Myanmar (Burma) vs Papua New Guinea
Myanmar (Burma) vs Papua New Guinea: Armed forces personnel
Armed forces personnel in 2020: 463,000 people in Myanmar (Burma) and 4,000 people in Papua New Guinea, by IISS estimates. In 2020 the value was higher in Myanmar (Burma), by 459,000 people, or 120 times that in Papua New Guinea.
people · IISS
What the numbers say
- Myanmar (Burma) has been higher in every year both have figures for since 1985.
- The world as a whole: 27.4 million people in 2020.
Every year
people · IISS
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | Papua New Guinea | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 463,000 | 4,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2019 | 513,000 | 4,000 | 27.7 million |
| 2018 | 513,000 | 3,600 | 27.7 million |
| 2017 | 513,000 | 4,000 | 27.4 million |
| 2016 | 513,300 | 3,600 | 27.5 million |
| 2015 | 513,300 | 1,900 | 27.4 million |
| 2014 | 513,300 | 1,900 | 27.3 million |
| 2013 | 513,300 | 1,900 | 27.2 million |
| 2012 | 513,300 | 1,900 | 28.2 million |
| 2011 | 513,300 | 3,100 | 28 million |
| 2010 | 513,300 | 3,100 | 28.1 million |
| 2009 | 513,300 | 3,100 | 27.9 million |
| 2008 | 513,000 | 3,000 | 27.5 million |
| 2007 | 513,000 | 3,000 | 27.3 million |
| 2006 | 513,000 | 3,000 | 27 million |
| 2005 | 483,000 | 3,000 | 28.5 million |
| 2004 | 482,300 | 3,000 | 27.1 million |
| 2003 | 595,000 | 3,100 | 28.2 million |
| 2002 | 544,300 | 3,100 | 28.3 million |
| 2001 | 444,300 | 4,400 | 28.2 million |
| 2000 | 429,100 | 4,400 | 29.4 million |
| 1999 | 429,100 | 4,300 | 29.6 million |
| 1998 | 434,900 | 4,300 | 29.9 million |
| 1997 | 429,100 | 4,300 | 29.9 million |
| 1996 | 406,300 | 3,700 | 30.2 million |
| 1995 | 371,300 | 3,800 | 30.2 million |
| 1994 | 322,000 | 4,000 | 23.2 million |
| 1993 | 322,000 | – | 23.7 million |
| 1992 | 286,000 | 4,000 | 24.5 million |
| 1991 | 286,000 | 4,000 | 22.7 million |
| 1990 | 230,000 | 4,000 | 23.9 million |
| 1989 | 200,000 | 3,000 | 24.3 million |
| 1985 | 186,000 | 3,200 | 22.2 million |
| 1984 | 181,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1983 | 179,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1982 | 210,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1981 | 210,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1980 | 179,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1979 | 212,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1978 | 212,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1977 | 208,000 | 3,000 | – |
| 1976 | 210,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1975 | 209,000 | 4,000 | – |
| 1974 | 202,000 | – | – |
| 1973 | 198,000 | – | – |
| 1972 | 191,000 | – | – |
| 1971 | 175,000 | – | – |
| 1970 | 174,000 | – | – |
| 1969 | 173,000 | – | – |
| 1968 | 136,000 | – | – |
| 1967 | 136,000 | – | – |
| 1966 | 135,000 | – | – |
| 1965 | 133,000 | – | – |
| 1964 | 123,000 | – | – |
| 1963 | 105,000 | – | – |
| 1962 | 100,000 | – | – |
| 1961 | 90,000 | – | – |
| 1960 | 79,000 | – | – |
| 1959 | 67,000 | – | – |
| 1958 | 56,000 | – | – |
| 1957 | 44,000 | – | – |
| 1956 | 33,000 | – | – |
| 1955 | 25,000 | – | – |
| 1954 | 19,000 | – | – |
| 1953 | 14,000 | – | – |
| 1952 | 10,000 | – | – |
| 1951 | 8,000 | – | – |
| 1950 | 6,000 | – | – |
| 1949 | 4,000 | – | – |
| 1948 | 3,000 | – | – |
- 12.3Estimates, Correlates of War
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Active-duty military personnel, with paramilitary forces where they are trained and equipped like soldiers, by the IISS Military Balance.
- Source: IISS, The Military Balance, via the World Bank.
- Before 1985: Correlates of War Project, National Material Capabilities v7.0; Singer, Bremer and Stuckey (1972), “Capability Distribution, Uncertainty, and Major Power War, 1820–1965”, in Bruce Russett (ed.), Peace, War, and Numbers, Sage, 19–48.
- Ranks count the 170 countries with a value in 2020, highest first.
- The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time
Myanmar (Burma) vs Papua New Guinea
Health
- Life expectancyMyanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023Papua New Guinea: 66.1 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024Papua New Guinea: 3.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Papua New Guinea: 32.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMyanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017Papua New Guinea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateMyanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017Papua New Guinea: 23.1 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMyanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023Papua New Guinea: 10.4 million people in 2023
- Population growthMyanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023Papua New Guinea: 1.8% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMyanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023Papua New Guinea: 3.1 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMyanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025Papua New Guinea: 15.8% in 2025
- Median ageMyanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023Papua New Guinea: 22.3 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMyanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023Papua New Guinea: 3.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateMyanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Papua New Guinea: -0.1 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personMyanmar (Burma): $1,128 in 2025Papua New Guinea: $2,665 in 2025
- GDP growthMyanmar (Burma): -12% a year in 2021Papua New Guinea: 3.9% a year in 2024
- InflationMyanmar (Burma): 27.6% a year in 2023Papua New Guinea: 4.4% a year in 2025
- Government debtMyanmar (Burma): 37.6% of GDP in 2019Papua New Guinea: 51.6% of GDP in 2025
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMyanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024Papua New Guinea: 0.35% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMyanmar (Burma): $4.65B in 2024Papua New Guinea: $110M in 2025
- Military spending per personMyanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024Papua New Guinea: $10 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMyanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024Papua New Guinea: 1.6% of government spending in 2025
- National powerMyanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022Papua New Guinea: 0.03% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMyanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020Papua New Guinea: 0.12% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMyanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025Papua New Guinea: 9 million TIV in 2023
Climate
Technology and environment
- CO₂ per personMyanmar (Burma): 0.58 tonnes in 2024Papua New Guinea: 0.52 tonnes in 2024
- Internet usersMyanmar (Burma): 45.5% in 2020Papua New Guinea: 18.8% in 2024
- Access to electricityMyanmar (Burma): 80.4% in 2024Papua New Guinea: 43.3% in 2024
- Forest areaMyanmar (Burma): 42% in 2024Papua New Guinea: 75.2% in 2024