MigrantoMigration trends in Myanmar
Asia
Myanmar loses more people than it takes in: 4.3M emigrants against 68.9K immigrants. Net balance −4.3M — 8% of the country's population
54.5M
Population
68.9K
Immigrants
4.3M
Emigrants
−4.3M
Outflow
1 in 791 residents of Myanmar was born abroad — and 1 in 14 people born in Myanmar lives abroad
#16 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Myanmar
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
120K immigrants · 529.2K emigrants
2005
- Thailand replaced Bangladesh as the main destination for those leaving
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 87%
- Surge of departures to Thailand — 559.6K people left
- The diaspora passed 1M people
2010
- Surge of departures to Malaysia — 128.6K people left
2020
- Entered the world's 20 largest diasporas
- An accelerating exodus — the diaspora grew by 43%
- Surge of departures to Bangladesh — 670.1K people left
- Surge of departures to China — 210.4K people left
Today
- Since 1990: 51.2K fewer foreign-born residents and 3.8M more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Ask Migo
Tap a question — our AI assistant answers it in chat, with real migration data
Where to live?
Score countries, regions and cities by what matters to you
Living in Myanmar
See the full country overview