Demographics of Myanmar

An ethnolinguistic map of Burma.

The following is an overview of the demographics of Myanmar (also known as Burma), including statistics such as population, ethnicity, language, education level and religious affiliation.

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

Period	Live births per year	Deaths per year	Natural change per year	CBR1	CDR1	NC1	TFR1	IMR1
1950–1955	856 000	515 000	341 000	47.5	28.6	18.9	6.00	212.8
1955–1960	885 000	466 000	419 000	44.4	23.4	21.0	6.00	175.2
1960–1965	928 000	454 000	475 000	41.9	20.5	21.4	6.10	155.7
1965–1970	993 000	426 000	567 000	40.1	17.2	22.9	6.10	131.1
1970–1975	1 092 000	418 000	674 000	39.2	15.0	24.2	5.90	112.7
1975–1980	1 068 000	402 000	666 000	34.2	12.9	21.4	4.90	97.5
1980–1985	1 085 000	421 000	664 000	31.5	12.2	19.2	4.30	93.0
1985–1990	1 100 000	445 000	656 000	29.2	11.8	17.4	3.80	89.7
1990–1995	1 017 000	418 000	598 000	25.0	10.3	14.7	3.10	76.1
1995–2000	969 000	405 000	564 000	22.3	9.3	13.0	2.65	65.4
2000–2005	881 000	408 000	473 000	19.3	8.9	10.4	2.25	59.8
2005–2010	846 000	417 000	428 000	17.9	8.9	9.1	2.08	55.0
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

Births and deaths

Year	Population (x1000)	Live births	Deaths	Natural increase	Crude birth rate	Crude death rate	Rate of natural increase	TFR
2009		948 106	325 343	622 763				2,040
2010		965 937	346 205	619 732				2,030
2011		1 007 039	342 420	664 619				2,010

Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups of Burma

Ethnic Composition in Burma * Estimates
ethnic group or race			percent
Bamar			68%
Shan			9%
Kayin			7%
Other groups			4.5%
Rakhine			3.5%
Chinese			2.5%
Mon			2%
Kachin			1.5%
Indians			1.25%
Kayah			0.75%

Government classifications

The Burmese government identifies eight major national ethnic races (which comprise 135 "distinct" ethnic groups), which include the Bamar (68%), Shan (9%), Kayin (7%), Rakhine (4%), Mon (2%), Kayah, and Kachin. However, the government classification system is flawed, because it groups ethnic groups under ethnic races by geography, rather than by linguistic or genetic similarity (e.g. the Kokang are under the Shan ethnic race, although they are ethnic Chinese).

Unrecognised ethnic groups include Burmese Indians and Burmese Chinese, who form 2% and 3% 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, Moken, and many minorities across Shan State.

Language

Main article: Languages of Burma

The official language and primary medium of instruction of Burma is Burmese (65%). Multiple languages are spoken in Burma, and include Shan (6.4%), Karen (5.2%), Kachin (1.8%), Chin (1.6%), Mon (1.5%), and Rakhine (1.5%). English is also spoken, particularly by the educated urban elite, and is the secondary language learnt in government schools.

Religious affiliation

Further information: Religion in Burma

Religion in Burma
religion			percent
Buddhism			89%
Christianity			4%
Islam			4%
Others including Animism and Chinese folk religion			2%
Hinduism			1%

Religion in Burma based on traditions and sects
religion			percent
Theravada Buddhists			88.5%
Baptists and other Protestants			3%
Sunnis			2.65%
Others including Animists and Chinese folk religion practitioners			2%
Shias			1.35%
Catholics			1%
Hindus			1%
Mahayana Buddhists			0.5%

Religion in Burma

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	2.65%
Shia Islam	1.35%
Total other religions	<1%
Animism	1%
Other (inc. Hinduism)	2%

CIA World Factbook demographic statistics

Demographics of Burma, 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: 27.5% (male 7,560,859; female 7,278,652)
• 15–64 years: 67.5% (male 18,099,707; female 18,342,696)
• 65 years and over: 5% (male 1,184,29; female 1,533,599) (2011 est.)

Median age

• total: 29.9 years (2011 est.)

Population growth rate

1.07% (2011 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: 65.24 years
• male: 62.91 years
• female: 67.71 years

Literacy

(age 15 and over can read and write, official statistics)

• total population: 89.9%
• male: 93.9%
• female: 86.4% (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

1.2% of total GDP (2001)

References

• Population Projections for Myanmar, 1983-2013 Asia Pacific Population Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2 (PDF document)
•  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook.