
−35k persons per year latest value, 2023
Immigrants minus emigrants per year (UN estimate and projection).
Old-age dependency
10.9 persons 65+ per 100 aged 20-64 latest value, 2020
Persons aged 65+ per 100 aged 20-64, every five years (UN).
Digitalisation
Internet users
45.4 % of population latest value, 2020
Share of individuals who used the Internet in the last three months from any device. ITU data.
Mobile cellular subscriptions
114.3 per 100 people latest value, 2024
Active mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people; can exceed 100 when people have several SIM cards. ITU data.
Fixed broadband subscriptions
2.9 subscriptions per 100 people latest value, 2024
Fixed subscriptions to high-speed Internet (256 kbit/s or more) per 100 people. ITU data.
Economy
GDP per capita, PPP
5,137 constant 2021 international $ latest value, 2025
Gross domestic product per person at purchasing power parity, constant 2021 international dollars (World Bank, ICP).
Real GDP growth
−12 % per year latest value, 2021
Annual change of GDP at constant prices. Actual values and forecasts from IMF WEO editions.
Inflation
27.6 % per year, average latest value, 2023
Change of the annual average consumer price index (IMF WEO).
Government gross debt
37.6 % of GDP latest value, 2019
General government gross debt, percent of GDP (IMF WEO).
GDP per capita, US dollars
1,035 current US dollars latest value, 2021
GDP per person in current US dollars at market exchange rates (IMF WEO).
Society
Urban population
30.6 % of population latest value, 2025
Share of people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices (World Bank, from UN World Urbanization Prospects).
Tertiary enrolment, women
24.4 % gross latest value, 2018
Women enrolled in tertiary education as a share of women in the five-year age group after secondary school; can exceed 100 (UNESCO).
Women with upper secondary education
21.9 % of women 25+ latest value, 2019
Share of women aged 25+ who completed at least upper secondary education (UNESCO).
Life expectancy at birth
67.1 years latest value, 2024
Life expectancy at birth, both sexes (World Bank, from UN and national statistics).
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