Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar
Myanmar: Share of population living in urban and rural areas was 30.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
30.6%
Change on year
up 0.4%
World rank
211th
of 236 countries
All-time high
30.6%
in 2025
All-time low
14.9%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar stood at 30.6%. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.4% on the previous year and up 2.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar peaked at 30.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 14.9%, in 1950.
Myanmar ranks 211th of 236 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 14.9% | — |
| 1951 | 15.3% | +2.5% |
| 1952 | 15.6% | +2.4% |
| 1953 | 16.0% | +2.3% |
| 1954 | 16.3% | +2.2% |
| 1955 | 16.7% | +2.3% |
| 1956 | 17.1% | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 17.6% | +2.6% |
| 1958 | 18.0% | +2.6% |
| 1959 | 18.5% | +2.6% |
| 1960 | 19.0% | +2.6% |
| 1961 | 19.5% | +2.6% |
| 1962 | 20.0% | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 20.5% | +2.4% |
| 1964 | 20.9% | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 21.4% | +2.2% |
| 1966 | 21.8% | +2.1% |
| 1967 | 22.3% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 22.6% | +1.7% |
| 1969 | 23.0% | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 23.3% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 23.6% | +1.1% |
| 1972 | 23.8% | +0.9% |
| 1973 | 23.9% | +0.7% |
| 1974 | 24.1% | +0.5% |
| 1975 | 24.2% | +0.4% |
| 1976 | 24.3% | +0.4% |
| 1977 | 24.3% | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 24.4% | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 24.5% | +0.3% |
| 1980 | 24.6% | +0.3% |
| 1981 | 24.6% | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 24.7% | +0.4% |
| 1983 | 24.8% | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 25.0% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 25.1% | +0.5% |
| 1986 | 25.2% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 25.3% | +0.6% |
| 1988 | 25.5% | +0.6% |
| 1989 | 25.6% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 25.8% | +0.6% |
| 1991 | 26.0% | +0.6% |
| 1992 | 26.1% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 26.3% | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 26.5% | +0.7% |
| 1995 | 26.6% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 26.8% | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 27.0% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 27.2% | +0.7% |
| 1999 | 27.4% | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 27.5% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 27.7% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 27.9% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 28.1% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 28.2% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 28.4% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 28.6% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 28.7% | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 28.9% | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 29.0% | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 29.1% | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 29.3% | +0.4% |
| 2012 | 29.4% | +0.4% |
| 2013 | 29.5% | +0.4% |
| 2014 | 29.6% | +0.4% |
| 2015 | 29.7% | +0.3% |
| 2016 | 29.8% | +0.3% |
| 2017 | 29.9% | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 30.0% | +0.3% |
| 2019 | 30.1% | +0.3% |
| 2020 | 30.2% | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 30.2% | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 30.3% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 30.4% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 30.4% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 30.6% | +0.4% |
Myanmar compared with similar countries
- Myanmar's 30.6% is below the median for lower middle income countries, which is 50.9%, 60% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
- Myanmar's 30.6% is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 65.4%, 47% of the median. (37 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 16.6% | 14.9% | 18.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 21.1% | 19.0% | 23.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 24.0% | 23.3% | 24.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 25.1% | 24.6% | 25.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 26.6% | 25.8% | 27.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 28.3% | 27.5% | 29.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.6% | 29.1% | 30.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 30.4% | 30.2% | 30.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Myanmar
- 208 Saint Kitts and Nevis 31.9% compare
- 209 Solomon Islands 31.3% compare
- 210 Rwanda 30.9% compare
- 212 Guernsey 29.6% compare
- 213 Saint Lucia 29.1% compare
- 214 Burkina Faso 28.9% compare
More population data for Myanmar
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.5005 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -0.8844 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.5005 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.4448 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 59,929 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.5289 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.737 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.5% (2100)
- Population density 76.09 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 2.45 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar?
- Share of population living in urban and rural areas in Myanmar was 30.6% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 30.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban and rural areas recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 14.9% in 1950.
- How does Myanmar rank for share of population living in urban and rural areas?
- Myanmar ranks 211th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban and rural areas rising or falling in Myanmar?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Myanmar data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban and rural areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.