Myanmar (Burma) vs Papua New Guinea
Myanmar (Burma) vs Papua New Guinea: GDP growth
GDP growth: -12% a year in Myanmar (Burma) in 2021 and 3.9% a year in Papua New Guinea in 2024, by IMF estimates. In 2021 the value was higher in Papua New Guinea, by 11.5 percentage points.
% a year · IMF
What the numbers say
- Papua New Guinea has been higher since 2020, when it overtook Myanmar (Burma).
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Myanmar (Burma) at 0.9% a year and Papua New Guinea at 3.1% a year in 2031.
Every year
% a year · IMF
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | -1 | 3.9 |
| 2023 | 1 | 3.8 |
| 2022 | 4 | 5.7 |
| 2021 | -12 | -0.5 |
| 2020 | -9 | -3.2 |
| 2019 | 6.6 | 4.5 |
| 2018 | 6.3 | -0.3 |
| 2017 | 6.1 | 3.5 |
| 2016 | 6.8 | 5.5 |
| 2015 | 5.9 | 6.6 |
| 2014 | 8.2 | 13.5 |
| 2013 | 7.9 | 3.8 |
| 2012 | 6.5 | 4.7 |
| 2011 | 5.5 | 1.1 |
| 2010 | 5.2 | 10.1 |
| 2009 | 4.4 | 6.8 |
| 2008 | 7.6 | -0.3 |
| 2007 | 12.5 | 7.8 |
| 2006 | 13.3 | 2.5 |
| 2005 | 13.6 | 4.3 |
| 2004 | 15.3 | 0.6 |
| 2003 | 13.2 | 9 |
| 2002 | 9.9 | -0.2 |
| 2001 | 12.5 | -0.1 |
| 2000 | 12.4 | -2.5 |
| 1999 | 8.4 | 1.9 |
| 1998 | – | 4.7 |
| 1997 | – | -6.3 |
| 1996 | – | 6.6 |
| 1995 | – | -3.4 |
| 1994 | – | 10.5 |
| 1993 | – | 13.3 |
| 1992 | – | 13.8 |
| 1991 | – | 9.6 |
| 1990 | – | -3.1 |
| 1989 | – | -1.4 |
| 1988 | – | 2.9 |
| 1987 | – | 2.8 |
| 1986 | – | 5.7 |
| 1985 | – | 3.6 |
| 1984 | – | -1 |
| 1983 | – | 3.4 |
| 1982 | – | 0.8 |
| 1981 | – | 1.1 |
| 1980 | – | -2.3 |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2025–2031
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | Papua New Guinea |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | -2 | 6.2 |
| 2026 | 2 | 3.1 |
| 2027 | 2 | 4 |
| 2028 | 1.6 | 3.4 |
| 2029 | 1.2 | 3.1 |
| 2030 | 0.9 | 3.1 |
| 2031 | 0.9 | 3.1 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- How much the economy grew or shrank in a year, after inflation.
- Source: IMF, World Economic Outlook, October 2026.
- The dashed line is the IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026), a scenario rather than a forecast.
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
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
- Armed forces personnelMyanmar (Burma): 463,000 people in 2020Papua New Guinea: 4,000 people in 2020
- 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