📜 A long story
Myanmar, 1800 → today
Myanmar grew from 6 million in 1800 to 54.1 million; a newborn can expect 36.1 more years of life than in 1926, and output per person is 6.5× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 6 million people lived in Myanmar.
1900
9.41 million people.
1.6× the 1800 level
The sharpest fall in the data: down 19% between 1810 and 1818 (4.59 million → 3.7 million).
1950
17.7 million people.
1.9× the 1900 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1921.
2023
54.1 million people, the latest year in this series.
3.1× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1975.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1926
In 1926, a newborn in Myanmar could expect to live 30.8 years, on average.
1950
35.7 years.
+4.9 years since 1926
2023
66.9 years, the latest year in this series.
+31 years since 1950
Passed 40 years in 1955.
Passed 50 years in 1969.
Passed 60 years in 1999.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, Myanmar produced about Int$803 per person, in 2011 prices.
1901
Int$1,110.
1.4× the 1820 level
1950
Int$631.
43% lower than in 1901
2022
Int$5,180, the latest year in this series.
8.2× the 1950 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1999.
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 2012.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 20% between 1985 and 1988 (Int$1,510 → Int$1,210).
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1928
In 1928, fossil fuels and industry in Myanmar emitted about 0.2 t of CO₂ per person.
1950
0.045 t.
81% lower than in 1928
The sharpest fall in the data: down 100% between 1939 and 1946 (0.2 t → 0.00044 t).
2024
0.6 t, the latest year in this series.
13× the 1950 level
Reached twice the 1928 level in 2018.
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in Myanmar had spent 0.1 years in school, on average.
1900
0.4 years.
+0.31 years since 1870
1950
1.2 years.
+0.81 years since 1900
2015
5.9 years, the latest year in this series.
+4.7 years since 1950
Passed 2 years in 1980.
Passed 4 years in 2005.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).