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🇲🇲 Myanmar

Curated by Vinod Kumar Jain & Amit Jain · All Frontier Global · free, no login · reviewed 2026-07-05

Golden pagodas and temple-strewn plains

Capital
Naypyidaw
Currency
Burmese kyat (MMK)
Population
54,600,000
Languages
Burmese
Region
Asia
Drives on
right
Plugs
C, G
Voltage
230V / 50Hz
Emergency
112

Facts & figures

Official figures, each with its source and the date it was read — the key-facts panel above is rounded and undated.

Population 54,850,648 (2025), up from 54,500,091 in 2024

GNI per capita US$1,320 (Atlas method, 2025), up from US$1,210 in 2024; World Bank income classification: lower middle income, IDA lending category

GDP (current US$) US$81,665.8 million (2025), up from US$74,068.3 million (2024) — World Bank's own dataset flags this indicator as last updated 13 July 2026.

Sourced notes — every figure above, with where it was read and when.

  1. 54,850,648 — World Bank Open Data (SP.POP.TOTL) · accessed 2026-08-24
  2. US$1,320 — World Bank Open Data (NY.GNP.PCAP.CD; country metadata) · accessed 2026-08-24
  3. US$1,320 — World Bank Open Data (NY.GNP.PCAP.CD; country metadata) · accessed 2026-08-24
  4. US$81,665.8m — World Bank Open Data (NY.GDP.MKTP.CD) · accessed 2026-08-24

Trade & FTA

Trade agreements (5): Myanmar is an ASEAN member benefiting from the India-ASEAN FTA, giving Indian goods and travelers a meaningful trade link despite the country's broader political isolation from Western markets.

Passport strength: visa-free/VOA to ~48 destinations. Weakened by sanctions and political instability; visa required for most countries.

India × Myanmar hub ↗ All countries factsheet

Visas & entry

Indian passport holders can use Myanmar's e-visa for tourist stays of up to 28 days, though current travel advisories warrant checking conditions closely before booking; most other nationalities use the same e-visa system where available.

e-Visa: yes · Visa on arrival: Varies by nationality

Whether you need one: Myanmar's Ministry of Immigration and Population operates an official e-Visa portal (evisa.moip.gov.mm) offering Tourist e-Visa and Business e-Visa categories, processed through a stated 4-step online application: form submission, payment confirmation, approval-letter receipt, and visa stamping on arrival. The portal states a health-insurance certificate is 'no longer necessary' for applications, and that COVID-19 public-health entry requirements were revoked effective 1 March 2024. The homepage itself states that visa processing fees and available ports of entry are detailed on a separate page, but that page's content could not be retrieved this session — see deferred[]. This session found no nationality-specific (India) eligibility text on the portal.

When the requirement applies: Indian ordinary-passport holders

How you apply: e-Visa (Tourist e-Visa or Business e-Visa category; a Business e-Visa holder is stated to be eligible for a stay extension) — nationality-specific eligibility for Indian passport holders not confirmed in the content fetched this session

How long you may stay: Not confirmed this session — see deferred[].

Fee: Not confirmed this session — see deferred[].

Source freshness: No page-level last-updated date was surfaced; the most recent dated reference found on the portal is its note that COVID-19 entry requirements were revoked effective 1 March 2024.

Sourced notes — every figure above, with where it was read and when.

  1. Visa rule, instrument and freshness — Ministry of Immigration and Population, Myanmar (eVisa Myanmar official portal) · accessed 2026-08-24

Getting around

Grab operates in Yangon for taxis, while long-distance buses and the scenic (if slow) Yangon-Mandalay rail line connect major cities; boats are common along the Irrawaddy River.

Car vs taxi: Grab and local taxis are the practical choice in cities; self-driving is uncommon for tourists due to driving-side mismatches with imported right-hand-drive cars and variable road conditions.

Money, SIM & tipping

Money: The Burmese kyat is the local currency; carry crisp, unfolded US dollars for exchange since damaged notes are often refused, and ATM access has improved in cities but can be unreliable amid ongoing economic instability.

SIM & data: Ooredoo, Telenor (now Shwe Byain Phyu/ATOM), and MPT are the main carriers; tourist SIMs are available at Yangon International Airport with passport registration.

Tipping: Not traditionally required, but rounding up bills or leaving small change for good service in Yangon and Mandalay restaurants is appreciated.

Culture & language

Etiquette: Remove shoes and socks before entering temples and pagodas, never touch someone's head, and use both hands when giving or receiving items, especially with monks.

Food: Mohinga (fish noodle soup) is the national breakfast dish; also try tea leaf salad (laphet thoke) and Shan noodles from the eastern hill regions.

Say hello: Burmese — “Mingalaba” · thanks “Kyay zu tin ba de” · how much? “Be lau le?”

Safety & emergency

Exercise significant caution given ongoing political unrest and conflict in parts of the country since 2021; stick to areas confirmed safe by current advisories and avoid border and conflict zones.

Emergency
112
Police
112
Ambulance
112
Fire
112

Living, nomad & costs

For nomads: Yangon and Mandalay have growing digital nomad communities; coworking spaces emerging; political instability since 2021 coup affects infrastructure.

Education: International schools available in Yangon; costs moderate; education access varies with political instability.

Healthcare: Private healthcare concentrated in Yangon; quality varies significantly; serious care may require travel.

Good to know (legal)

Cities we cover (6)

BaganMandalayYangonInle LakeMrauk UNgapali Beach

Bagan — Plain of a thousand temples

Places Shwesandaw Pagoda (Pagoda) · Ananda Temple (Temple) · Dhammayangyi Temple (Temple)

Mandalay — Last royal capital

Places Mandalay Hill (Viewpoint) · Kuthodaw Pagoda (Pagoda) · U Bein Bridge (Landmark)

Yangon — City of the golden stupa

Places Shwedagon Pagoda (Pagoda) · Chaukhtatgyi Buddha (Temple) · Colonial Downtown (Historic district)

Inle Lake — Floating villages, leg rowers

Places Inle Lake Floating Villages (Lake Settlement) · Leg-Rowing Fishermen (Cultural Practice) · Inle Lake Floating Gardens (Agricultural Feature)

Mrauk U — Jungle-swallowed temples and ancient Buddhist kingdom in remote Rakhine state

Places Shithaung Temple (Temple) · Koe Thaung Temple (Temple) · Lens Bwe Temple (Temple)

Ngapali Beach — Pristine crescent coastline with crystal waters and colonial-era beach resorts

Places Ngapali Beach Shore (Beach) · Fisher Boats and Morning Catch (Market) · Thandwe Town (Old Town)

City notes from Amit's own travels — the interactive travelogue holds the full record

Trade deep-dive

Myanmar February 2021 Junta + ASEAN Cycles: Myanmar February 2021 military-junta framework + ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus cycles affect bilateral cooperation + AIFTA framework dynamics.

junta-2021-asean-cycles

Myanmar February 2021 military-coup (State Administration Council · Min Aung Hlaing · NLD-government-overthrow) + ASEAN Five-Point-Consensus framework + civil-war cycles + Indian-bilateral framework navigates junta-context. AIFTA + ASEAN-India CSP 2022 framework adjacency.

India implication: Indian-pulses-importers + agricultural-cluster procurement framework + AIFTA preferential framework + bilateral framework continues despite junta-context. Indian-bilateral cooperation pragmatic-engagement.

Outlook: Myanmar junta-2021 + ASEAN cycles persist 2026-30; bilateral pragmatic-engagement + AIFTA framework continues.

Bloc — BIMSTEC: Myanmar is BIMSTEC founding member (Bangkok Declaration 1997 alongside India + Bangladesh + Sri Lanka + Thailand · later Bhutan + Nepal); BIMSTEC framework + AIFTA cooperation under junta-context.

Myanmar BIMSTEC founding-member (Bangkok Declaration 1997 · 7 member states) + ASEAN member (1997) + AIFTA preferential framework + RCEP non-member · Myanmar Council Consensus framework. February 2021 military-junta framework cycles affect bilateral cooperation.

India: India deepens BIMSTEC framework with Myanmar via bilateral cooperation + AIFTA preferential framework + Indian-pulses-import structural anchor + sub-regional connectivity framework.

Product — HS Vegetables & Pulses (Urad + Tur Dal): Myanmar HS-07 vegetable-pulses framework (urad + tur dal · world's largest urad-exporter to India) anchors $1.5B+ Indian-import structural anchor.

HS-07 covers vegetables + pulses. Myanmar pulses-cluster (urad + tur dal · world's largest urad-exporter to India · ~$1.5B+ annually · ~30%+ of Indian urad-import requirements · Magway + Mandalay regions) anchors Indian-import structural supply. AIFTA preferential framework + ASEAN-India CSP 2022 + BIMSTEC framework. February 2021 military-junta context.

India position: Indian-pulses-importers (Indian-urad + tur cluster · ~$1.5B annual import) + agricultural-cluster procurement framework + AIFTA preferential framework + bilateral framework continues despite junta-context.

Sector — Pulses + AIFTA Anchor: Myanmar pulses framework (urad + tur dal · Indian-import structural) anchors AIFTA framework + bilateral cluster cooperation under junta-context.

India’s role: Indian-pulses-importers + agricultural-cluster procurement framework + AIFTA preferential framework. Indo-Myanmar bilateral framework continues despite junta-context.

Myanmar pulses-cluster (urad + tur dal · world's largest urad-exporter to India) anchors Indian-import structural supply (~$1.5B+ annually). AIFTA preferential framework + bilateral framework. February 2021 military-junta transition affects bilateral cooperation cycles.

Product — Rubies & Jade Gemstones: Myanmar's Mogok region has long been renowned for ruby and jade mining, a gemstone trade structurally distinct from the pulses and legumes for which the country's agricultural exports are also known. This gemstone heritage reflects a centuries-old extractive tradition layered beneath the country's broader agricultural export base.

Sector — Teak Timber Forestry: Myanmar's forests have long supplied teak, a durable hardwood historically prized for shipbuilding and furniture, anchoring a timber-export tradition structurally distinct from the country's pulses and legumes trade. This forestry sector reflects generations of hardwood harvesting across the country's central and northern regions.

Frequently asked

Do Indian passport holders need a visa for Myanmar?

Indian passport holders can use Myanmar's e-visa for tourist stays of up to 28 days, though current travel advisories warrant checking conditions closely before booking; most other nationalities use the same e-visa system where available.

What currency does Myanmar use?

Myanmar uses the Burmese kyat (MMK). Capital: Naypyidaw.

What trade agreements does Myanmar have?

Myanmar is an ASEAN member benefiting from the India-ASEAN FTA, giving Indian goods and travelers a meaningful trade link despite the country's broader political isolation from Western markets.

Is Myanmar safe for travellers?

Exercise significant caution given ongoing political unrest and conflict in parts of the country since 2021; stick to areas confirmed safe by current advisories and avoid border and conflict zones.

What is Myanmar's population?

The World Bank's 2025 estimate puts Myanmar's population at 54,850,648, up from 54,500,091 in 2024.

Is Myanmar a low-income or middle-income country?

The World Bank classifies Myanmar as lower middle income, with GNI per capita (Atlas method) of US$1,320 in 2025, up from US$1,210 in 2024. Myanmar remains in the World Bank's IDA (International Development Association) concessional-lending category.

How large is Myanmar's economy?

Myanmar's GDP reached US$81,665.8 million in 2025, up from US$74,068.3 million in 2024, per World Bank data.

Can Indian nationals apply for a Myanmar visa online?

Myanmar's Ministry of Immigration and Population runs an official e-Visa portal (evisa.moip.gov.mm) offering Tourist e-Visa and Business e-Visa categories through a 4-step online process: application, payment, approval letter, and visa stamping on arrival. The portal states a health-insurance certificate is no longer required and that COVID-19 entry requirements were revoked effective 1 March 2024. This session could not confirm the Tourist e-Visa fee or maximum stay from the portal's own content — see this payload's deferred items.

Sourced notes — every figure above, with where it was read and when.

  1. What is Myanmar's population? — World Bank Open Data · accessed 2026-08-24
  2. Is Myanmar a low-income or middle-income country? — World Bank Open Data · accessed 2026-08-24
  3. Is Myanmar a low-income or middle-income country? — World Bank Open Data · accessed 2026-08-24
  4. How large is Myanmar's economy? — World Bank Open Data · accessed 2026-08-24
  5. Can Indian nationals apply for a Myanmar visa online? — Ministry of Immigration and Population, Myanmar (eVisa Myanmar official portal) · accessed 2026-08-24

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