Myanmar

Table of Contents

Introduction & Quick Facts
Land
- Relief
- Drainage and soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Ethnic groups
- Languages
- Religion
- Settlement patterns
- Demographic trends
Economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Trade
- Taxation
- Transportation
Government and society
- Administrative framework
- Local government
- Justice
- Security
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
History
- The origins of civilization in Myanmar
  - The Pyu state
  - The Mon
- The kingdom of Pagan (849–c. 1300)
  - The advent of the Burmans at Pagan
  - The unification of Myanmar
  - Pagan state and society
- Myanmar from the end of Pagan to 1885
  - The first Ava kingdom, 1364–1527
  - The Toungoo dynasty, 1531–1752
  - The Alaungpaya dynasty, 1752–1885
  - The administration of dynastic Myanmar
- The British in Burma, 1885–1948
  - The initial impact of colonialism
  - The religious dilemma
  - The colonial economy
  - The emergence of nationalism
  - World War II and after
- Since independence
  - The unsettled early years, 1948–62
  - The socialist state, 1962–88
  - Myanmar since 1988

References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

Physical features of Myanmar

Irrawaddy River

For Students

Myanmar summary

Discover

Albert Einstein in Washington, D.C. c. 1921-1923. Physicist

The Solar Eclipse That Made Albert Einstein a Science Celebrity

Periodical Cicada, Adult, Magicicada spp. Requires 17 years to complete development. Nymph splits its skin, and transforms into an adult. Feeds on sap of tree roots. Northern Illinois Brood. This brood is the largest emergence of cicadas anywhere

Why Do Some Cicadas Appear Only Every 17 Years?

Artist interpretation of a Space meteoroid impact. Meteor impact. Asteroid, End of the world, danger, destruction, dinosaur extinct, Judgement Day, Planet Earth, Doomsday Predictions, comet

10 Failed Doomsday Predictions

Stylish light blue jeans on wooden background, closeup of inset pocket

Why Do Jeans Have That Tiny Pocket?

earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008.

The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950

solar eclipse, sun, moon, astronomy, space

How Do You Tell the Difference Between Total, Annular, Solar, and Lunar Eclipses?

Solar Eclipse, Eclipse, Solar Flare, Outer Space, Astronomy

What Causes Lunar and Solar Eclipses?

Myanmar: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	Myanma • Burma • Union of Myanmar • Mranma Prañ
Head Of State And Government	Prime Minister: Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing²
Capital	Nay Pyi Taw (Naypyidaw)
Population	(2024 est.) 57,333,000
Form Of Government	military government²
Official Language	Myanmar (Burmese)
Official Religion	none³
Official Name	Pyihtaungsu Thamada Myanmar Naingngandaw (Republic of the Union of Myanmar)¹
Total Area (Sq Km)	676,553
Total Area (Sq Mi)	261,219
Monetary Unit	Myanmar kyat (K)
Population Rank	(2023) 26
Population Projection 2030	58,851,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2023) 216
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2023) 83.4
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2019–2020) 29.9% • Rural: (2019–2020) 70.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2020) 62.5 years • Female: (2020) 71.5 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2019) 92% • Female: (2019) 86%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2022) 65,521
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2022) 1,210
¹Official long-form name of the country per the constitution, effective January 31, 2011.²The military seized power on February 1, 2021. Pres. Win Myint, State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, and other members of their National League for Democracy ruling party were detained by the military, and Vice Pres. Myint Swe (a former general) became acting president. He immediately invoked articles 417 and 418 of the constitution, which allowed him to declare a one-year state of emergency and hand control of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government to the commander in chief of the armed forces, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. On February 2 the State Administrative Council was formed, with Senior Gen. Min as chairman, to govern the country during the state of emergency. On August 1 the State Administrative Council was replaced by a military-led caretaker government with Senior Gen. Min named as prime minister, and the state of emergency was extended until August 2023.³The government promotes Theravada Buddhism over other religions.

Photos

Physical features of Myanmar

Irrawaddy River

National anthem of Myanmar

See All Images, Audio and Interactives →

Topics

Alaungpaya Dynasty Toungoo Dynasty history of Southeast Asia Anglo-Burmese Wars ASEAN ASEAN Regional Forum Battle of Nong Sa Rai Battle of Ngasaunggyan nation-state 2021 Myanmar coup d’état United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

Buddhism: From Myanmar to the Mekong delta

Min Aung Hlaing

Min Aung Hlaing

military officer of Myanmar

Qianlong

Qianlong

emperor of Qing dynasty

Aung San Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar politician and opposition leader

Ne Win, U

U Ne Win

Myanmar general and dictator

Thein Sein

Thein Sein

president of Myanmar

Than Shwe

Myanmar soldier and politician

Aung San

Aung San

Myanmar nationalist

U Nu

prime minister of Myanmar

U Thant, 1965

U Thant

Myanmar educator and secretary-general of the United Nations

Adoniram Judson, detail from an engraving by Alfred Jones after a painting by Chester Harding, 1846

Adoniram Judson

American missionary

Saya San

Myanmar leader

Mindon

king of Myanmar

Alaungpaya

Alaungpaya

king of Myanmar

U Saw

Myanmar political leader

Pagan

king of Myanmar

Bagyidaw

king of Myanmar

Bayinnaung

king of Myanmar

Ba Maw

prime minister of Myanmar

Thakin Than Tun

Myanmar politician

Frank Dow Merrill

United States Army officer

Asia

Asia

continent

Physical features of Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

Pagan, Myanmar

Pagan

Myanmar

Yangon River

Yangon

Myanmar

Pegu: Shwethalyaung

Pegu

historical city, Myanmar

Mandalay, Myanmar

Mandalay

Myanmar

Bhamo

Bhamo

Myanmar

Amarapura

Amarapura

Myanmar

Tenasserim

region, Myanmar

Pyay: Shwesandaw pagoda

Pyay

Myanmar

Pathein

Myanmar

Arakan

state, Myanmar

Mawlamyine

Mawlamyine

Myanmar

Myitkyinā

Myanmar

Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Nay Pyi Taw

national capital, Myanmar

Quiz

Flags of all countries of the world. Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

The Country Quiz

Flags of the world. National flags. Country flags. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries of the World

10:087 Ocean: The World of Water, two globes showing eastern and western hemispheres

You Name It!

Flags of the world against blue sky. Countries, International. Globalization, global relations, Australia, Canada, United Kingdom, Poland, Palestine, Japan. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

Which Country Is Larger By Population? Quiz

Opened passport with visas, stamps, seals, world map. (travel, tourism)

Guess the Country by Its Neighbors Quiz

7:023 Geography: Think of Something Big, globe showing Africa, Europe, and Eurasia

Which Country Is Larger By Area? Quiz

asia bee map

Get to Know Asia

Map showing World distribution of the major religions.

It’s All in the Name

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Match the Country with Its Hemisphere Quiz

Actual continental drift of plates. Thematic map.

Geography Fun Facts

Brown globe on antique map. Brown world on vintage map. North America. Green globe. Hompepage blog 2009, history and society, geography and travel, explore discovery

Countries & Their Features

Flags of all nations of the world. Grouping of various country flags on a world map.

Which Country Is Larger? Quiz