Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar
Myanmar: Do more people live in urban or rural areas? was 30.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar is 30.6%, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 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, do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar peaked at 30.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Myanmar ranks 213th of 238 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.2% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.5% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.6% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.8% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 2.0% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 2.2% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 2.4% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 2.9% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 3.1% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 3.8% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 4.1% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 4.5% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 5.0% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 5.4% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 5.9% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 6.5% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 7.1% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 7.8% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 8.6% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 9.4% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 10.3% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 11.2% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 12.3% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 13.5% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 14.8% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 14.9% | +0.9% |
| 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)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.2% | 0.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.5% | 0.5% | 0.5% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1720s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1730s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.4% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 1 |
| 1770s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1780s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1790s | 3.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1 |
| 1800s | 4.1% | 4.1% | 4.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.5% | 1 |
| 1820s | 5.0% | 5.0% | 5.0% | 1 |
| 1830s | 5.4% | 5.4% | 5.4% | 1 |
| 1840s | 5.9% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 1 |
| 1850s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1860s | 7.1% | 7.1% | 7.1% | 1 |
| 1870s | 7.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 1 |
| 1880s | 8.6% | 8.6% | 8.6% | 1 |
| 1890s | 9.4% | 9.4% | 9.4% | 1 |
| 1900s | 10.3% | 10.3% | 10.3% | 1 |
| 1910s | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 1 |
| 1920s | 12.3% | 12.3% | 12.3% | 1 |
| 1930s | 13.5% | 13.5% | 13.5% | 1 |
| 1940s | 14.8% | 14.8% | 14.8% | 1 |
| 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
- 210 Saint Kitts and Nevis 31.9% compare
- 211 Solomon Islands 31.3% compare
- 212 Rwanda 30.9% compare
- 214 Guernsey 29.6% compare
- 215 Saint Lucia 29.1% compare
- 216 Burkina Faso 28.9% compare
More reference data data for Myanmar
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 3.28 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 4.58 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 11.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.53 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 11.17 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 11.01 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 19.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 25.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 73.24 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 13.8 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar?
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? in Myanmar was 30.6% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Myanmar?
- The highest recorded value was 30.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest do more people live in urban or rural areas? recorded in Myanmar?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Myanmar rank for do more people live in urban or rural areas??
- Myanmar ranks 213th out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is do more people live in urban or 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 volatile.
- Where does this Myanmar data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Do more people live in urban or rural areas?. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.