Economic Activities in burma: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary

As of 2025, Myanmar has a population of about 54,850,648, ranking 27th globally, just behind Kenya. Located in Southeast Asia, it covers 676,590 sq. km, ranking 38th, just behind Zambia.

As of 2025, Myanmar’s economy is positioned at a nominal GDP of about $81.67 billion (World Bank), ranking among the lower-middle-income economies. The GDP per capita for Myanmar is approximately $1,489 (World Bank, 2024), which reflects the economic strain after the 2021 military coup and the March 2025 earthquake.

Myanmar’s economic position reflects its ongoing development challenges, with output and household incomes still below pre-2021 levels amid conflict, inflation and disrupted trade.

burma Economic Structure & Sector Analysis

• Primary activities (agriculture, forestry, fishing): 25.3% of GDP (2025).
• Secondary activities (industry, incl. construction): 36.2% of GDP (2025).
• Tertiary activities (services): 38.5% of GDP (2025, World Bank).

Primary Sector of burma

In Burma, the primary sector, particularly agriculture, is a major part of the economy. With 19.9% of the land dedicated to agriculture, the country produces a diverse range of crops and animal products. Main agricultural products include rice, pulses, beans, sesame, sugarcane, and rubber.

Agriculture contributes roughly a fifth of GDP and remains important for food security and livelihoods. The country’s climate and natural resources support a flourishing agricultural sector, sustaining the population and driving rural development.

With a diverse geological landscape, the primary sector thrives in this country. Abundant in resources like petroleum, timber, precious stones, and natural gas, it is a major part of the economy. The availability of arable land, hydropower, and minerals like tin, zinc, and coal further contribute to the sector’s growth.

Secondary Sector of burma

In Burma, the main industrial products include agricultural processing, wood products, copper, tin, tungsten, iron, cement, pharmaceuticals, fertilizer, oil, natural gas, garments, jade, and gems.

Manufactures in Burma’s total exports accounted for 43.81% in 2023, indicating their significance. However, other sectors may matter more to the country’s economy.

Tertiary sector of burma

This sector involves intangible goods such as attention, advice, and expertise, catering to both consumers and businesses. Key tertiary activities in Burma include restaurants, healthcare and medical care, education and training, banking and finance, communication and information exchange, and tourism and hospitality. These services contribute to the country’s economic growth and development.

Among these, Myanmar’s tourism industry contributes significantly to its GDP. With an annual influx of 4,364,000 tourists, accounting for 0.0805 of its population, popular destinations like Bagan’s ancient temples and Inle Lake attract visitors from around the world, stimulating local economies and job creation.

Another example of tertiary economic activity is the mobile cellular sector, with approximately 58 million subscriptions, supporting communication, innovation, and digital services.

Military Activities and Economic Sectors of burma

In the primary sector, resources are extracted for military use, like minerals and fuels. The secondary sector involves manufacturing military equipment, such as weapons and vehicles. The tertiary sector includes services provided by the military, while the quaternary sector focuses on research and development for new technologies. Lastly, the quinary sector deals with high-level decisions and strategies for military operations.

In Burma, the military expenditure in 2023 is about 2,493.5 million US dollars, which is 3.04% of the country’s GDP. The active military force consists of 201,000 personnel, resulting in about 5.4 active military members for every 1,000 people in the population.

Biggest company in burma

Which is the biggest company in Burma? The Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), a state-owned enterprise founded in 1963, is the country’s largest single revenue generator, estimated to earn more than US$2 billion annually and supplying around half of the government’s foreign-currency income, mainly from offshore natural gas exported to China and Thailand. It operates in the energy sector, part of the primary and secondary economic sectors. (Source, as of 2024)

International Trade of burma

Import Activities of burma

Imports in Burma totaled $16.44 billion in 2023, accounting for 26.40% of the country’s GDP.

Burma’s key imports include refined petroleum, fabric, synthetic fabric, crude petroleum, and fertilizers. Its major import partners are China (45%), Thailand (16%), Singapore (14%), Malaysia (4%), and Indonesia (4%). These imports supply various industries and meet domestic demand.

Exports Activities of burma

Burma’s total exports in 2023 amounted to $14,752,993,056.94, accounting for 23.69% of its GDP. This indicates that exports are of medium importance to the country’s economy.

Burma’s export activities are diverse, with key partners being China, Thailand, Germany, Japan, and the US. The country exports garments, precious stones, natural gas, dried legumes, and rice.

burma economy challenges in 2024

Burma faces challenges in 2024 as it tries to recover from the coup. Economic growth stalled, social welfare declined, and poverty rates rose. Climate change impacts worsened, and underdevelopment persists. The lack of foreign aid hinders progress, requiring innovative solutions for sustainable development.

Sources

• World Bank Data: Myanmar
• IMF: Myanmar Country Profile
• Trading Economics: Myanmar
• UN Comtrade Plus: Trade Flow

Last updated: October 2026