The total population of the Union of Myanmar was estimated at 44.74 million in 1995/96, an increase of 0.82 million with the growth rate of 1.87% over 1994/95. Of the total estimated population the male population was 22.22 million, or 49.66%, and the female population was 22.52 million, or 50.34%. The population density is 65 persons per km2 and the distribution of the population is 24.6% urban and 75.4% rural.
In 1995 /96 total employment was estimated at 17.59 million based on increase in population of working age-group together with the extensive participation of private enterprises in economic activities. Out of the total employment 11.27 million (64.09%) are engaged in the agriculture sector, 1.48 million (8.42%) in the processing and manufacturing sector, 0.49 million (2.78%) in the mining, power and construction sectors, 1.78 million (10.12%) in service sectors, i.e. transport, communication etc. and 1.72 million (9.75%) in the trade sector. The remaining sectors employed 0.85 million of which 0.39 million (2.21%) and 0.19 million (1.07%) are engaged in livestock/fishery sector and forestry sector respectively.
In the annual plan for 1995/96, the total value of net output and services (GDP) at 1985/86 constant producer's prices was projected at K 66.7 billion while the performance according to the provisional data was K 68.5 billion achieving 102.7% of the plan target and registering a growth rate of 9.8% over 1994.95. The Sectoral annual growth rates and the average annual growth rate achieved during the Four-Year short-term (1992/93 to 1995/96) period are as follows.
Sector |
Annual growth rate (1995/96)percent |
Average Annual growth rate (percent) |
1. Agriculture |
11.8 |
8.8 |
2. Live stock and fisheries |
6.8 |
5.6 |
3. Forestry |
-4.5 |
-5.4 |
4. Mining |
21.1 |
16.6 |
5. Processing/Manufacturing |
11.7 |
10.2 |
6. Power (Energy) |
4.3 |
16.5 |
7. Construction |
25.2 |
15.7 |
8. Transportation |
2.5 |
7.7 |
9. Communication |
4.0 |
14.4 |
10.Financial |
13.7 |
27.8 |
11.Social/administrative Series |
5.1 |
5.4 |
12.Rental and other services |
4.1 |
3.8 |
13.Trade |
8.6 |
7.3 |
Gross Domestic Product |
9.8 |
8.2 |
In the annual plan the net output value of the forestry sector was projected at K 773 million while the performance according to the provisional data was K 740 million achieving 95.7% of the planned target and a decrease of 4.5% over the preceding year. During the plan period the forestry sector was estimated to decrease at an average annual rate of 1.1% and performance according to the latest figure showed a decrease of 5.4%. The decrease was mainly due to the suspension in extraction of teak and hardwood in border regions and extraction of hardwood by private entrepreneurs. Remoteness of extraction area also contribute to the decline in production. Emphasis has been placed on sustained production, conservation of environment conditions and increased production of value added wood products.
Essentially Myanmar's economy is agriculture based. The sector contributed 38.1% to the GDP in 1994-95, and the export earning was at 32.11%. The forestry sector's contribution vis-à-vis the agricultural sector was only 1.2%. Nonetheless the contribution from export earnings by the forestry sector was 32.09%. Table I shows forestry export compared to other products.
Table 1 - Forestry Export Compared to Other Products
No |
Type of commodity |
1990-91 |
1991-92 |
1992-93 |
1993-94 | ||||
Ks(million) |
% |
Ks(million) |
% |
Ks(million) |
% |
Ks(million) |
% | ||
1. |
Agriculture products |
942.4 *(160.0) |
32 |
1010.7 (171.6) |
34 |
1299.2 (220.6) |
36 |
1357.8 (230.5) |
32 |
2. |
Animal and marine products |
169.4 (28.8) |
6 |
160.5 (27.2) |
5 |
261.2 (44.3) |
7 |
373.2 (63.4) |
9 |
3. |
Forest Products |
1131.4 (192.1) |
38 |
943.3 (160.2) |
32 |
1120.4 (190.2) |
31 |
1356.7 (230.3) |
32 |
4. |
Minerals and Gems |
172.5 (29.3) |
6 |
111.3 (18.9) |
4 |
154.9 (26.3) |
4 |
364.4 (61.9) |
9 |
5. |
Others |
546.2 (92.7) |
18 |
706.0 (119.9) |
25 |
819.7 (139.2) |
22 |
775.7 (131.7) |
18 |
Total Domestic Export |
2961.9 (502.9) |
100 |
2931.8 (497.8) |
100 |
3655.4 (620.6) |
100 |
4227.8 (717.8) |
100 | |
Source: Forestry Fact sheet,1996.
* Figures in parenthesis show US$ equivalent in millions, converted at 1994-95 exchange rate of 1 US$ = kyats 5.89
