Asian Development Bank and Myanmar: Fact Sheet

Abstract

Updated yearly, this ADB Fact Sheet provides social and economic indicators on Myanmar as well as concise information on ADB's operations in the country and contact information. Myanmar is the second largest country in Southeast Asia, bordering five nations, and is endowed with rich natural resources—arable land, forestry, minerals (including gas and oil), and freshwater and marine resources. However, poverty, particularly in remote and border areas, is a major challenge for the country with poverty incidence estimated at 26.6% (20.7% for urban areas and 28.4% for rural areas), according to the 2001 Household Income and Expenditure Survey. The economy underperforms because of macroeconomic imbalances and structural problems that include a wide fiscal deficit due to high public expenditure, losses by state-owned enterprises, and a dual exchange rate system.