Compare
Myanmar (Burma) vs South Korea
How Myanmar (Burma) and South Korea compare on 38 measures, from 1789 to 2025. The main differences:
- Life expectancy · In 2023, South Korea was higher: 84.3 years against 66.9 years
- GDP per person · In 2025, South Korea was higher: $37,470 against $1,128
- Population · In 2023, Myanmar (Burma) was higher: 54.1 million people against 51.8 million people
- Military spending · In 2024, Myanmar (Burma) was higher: 6.61% of GDP against 2.54% of GDP
- CO₂ per person · In 2024, South Korea was higher: 11.36 tonnes against 0.58 tonnes
- Life expectancyMyanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- PopulationMyanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- GDP per personMyanmar (Burma): $1,128 in 2025South Korea: $37,470 in 2025
- TemperatureMyanmar (Burma): 24 °C in 2025South Korea: 13.5 °C in 2025
Every measure
Health
- Life expectancyMyanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023South Korea: 84.3 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024South Korea: 0.3 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023South Korea: 2.1 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- Safe drinking waterMyanmar (Burma): 57.4% in 2022South Korea: 99.3% in 2022
- DepressionMyanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017South Korea: 3.17% in 2017
- Suicide rateMyanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017South Korea: 20.8 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMyanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023South Korea: 51.8 million people in 2023
- Population growthMyanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023South Korea: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMyanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023South Korea: 0.72 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMyanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025South Korea: 81.2% in 2025
- Median ageMyanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023South Korea: 44.5 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMyanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023South Korea: 18.3% in 2023
- Net migration rateMyanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023South Korea: 1.7 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
- GDP per personMyanmar (Burma): $1,128 in 2025South Korea: $37,470 in 2025
- GDP growthMyanmar (Burma): -12% a year in 2021South Korea: 1.1% a year in 2025
- InflationMyanmar (Burma): 27.6% a year in 2023South Korea: 2.1% a year in 2025
- Government debtMyanmar (Burma): 37.6% of GDP in 2019South Korea: 49.6% of GDP in 2024
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMyanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024South Korea: 2.6% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMyanmar (Burma): $4.65B in 2024South Korea: $48.9B in 2025
- Military spending per personMyanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024South Korea: $924 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMyanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024South Korea: 10.8% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMyanmar (Burma): 463,000 people in 2020South Korea: 569,000 people in 2020
- National powerMyanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022South Korea: 2% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMyanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020South Korea: 2.01% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMyanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025South Korea: 222 million TIV in 2025
Climate
Technology and environment
Each country on its own
Good to know
- Sources: UN, Gapminder and UN IGME, WHO/UNICEF, IHME, World Bank, IMF, UNESCO, Our World in Data, V-Dem, UCDP, SIPRI, IISS, Correlates of War, ERA5, CMIP6, EDGAR, ITU and FAO. Each measure’s page names its own and what it counts.
- Values are drawn on today’s borders. Years without a published value are left empty, never filled in.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time