Myanmar Social Geography: Population Distribution and Census

Population Distribution in Myanmar (Lesson 2.1)

• Core learning outcome – Explain how Myanmar’s population is arranged across space, and why.

• Spatial pattern

Myanmar is administratively organised into $7$ Regions, $7$ States and the Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory (total $15$ first–order units).
Population distribution is uneven and is controlled by four physical-economic controls:
1. Location (absolute & relative)
2. Topography – plains vs. mountains
3. Weather / climate / rainfall
4. Natural vegetation & commercial / agricultural activity

• General rules

Areas with good transport links and flat, fertile, easily cultivated land ⇒ dense population.
Mountainous, dissected, poorly connected terrain ⇒ sparse population.

• 2014 Census highlights (absolute numbers)

Yangon Region – $7.360703\text{ million}$ (largest)
Ayeyarwady Region – $6.184829\text{ million}$ (second)
Mandalay Region – $6.165723\text{ million}$
Shan State – $5.824432\text{ million}$
Sagaing Region – $5.325347\text{ million}$
Kayah State – $0.286627\text{ million}$ (smallest)

• Concentration

Five largest units (Shan, Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, Sagaing) contain $60\%$ of the national total.
Two smallest population clusters (Tanintharyi Region, Kayah, Chin and low-lying Rakhine pockets) sum to only $7.2\%$ .

• Other densely populated localities beyond the “big 5” Regions/States

Sittwe Plain (Northern Rakhine)
Mawlamyine & Coastal Plain (Mon State)
Sittaung River Plains (Bago Region)

• Explanatory factors for dense zones

Complete & diversified economic base
Major road/rail/river/sea transport corridors
Low-lying alluvial plains with abundant arable land

Regional / State-wise 2014 Population Table

(State or Region → 2014 Census population → Share of national total)

• Kachin – $1.689441\text{ m}$ → $3.3\%$
• Kayah – $0.286627\text{ m}$ → $0.6\%$
• Kayin – $1.574079\text{ m}$ → $3.1\%$
• Chin – $0.478801\text{ m}$ → $0.9\%$
• Mon – $2.054393\text{ m}$ → $4.0\%$
• Rakhine – $3.188807\text{ m}$ → $6.2\%$
• Shan – $5.824432\text{ m}$ → $11.3\%$
• Sagaing – $5.325347\text{ m}$ → $10.3\%$
• Tanintharyi – $1.408401\text{ m}$ → $2.7\%$
• Bago – $4.867373\text{ m}$ → $9.4\%$
• Magway – $3.917055\text{ m}$ → $7.6\%$
• Mandalay – $6.165723\text{ m}$ → $12.0\%$
• Yangon – $7.360703\text{ m}$ → $14.3\%$
• Ayeyarwady – $6.184829\text{ m}$ → $12.0\%$
• Nay Pyi Taw UT – $1.160242\text{ m}$ → $2.3\%$
• Union total – $51.486253\text{ m}$ (benchmark $100\%$ )

Population Size & Census History (Lesson 2.2)

• Ancient period (pre-colonial)

No formal census during Burmese kingdoms ⇒ exact figures unknown.
Best scholarly estimate for c. $1800$ ≈ $4\text{ million}$ inhabitants.

• First modern census

Conducted in $1891$ under British administration.
Enumerated population = $7.7\text{ million}$ .

• Decennial British counts (selected figures)

$1901$ → $10.5\text{ m}$
$1911$ → $12.1\text{ m}$
$1921$ → $13.2\text{ m}$
$1931$ → $14.7\text{ m}$
$1941$ → $16.8\text{ m}$

• Post-independence national censuses

$1973$ → $28.9\text{ m}$ (first full count after independence)
$1983$ → $35.3\text{ m}$ (second post-independence)
$2014$ → $51.5\text{ m}$ (third, most recent full census)

• Recent estimate

United Nations / government projection for $2018$ ≈ $53.9\text{ m}$ .

• Growth trajectory significance

Demonstrates a >10-fold increase in just over two centuries.
Influences demand for land, infrastructure, social services and resource management.

Drivers of Population Growth & Distribution

• Economic

Fertile river valleys (Ayeyarwady, Sittaung, Chindwin) support irrigated rice ⇒ labour-intensive settlements.
Urban–industrial agglomerations (Yangon, Mandalay) act as migration magnets.

• Physical geography

Central Lowlands & Delta: thick alluvium, year-round water ⇒ conducive to intensive agriculture.
Hill zones (Chin Hills, Naga Hills, Shan Plateau): rugged relief, shifting cultivation, limited markets ⇒ low densities.

• Infrastructure

Ports (Yangon, Thilawa, Mawlamyine) and trunk roads / railways lower transaction costs, attracting both population and investment.

• Historical-political factors

Colonial rail/river corridors set early demographic cores.
Ethnic administrative boundaries (States) often coincide with less-accessible highlands ⇒ lesser population concentration.

Ethical / Socio-cultural Implications

• High-density areas face pressure on land tenure, housing affordability, and intra-ethnic competition.
• Sparse frontier zones may suffer service deficits (health, education) but retain stronger ethnic cultural integrity.
• Migration (rural→urban & inter-state) alters traditional customs; understanding distribution helps plan culturally sensitive development.

Practice / Exam-Type Questions (from textbook)

"The distribution of Myanmar’s population mainly depends on which physical-economic factors?"
"Using the $2014$ census, identify the States/Regions with the highest populations."
"Compare any two administrative units: one with the highest and one with the lowest population. Give geographic-economic reasons for the contrast."
"In what year was the first full census taken, and what was the enumerated population?"
"State the population and census year of the last full count conducted in Myanmar."

Key Points Recap

• Myanmar = $15$ first-order units (Regions, States, Union Territory).
• Population cluster = Yangon, Ayeyarwady, Mandalay, Shan, Sagaing (≈ $60\%$ total).
• Least-populated = Kayah, Chin, Tanintharyi (+ pockets of Rakhine) combining ≈ $7.2\%$ .
• Controlling variables: economic base, transport access, flat arable plains.
• No ancient census; first in $1891$ ; most recent in $2014$ ; 2018 estimate $53.9\text{ m}$ .
• Historical growth reflects colonial infrastructure, delta agriculture & post-independence urbanisation.

These notes encapsulate every data point, table entry, timeline and causal explanation presented in the original transcript, providing a one-stop comprehensive study sheet for the examination chapter on Myanmar’s social geography and population.