Myanmar (Burma) vs Thailand
Myanmar (Burma) vs Thailand: Government debt
Government debt: 37.6% of GDP in Myanmar (Burma) in 2019 and 62.9% of GDP in Thailand in 2024, by IMF estimates. In 2019 the value was higher in Thailand, by 3.4 percentage points, or 1.09 times that in Myanmar (Burma).
% of GDP · IMF
What the numbers say
- Thailand has been higher since 2018, when it overtook Myanmar (Burma).
- The IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) puts Myanmar (Burma) at 56% of GDP and Thailand at 69.8% of GDP in 2031.
Every year
% of GDP · IMF
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 50.7 | 62.9 |
| 2023 | 53.2 | 62.2 |
| 2022 | 56 | 60.6 |
| 2021 | 63.4 | 58.4 |
| 2020 | 49.1 | 49.4 |
| 2019 | 37.6 | 41.1 |
| 2018 | 39.9 | 41.9 |
| 2017 | 41.9 | 41.8 |
| 2016 | 35.7 | 41.7 |
| 2015 | 36.6 | 42.6 |
| 2014 | 34.5 | 43.3 |
| 2013 | 44.9 | 42.2 |
| 2012 | 48 | 41.9 |
| 2011 | 49.9 | 39.1 |
| 2010 | 54.4 | 39.8 |
| 2009 | 56.4 | 42.4 |
| 2008 | 59.8 | 35 |
| 2007 | 77.4 | 36 |
| 2006 | 103.1 | 39.2 |
| 2005 | 119 | 45.5 |
| 2004 | 126.6 | 46.3 |
| 2003 | 146 | 47.5 |
| 2002 | 190.6 | 54.9 |
| 2001 | 262 | 57.5 |
| 2000 | 164.5 | 57.8 |
| 1999 | 150.7 | 56.6 |
| 1998 | 208.6 | 49.9 |
| 1997 | – | 40.5 |
| 1996 | – | 15.2 |
- 12.3Projected
IMF projection (World Economic Outlook, October 2026) · 2025–2031
| Year | Myanmar (Burma) | Thailand |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 52 | 64.7 |
| 2026 | 53.3 | 67.2 |
| 2027 | 54.6 | 68.5 |
| 2028 | 55.3 | 69.1 |
| 2029 | 55.3 | 69.4 |
| 2030 | 55.7 | 69.6 |
| 2031 | 56 | 69.8 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- What the government owes, as a share of the economy’s yearly output.
- 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 Thailand
Health
- Life expectancyMyanmar (Burma): 66.9 years in 2023Thailand: 76.4 years in 2023
- Child mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 3.7 per 100 live births in 2024Thailand: 0.9 per 100 live births in 2024
- Infant mortalityMyanmar (Burma): 31.8 per 1,000 live births in 2023Thailand: 6.2 per 1,000 live births in 2023
- DepressionMyanmar (Burma): 2.3% in 2017Thailand: 3.09% in 2017
- Suicide rateMyanmar (Burma): 5 per 100,000 people in 2017Thailand: 10.4 per 100,000 people in 2017
People
- PopulationMyanmar (Burma): 54.1 million people in 2023Thailand: 71.7 million people in 2023
- Population growthMyanmar (Burma): 0.69% a year in 2023Thailand: -0.04% a year in 2023
- Fertility rateMyanmar (Burma): 2.12 births per woman in 2023Thailand: 1.21 births per woman in 2023
- Urban populationMyanmar (Burma): 30.6% in 2025Thailand: 62.8% in 2025
- Median ageMyanmar (Burma): 29.5 years in 2023Thailand: 39.7 years in 2023
- People aged 65 and overMyanmar (Burma): 7.1% in 2023Thailand: 14.7% in 2023
- Net migration rateMyanmar (Burma): -0.6 per 1,000 people in 2023Thailand: 0.3 per 1,000 people in 2023
Economy
Education
Politics
Conflict
Military
- Military spendingMyanmar (Burma): 6.61% of GDP in 2024Thailand: 1.04% of GDP in 2025
- Military spending in US dollarsMyanmar (Burma): $4.65B in 2024Thailand: $5.57B in 2025
- Military spending per personMyanmar (Burma): $92 in 2024Thailand: $84 in 2025
- Military share of state spendingMyanmar (Burma): 32% of government spending in 2024Thailand: 4.4% of government spending in 2025
- Armed forces personnelMyanmar (Burma): 463,000 people in 2020Thailand: 455,000 people in 2020
- National powerMyanmar (Burma): 0.53% of world capability in 2022Thailand: 0.79% of world capability in 2022
- Armed forces, share of workersMyanmar (Burma): 1.94% of the labour force in 2020Thailand: 1.13% of the labour force in 2020
- Arms importsMyanmar (Burma): 70 million TIV in 2025Thailand: 33 million TIV in 2025