Quality of life comparison

compared to

If you lived in Burma instead of China, you would:

Health

live 6.2 years less

In China, the average life expectancy is 76 years (74 years for men, 81 years for women) as of 2020. In Burma, that number is 70 years (68 years for men, 72 years for women) as of 2022.

Economy

be 39.2% less likely to be unemployed

In China, 4.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2023. In Burma, that number is 2.8% as of 2023.

make 76.0% less money

China has a GDP per capita of $22,100 as of 2023, while in Burma, the GDP per capita is $5,300 as of 2023.

Life

have 53.9% more children

In China, there are approximately 10.2 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Burma, there are 15.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

be 7.8 times more likely to die during childbirth

In China, approximately 23.0 women per 100,000 births die during labor as of 2020. In Burma, 179.0 women do as of 2020.

be 4.9 times more likely to die during infancy

In China, approximately 6.8 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Burma, on the other hand, 32.9 children do as of 2022.

Basic Needs

be 26.3% less likely to have access to electricity

In China, approximately 100% of the population has electricity access as of 2022. In Burma, 74% of the population do as of 2022.

be 39.7% less likely to have internet access

In China, approximately 73.0% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Burma, about 44.0% do as of 2021.

be 10.3% less likely to have access to improved drinking water

In China, approximately 95% of people have improved drinking water access (97% in urban areas, and 92% in rural areas) as of 2020. In Burma, that number is 85% of people on average (95% in urban areas, and 81% in rural areas) as of 2020.

Expenditures

spend 44.4% less on education

China spends 3.6% of its total GDP on education as of 2020. Burma spends 2.0% of total GDP on education as of 2019.

spend 33.9% less on healthcare

China spends 5.6% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2020. In Burma, that number is 3.7% of GDP as of 2020.

Geography

see 86.7% less coastline

China has a total of 14,500 km of coastline. In Burma, that number is 1,930 km.

The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: The World Factbook.

Burma: At a glance

Burma is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 653,508 sq km. Various ethnic Burmese and ethnic minority city-states or kingdoms occupied the present borders through the 19th century. Over a period of 62 years (1824-1886), Britain conquered Burma and incorporated the country into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate, self-governing colony; in 1948, Burma attained independence from the British Commonwealth. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to 1988, first as military ruler, then as self-appointed president, and later as political kingpin. In response to widespread civil unrest, NE WIN resigned in 1988, but within months the military crushed student-led protests and took power. Multiparty legislative elections in 1990 resulted in the main opposition party - the National League for Democracy (NLD) - winning a landslide victory. Instead of handing over power, the junta placed NLD leader (and Nobel Peace Prize recipient) AUNG SAN SUU KYI (ASSK) under house arrest from 1989 to 1995, 2000 to 2002, and from May 2003 to November 2010. In late September 2007, the ruling junta brutally suppressed protests over increased fuel prices led by prodemocracy activists and Buddhist monks, killing at least 13 people and arresting thousands for participating in the demonstrations. In early May 2008, Burma was struck by Cyclone Nargis, which left over 138,000 dead and tens of thousands injured and homeless. Despite this tragedy, the junta proceeded with its May constitutional referendum, the first vote in Burma since 1990. Parliamentary elections held in November 2010, considered flawed by many in the international community, saw the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party garner over 75% of the seats. Parliament convened in January 2011 and selected former Prime Minister THEIN SEIN as president. Although the vast majority of national-level appointees named by THEIN SEIN are former or current military officers, the government has initiated a series of political and economic reforms leading to a substantial opening of the long-isolated country. These reforms have included allowing ASSK to contest parliamentary by-elections on 1 April 2012, releasing hundreds of political prisoners, reaching preliminary peace agreements with 10 of the 11 major armed ethnic groups, enacting laws that provide better protections for basic human rights, and gradually reducing restrictions on freedom of the press, association, and civil society. At least due in part to these reforms, ASSK now serves as an elected Member of Parliament and chair of the Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility. Most political parties have begun building their institutions in preparation for the next round of general elections in 2015. The country is the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2014.
Read more

How big is Burma compared to China? See an in-depth size comparison.

Share this

ASK THE ELSEWHERE COMMUNITY

Join the Elsewhere community and ask a question about Burma.or China It's a free, question-and-answer based forum to discuss what life is like in countries and cities around the world.