Census in Myanmar

Last updated

Historical population
YearPop.±%
18722,747,148    
18813,737,000+36.0%
18917,722,000+106.6%
190110,491,000+35.9%
191112,115,000+15.5%
192113,212,000+9.1%
193114,667,000+11.0%
194116,824,000+14.7%
197328,921,000+71.9%
198335,306,000+22.1%
201451,419,420+45.6%
Sources: 1872-1983, [1] 2014 [2]

The Burmese census is an official count of the human population in Burma (Myanmar).

Contents

History

The earliest census on record in Burmese history was taken in 1359 in the Pinya Kingdom. The first nationwide census was taken in 1638, and it was followed by two other nationwide censuses in 1784 and 1803. [3] The first modern census was taken in 1891 in the British colonial period. It was carried out in 10-year intervals until 1941. [4] In the post-independence area, the census has been conducted 3 times, in 1973, 1983, and 2014.

2014 Census

The last census was conducted by the Ministry of Immigration and Population's Department of Population, and was funded by Western donors, at a cost of US$74 million, and supervised by the United Nations Population Fund. [5]

2024 Census

In March 2023, the SAC announced it would conduct a nationwide census between 1 and 15 October 2024, in preparation for the next Myanmar general election. [6] Due to ongoing political instability in the wake of the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état and limited recognition of the military junta, the UN denied allegations that it would support the planned census. [7]

In September 2024, the military leader of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing announced that the main purpose of the 2024 census is to get voter lists for the 2025 general election. The current main opposition to Min Aung Hlaing, the National Unity Government advised caution when answering the questions on the census. [8]

Related Research Articles

Myint Swe is a Burmese politician and retired army officer who is currently Vice President of Myanmar since 30 March 2016 and previously served as Acting President of Myanmar from 1 February 2021 to 22 July 2024 making him the longest serving Acting President in Myanmar history. He also served as the acting president after the resignation of President Htin Kyaw from 21 March 2018 to 30 March 2018, and the chief minister of Yangon Region from 30 March 2011 to 30 March 2016. A member of the military proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), he is an ethnic Mon former lieutenant general in the Myanmar Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vice-President of Myanmar</span> Deputy head of state of Myanmar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabinet of Myanmar</span> Executive body of the Burmese government

The Cabinet of Myanmar, officially the Union Government, is the executive body of the government of Myanmar led by the prime minister of Myanmar. The Provisional Government serves as the current cabinet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wunna Maung Lwin</span> Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar

Wunna Maung Lwin is a Burmese politician and a member of State Administration Council. He was a Minister of Foreign Affairs under Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Min Aung Hlaing after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. He previously served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2011 to March 2016. He is a retired colonel in the Myanmar Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Min Aung Hlaing</span> Military junta ruler of Myanmar since 2021

Min Aung Hlaing is a Burmese army general who has ruled Myanmar as the chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC) since seizing power in the February 2021 coup d'état. He additionally appointed himself Prime Minister of Myanmar in August 2021, and President in July 2024. He has led the Tatmadaw, an independent branch of government, as the Commander-in-chief of Defence Services since March 2011, when he was handpicked to succeed longtime military ruler Senior General Than Shwe, who transferred leadership over the country to a civilian government upon retiring. Before assuming leadership over the Tatmadaw, Min Aung Hlaing served as Joint Chief of Staff from 2010 to 2011. Min Aung Hlaing is the first Defence Services Academy (DSA) graduate in Myanmar to lead a military coup as well as the first DSA graduate to become Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Myanmar census</span> National census of Myanmar undertaken in 2014

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Defence and Security Council</span> Constitutional body in Myanmars government

The National Defence and Security Council is an eleven-member national security council responsible for security and defence affairs in Myanmar. Though the president is the chief executive of the government of Myanmar, the 2008 Constitution reserves certain important executive powers for the NDSC and certain actions of the president and the Tatmadaw (military) require approval by the NDSC. Of the 11 members, the commander-in-chief of defence services appoints 5 members and controls 6 votes. The NDSC's existence is enshrined in Chapter V of the Constitution of Myanmar, and it was formed on 31 March 2011.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 Myanmar coup d'état</span> 2021 military coup in Myanmar

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">State Administration Council</span> Military junta governing Myanmar

The State Administration Council is the military junta currently governing Myanmar, established by Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Min Aung Hlaing following the February 2021 coup d'état and the declaration of a state of emergency by the National Defence and Security Council. Under the constitution, the Commander-in-Chief holds absolute legislative, executive, and judicial power during a state of emergency. Min Aung Hlaing has delegated his legislative power to the SAC, which he chairs. It has formed a provisional administration, also led by Min Aung Hlaing as Prime Minister of Myanmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chairman of the State Administration Council</span> Burmese junta chief

The Chairman of the State Administration Council is the head of Myanmar's ruling military junta, established in the 2021 coup d'état. Min Aung Hlaing is the current holder of the office, and also serves as the Prime Minister of the Provisional Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zaw Min Tun (general)</span> Myanmar Army Major General and Myanmar military spokesperson

Zaw Min Tun is a Burmese army general and the current Deputy Minister of Information in Myanmar. He serves concurrently as the Chief of the Tatmadaw True News Information Team and heads the Press Team of the State Administration Council (SAC). Zaw Min Tun is acknowledged as a senior spokesman for the Myanmar Army.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Provisional Government of Myanmar</span> Current cabinet of Myanmar

The Provisional Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, is the provisional government of Myanmar under the current military junta, the State Administration Council. On 1 August 2021, it replaced the Management Committee of the State Administration Council, which had been in place since 19 February 2021, following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état. Some ministers were appointed by Min Aung Hlaing immediately following the coup on 1 February, in his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services exercising emergency powers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Next Myanmar general election</span> Upcoming national election

In Myanmar's next general election, voters are expected to elect representatives to both the Amyotha Hluttaw and the Pyithu Hluttaw of the Assembly of the Union. The planned election would be the first after the 2021 military coup d'état. Though the military junta, the State Administration Council, initially promised to hold the election by August 2023, it has since indefinitely delayed the election in the face of increasing violence.

Moe Hein, also known as Washington Roosevelt, is a Burmese journalist and former student activist. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of the Thuriya Naywun Journal. A prominent student leader in the 8888 movement, Moe Hein has been accused of betraying his activist roots by later supporting the military junta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moe Aung</span> Burmese naval admiral and the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Navy

Moe Aung is a Burmese naval officer who serves as the current Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Navy, holding the rank of admiral. Following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, Moe Aung was appointed as the commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Navy, succeeding Admiral Tin Aung San, who became a member of the State Administration Council (SAC), the military junta. In January 2024, he was also appointed as National Security Advisor on the State Administration Council, while his chief of staff, Zwe Win Myint, assumed the role of commander-in-chief of the Myanmar Navy.

References

  1. Maung, M. Ismael Khin (April 1986). The population of Burma: An analysis of the 1973 Census (PDF). East-West Population Institute. ISBN   0866380779.
  2. Population and Housing Census of Myanmar, 2014 Provisional results (PDF). Vol. 1. Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar: Department of Population, Ministry of Immigration and Population. August 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 July 2015. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  3. Harvey, G. E. (1925). History of Burma: From the Earliest Times to 10 March 1824. London: Frank Cass & Co. Ltd. pp. 194, 269–270.
  4. "President U Thein Sein attends the meeting to clarify country-wide census-taking (2014) process". Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  5. "Ethnicity without Meaning, Data without Context" (PDF). Transnational Institute. February 2014.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. "Myanmar Regime Paves Way for Election With Census Next Year". The Irrawaddy. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  7. "Census or spy op? Upcoming population count raises alarm". Frontier Myanmar. 14 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  8. Now, Myanmar (2 September 2024). "Myanmar regime to conduct 'nationwide' census in October". Myanmar Now. Retrieved 2 September 2024.