Myanmar’s first census in more than 30 years: A radical revision of the official population count

Abstract

According to official statistics, Myanmar had a population of 61 million in 2012. These figures were obtained using population projections based on the most recent census conducted in 1983. A new population census conducted in Myanmar in April 2014 shed light on the extent of recent  demographic changes in the country. Confirming the distinctive childbearing behaviour of Myanmar women and the scale of international migration, these new census data reveal that the population is 15% smaller than indicated by earlier official estimates.