Myanmar: Facts & Stats

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

Last Updated: Dec 25, 2025

News •

Myanmar will hold its first general election in 5 years as criticism of the military rule mounts • Dec. 25, 2025, 10:49 PM ET (AP)

Resistance forces in Myanmar detain a candidate in this month's election, state media report • Dec. 3, 2025, 8:12 AM ET (AP)

Political prisoners released in Myanmar mass amnesty • Nov. 27, 2025, 2:17 AM ET (AP)

Rights groups slam Trump administration for ending Myanmar deportation protection as civil war rages • Nov. 25, 2025, 11:50 PM ET (AP)

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	(2025 est.) 57,940,000
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)	261,217
Monetary Unit	Myanmar kyat (K)
Population Rank	(2025) 26
Population Projection 2030	58,851,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 221.8
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 85.6
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2019–2020) 29.9% • Rural: (2019–2020) 70.1%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 62.8 years • Female: (2022) 71.3 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2019) 92% • Female: (2019) 86%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 66,552
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 1,230
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.