MigrantoBurmese Diaspora
4.3M Burmese live abroad — 8% of the population of Myanmar
Burmese diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 77% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Thailand | 1708695 |
| Bangladesh | 1246705 |
| China | 367052 |
| Malaysia | 308095 |
| USA | 199585 |
| Saudi Arabia | 163252 |
| India | 132598 |
| Japan | 92214 |
| Australia | 46297 |
| South Korea | 25739 |
| Canada | 10379 |
| New Zealand | 3834 |
| Norway | 3623 |
| Laos | 3201 |
| Pakistan | 2297 |
| Indonesia | 2063 |
| Denmark | 1766 |
| Finland | 1431 |
| Italy | 468 |
| South Africa | 437 |
| Israel | 238 |
| Panama | 178 |
| Greece | 101 |
| Cambodia | 57 |
| Cyprus | 47 |
| Hungary | 37 |
| Bhutan | 35 |
| Costa Rica | 17 |
| Luxembourg | 10 |
| Iceland | 6 |
| Slovakia | 3 |
| Estonia | 1 |
| Slovenia | 1 |
| Guinea | 0 |
| Bolivia | 0 |
By region
90% of the diaspora lives in Asia
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Key facts
The Burmese diaspora in numbers
The community in Japan is growing fastest
The number of Burmese living in Japan has grown 655% since 2015, from 12.2K to 92.2K.
Most Burmese abroad live in Thailand
40% of the diaspora lives in Thailand, while the next country accounts for just 29%.
The share of the diaspora living in the Middle East has declined since 1990
32% of the diaspora lived in the Middle East in 1990, compared with 3.8% today.
The diaspora has grown 20% since 2020
The number of Burmese living abroad rose from 3.6M to 4.3M in four years.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Malaysia, Indonesia, Finland. Malaysia climbed from outside the top 20 to #4.
1 in 13 people born in Myanmar lives abroad
4.3M people born in Myanmar now live in other countries — 7.9% of a population of 54.5M.
Burmese diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 529164 |
| 1995 | 530678 |
| 2000 | 671239 |
| 2005 | 1254165 |
| 2010 | 2129897 |
| 2015 | 2517411 |
| 2020 | 3611603 |
| 2024 | 4320462 |
Largest communities over time
Burmese living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Thailand | Bangladesh | China | Malaysia | USA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 1106 | 225851 | 14220 | 0 | 19607 |
| 1995 | 1104 | 228109 | 17283 | 6621 | 19263 |
| 2000 | 136674 | 230390 | 20570 | 8582 | 27986 |
| 2005 | 696293 | 128693 | 24484 | 109039 | 37223 |
| 2010 | 1255912 | 235019 | 30437 | 237677 | 81779 |
| 2015 | 1429751 | 237369 | 98893 | 286574 | 136994 |
| 2020 | 1576317 | 907426 | 309339 | 299559 | 161967 |
| 2024 | 1708695 | 1246705 | 367052 | 308095 | 199585 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Burmese in each country has changed since the selected year
Burmese among immigrants in other countries
Where Burmese make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Burmese live outside Myanmar?
Around 4.3M Burmese live abroad, the world's #16 largest diaspora.
Where do most Burmese abroad live?
Most Burmese live in Thailand, Bangladesh and China — these three countries account for about 77% of all Burmese living abroad.
Which country has the largest Burmese population outside Myanmar?
Thailand is home to the largest Burmese community abroad — 1.7M people, about 40% of all Burmese living abroad.
What share of the population of Myanmar lives abroad?
About 8% of the population of Myanmar lives abroad — that's 4.3M out of a total population of 54.5M.
Is the Burmese diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Burmese living abroad has grown from 2.5M to 4.3M, about 72%.
Where does the data on the Burmese diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Myanmar who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Myanmar
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