Myanmar

Myanmar: explosive, multi-decade catch-up growth, 1980–2025

A period of gradual opening and growth after 2011 political reforms was reversed by the 2021 military coup, which triggered civil conflict, sanctions, and a sharp economic contraction. Between 1980 and 2025, Myanmar's GDP per capita grew from $31 to $1,489 (current US$), a compound annual growth rate of 9.0% — explosive, multi-decade catch-up growth. Annual GDP growth averaged 5.6% with a year-to-year standard deviation of 6.1 points, reflecting considerable volatility and periodic crises. Structurally, agriculture's share of the economy moved from 57.2% to 25.3% of GDP (a classic decline as the economy industrialized/modernized), while services rose from 37.1% to 38.5% of GDP, underscoring a shift toward a services-driven economy. On human development, life expectancy rose from 54.4 to 67.1 years, while tertiary school enrollment moved from 4.7% to 20.4%, while the urban population share grew from 24.6% to 30.6%.

What this growth cost: Growth was not without cost: per-capita CO2 emissions rose from 0.17 to 0.58 tonnes CO2e per person; income inequality (Gini index) narrowed from 38.1 to 30.7; the poverty headcount ratio fell from 18.2% to 10.3%.