Surroundings in Myanmar

Myanmar is predominantly rural, with about 69% of the population living in rural areas in 2023. Urban growth and peri-urban settlement have increased overcrowding and pressure on drainage, waste collection and water supply. Yangon provides a clear example of uneven access: an older baseline found piped water for about 33% of the population, while informal settlements often lacked municipal services. Conditions in Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, other towns and rural areas cannot be treated as representative of the whole country. Water, sanitation and hygiene services, often shortened to WASH, are provided through City Development Committees, ministries, community committees and humanitarian or development partners. About 8.9 million people need critical WASH services; more than 40% of households lack safely managed drinking water, nearly 40% lack safely managed sanitation and about one third lack basic hygiene facilities. Dry-season source failures and monsoon flooding can contaminate water. Ponds, wells, streams and private vendors are common alternatives, while urban wastewater systems have historically been limited to Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay and have not operated fully. Water points, purification tablets, tanks, solar systems and household or community latrines support emergency access, but availability and affordability vary locally and may be limited by conflict, displacement, roads and humanitarian access. Electricity access was reported at 76.8% of the population in 2023, while a 2025 World Bank report also identified more than four million households without access. Blackouts affect Yangon, Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw. Damaged or poorly maintained electricity networks have increased reliance on distributed solar systems, mini-grids and generators. Waste collection is partial in many urban areas, and open dumping or poorly controlled landfills can contaminate drains and surrounding land. Municipal fees, water charges, waste charges and park fees are set locally rather than through one national tariff. The Environmental Conservation Department, within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation, is responsible for environmental quality functions, monitoring and project review. An Environmental Impact Assessment, or EIA, examines likely effects of a larger project; an Initial Environmental Examination, or IEE, is used for projects requiring a more limited examination. An Environmental Compliance Certificate, or ECC, records the environmental approval for a project. The project proponent pays for the required study. EIA or IEE work can cover noise, vibration, pollution, mitigation and monitoring. Consultation may involve Project Affected People, authorities, community-based organizations and civil society at national, regional, State, Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory and local levels. Comments should inform the design, mitigation and monitoring measures, and the Environmental Conservation Department discloses the final decision. The stated decision target is 90 days after submission, with possible extension. Noise pollution is legally recognized under the Environmental Conservation Law. Project-related complaints are mainly handled through the proponent and environmental review process, while everyday nuisance handling remains fragmented. Myanmar has no evidenced nationwide resident-facing ambient-noise monitoring or complaint system. Air pollution comes from solid-fuel cooking, traffic, industry, waste burning and seasonal haze. A modelled WHO estimate reported an urban annual mean PM2.5 concentration of 26.79 micrograms per cubic metre in 2019, but monitoring is limited. Environmental monitoring reports from Yangon have covered PM2.5, PM10, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone and carbon monoxide at selected sites rather than through a continuous nationwide network. Local monitoring and health advice therefore matter more in urban areas, during the dry season and where households use solid fuels. City Development Committees have functions covering parks, gardens, playgrounds and recreation centres, but access, maintenance and fees depend on the city and site. Myanmar has no evidenced nationwide standard for public green-space area or access. Community-managed open spaces, temple grounds and other local greenery can provide practical alternatives. Their everyday value includes shade, recreation and some flood buffering; protected ecosystems and forests belong to the separate Nature topic. Safety depends on both the physical setting and the current security situation. Major spatial risks include earthquakes, floods, cyclones, landslides, extreme heat, unsafe buildings and utilities, fires, contaminated water and explosive ordnance. The 28 March 2025 earthquake affected more than 17 million people, severely affected about 9 million and caused estimated direct physical damage of US$10.97 billion, about 14% of GDP. In 2025, explosive-ordnance incidents were recorded at 510, with 745 civilian casualties, including 155 children; Shan State recorded 182 incidents and 245 casualties. The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology supports weather and hazard observation, while the Department of Disaster Management supports preparedness, response and recovery. Practical protection also relies on community warnings, evacuation, explosive-ordnance risk education, humanitarian shelter and WASH support. The available evidence does not establish a formal nationwide demining operation. Urbanization, peri-urban expansion, displacement, conflict, power and water disruption, climate extremes and disaster recovery continue to reshape daily surroundings. UNHCR reported about 3.7 million internally displaced people in Myanmar in 2026. Earthquake recovery has concentrated along the central corridor, with rebuilding and community-led work on roads, water points, sanitation, debris removal and public infrastructure constrained by funding, security and access. There is no direct nationwide equivalent to an integrated resident-facing surroundings portal or a uniform service-quality standard. Practical access therefore depends on the responsible city or township body, local providers, community organizations and, where necessary, humanitarian partners.