Myanmar population hits over 59 mln in 2009

The population of Myanmar has hit 59. 12 million at the end of 2009, up from 57.37 million in May 2008 and 39.3 million in 1988, according to the latest figures of the Ministry of Immigration and Population.

Of the total, population attaining the age of 18 or above stood at over 30 million.

The male population was 29.39 million, while the female's 29.73 million, the figures show.

Myanmar's population grew 2.02 percent annually.

Myanmar conducted its last population census in 2007, the two prior censuses being in 1973 and 1983.

The 2007 population census was carried out with the technical aid of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA).

With the UNFPA assistance, the country had also carried out a population changes and fertility survey in 1991 and a fertility survey and a reproductive health survey in 1997 and 2001 respectively.

Meanwhile, an agricultural census for 2010 has been underway in Myanmar since March this year with the cooperation of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The one-and-a-half-year project, which lasts until August 2011, is being carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Settlement and Land Record and the census will be presented in the year 2013.

In the fourth Myanmar agricultural census, FAO is providing over 410,000 U.S. dollars' fund, sending technical experts from countries such as Thailand and the Philippines to work together with the local experts.

Moreover, the FAO is also helping Myanmar find international donors for 3.1 million dollars needed in implementing the project.

Myanmar had received 2.19 million dollars from international donors in 1993 and 297,000 dollars from FAO in 2003 for the agricultural census projects.

Myanmar stands as a country with agriculture as the mainstay of its economy. With over 70 percent of Myanmar's population being engaged in agricultural undertakings, the sector contributes 40 percent to the country's gross domestic product.

Source:Xinhua