Discover
The identity of the nation
Myanmar, formerly Burma, is a vast and diverse nation at the heart of Southeast Asia, cut from north to south by the Irrawaddy River and crowned with thousands of golden pagodas. More than a hundred peoples and languages coexist within the same borders, from the Bamar people, the majority in the center of the country, to the Karen, Shan, Rakhine, Kachin, Chin and Mon in the border regions. It is a land of rare beauty and deep contrasts, where religious devotion shapes almost every aspect of daily life.
Theravada Buddhism is the heart of Burmese identity: for the Bamar majority, being Burmese means being Buddhist, and monasteries remain centers of education and community life from childhood on. Christianity, in turn, found fertile ground especially among the mountain peoples, such as the Karen, Kachin and Chin, converted in large numbers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and today majority Christian in many of their communities. Among the Buddhist Bamar majority, however, and among the Muslims of the west of the country, the gospel is still practically unknown.
Few countries hold so much beauty and so much pain at the same time. Alongside the ancient temples of Bagan and the lush green hills come decades of military coups, wars between the state and ethnic militias, and a devastating new civil conflict since 2021, which has already displaced millions of people within their own country. In 2025, a powerful earthquake in the central region destroyed villages, temples and churches, deepening the suffering of a people who had already carried decades of war.
It is precisely in this context of pain that the church in Myanmar has shown remarkable faith: Christian communities in the mountain regions sustain schools, care for the displaced and keep hope alive amid the conflict. But the call ahead is great: the Buddhist Bamar majority, at the heart of the country, remains one of the largest unreached people groups in the world, and entire peoples still wait to hear, for the first time, that God loves them.
- Before the 11th century, small kingdoms compete for the Irrawaddy River valley.
- 1044 King Anawrahta founds the first Bagan empire and adopts Theravada Buddhism as the nation's faith.
- 1287 Mongol invasions topple Bagan, beginning centuries of rival kingdoms.
- 1813 Arrival of the first Baptist missionaries, whose work leads decades later to mass conversions among the Karen, Kachin and Chin peoples.
- 1824-1885 Three wars against the British Empire end with the country's full annexation as a colony.
- 1948 Independence from Great Britain, under the name Union of Burma.
- 1962 A military coup interrupts the democratic period and begins decades of isolation and authoritarian rule.
- 1988 A popular uprising for democracy is violently suppressed.
- 2007 Buddhist monks lead large peaceful protests against the military regime, the so-called Saffron Revolution, harshly suppressed.
- 2021 A new military coup overthrows the elected government and plunges the country into civil war.
- 2025 A major earthquake strikes the central region, killing thousands and worsening the humanitarian crisis.
- Today A nation fragmented by ethnic conflicts, with the church more alive among the mountain peoples than among the Buddhist majority.
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Burmeseofficial, native language of about two-thirds of the population
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Shanspoken by about 3 million people of the Shan people, in the east of the country
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Karen languagesspoken by various Karen peoples, about 2.6 million people
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Kachin (Jingpho)spoken by the Kachin people, in the far north, near the border with China
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Chin languagesspoken by dozens of Chin peoples in the mountains of the west
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Monlanguage of one of the country's oldest ethnic groups, in the south
Myanmar is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia, wedged between India, China, Thailand and the sea. The territory is cut from north to south by the Irrawaddy River, whose fertile valley sustains most of the population. To the north, peaks rising above 5,800 meters mark the start of the Himalayas; to the east, the Shan Plateau stretches to the border with China and Thailand; and to the south, a long coastline washed by the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea holds hundreds of islands.
Major cities
- YangonFormer capital and largest city, main port and economic center
- MandalaySecond largest city, symbol of the culture and the last Burmese dynasty
- NaypyidawAdministrative capital since 2005, a planned city with wide streets and little traffic
- BaganFormer religious capital, with thousands of Buddhist temples and pagodas
- MawlamyinePort city in the south, known for tropical fruits and ancient pagodas
Climate and temperature
Mohinga
Fish soup with rice noodles, considered the national dish, served for breakfast
Laphet thoke
Salad of fermented tea leaves with peanuts, sesame and fried garlic
Shan noodles
A dish of the Shan people, with rice noodles, chicken or pork and garlic oil
Burmese curry
Meat or fish slow-cooked in oil with turmeric, garlic and ginger, served with rice
Mont lin ma ya
Sweet rice dumplings filled with palm sugar, a popular street snack
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Respect for monks and hierarchy
Age and social standing shape much of Burmese social etiquette
Hospitality and generosity
Sharing food and giving to temples are central gestures in daily life
Mosaic identity
More than a hundred peoples and languages coexist within the same borders, each with its own traditions
Deep ties to Buddhism
Spending a period as a novice in a monastery is a rite of passage for many boys
Traditional art and crafts
Lacquerware, weaving and wood carving keep centuries-old techniques alive
Traditional dress
The longyi, a cloth wrapped around the waist, is worn daily by men and women across the country
- Pointing your feet at people or images of Buddha Feet are considered the most impure part of the body in local culture
- Touching someone's head The head is seen as the most sacred part of the person
- Showing anger or impatience in public Losing one's composure is shameful and breaks social harmony
- Wearing shoes into temples and pagodas Shoes and socks must be removed before entering any sacred area
- Photographing monks or ceremonies without asking permission It is a gesture of respect for others' religious life
- Commenting on politics or the military in public It can put both the visitor and local residents at risk
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Being Burmese is almost synonymous with being Buddhist, which makes conversion to Christ a painful break with family and nation
Alongside Buddhism, many seek protection from the nats, nature and ancestor spirits worshiped in small shrines
Decades of distrust between the Bamar people and the country's dozens of minorities fuel armed conflicts to this day
The armed conflict spread across the country since 2021 destroys entire villages and spreads fear and distrust
Power concentrated in the armed forces stifles civil liberties and keeps the country isolated from the world
Christians and Muslims in certain regions face pressure and violence because of their faith and ethnicity
Decades of information control make full access to the gospel and education difficult
Astrology, numerology and amulets guide important daily decisions for many families
Decades of conflict leave deep trauma in entire families, both inside and outside combat zones
In older ethnic churches, faith risks becoming a family tradition without a personal surrender to God
In Myanmar, following Jesus can cost one’s freedom, home or even life, depending on who the Christian is and where they live. Among the Karen, Kachin and Chin peoples, Christians for generations, faith is stifled by the civil war: entire villages are attacked, churches destroyed, and families forced to flee into the jungle or to refugee camps in neighboring countries.
Among the Bamar people, mostly Buddhist, becoming a Christian usually means breaking with family and community, who see conversion as a betrayal of national identity. The pressure in these cases is more social and familial than legal, but it can be just as painful: loss of inheritance, expulsion from home, emotional isolation.
The civil war that began after the 2021 military coup makes everything worse: bombings hit Christian villages, religious leaders are arrested or killed amid military operations, and humanitarian access to conflict areas is frequently blocked. Added to this is the 2025 earthquake, which destroyed temples, churches and mosques, leaving faith communities even more vulnerable.
Even so, the church in the ethnic regions remains alive and resilient, sustaining schools, support for the displaced and networks of care amid the conflict, a quiet testimony of hope in the midst of pain.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Myanmar has 238 ethnic groups cataloged by the Joshua Project, a rare mosaic of peoples within a single country. About a quarter of them, including the Bamar (Burmese) people, the majority of the population, and the Rakhine people, remain almost untouched by the gospel, bound to Buddhist identity as an inseparable part of being Burmese. At the same time, among mountain peoples such as the Karen, Kachin and Chin, Christianity flourished throughout the 20th century and is now the majority in several of these communities. The challenge is that this living faith on the margins rarely reaches the heart of the nation: the Bamar, the Rakhine and the Rohingya Muslims, who remain among the least-reached peoples in the country.
- 45.3M Unreached 83%
- 155K Minimally reached 0,3%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 2.4M Partially reached 4,3%
- 6.7M Significantly reached 12,4%
- 58 Unreached 24,4%
- 2 Minimally reached 0,8%
- 0 Superficially reached 0%
- 28 Partially reached 11,8%
- 150 Significantly reached 63%
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Tai khun Frontier
Malay Frontier
Riang Lai Frontier
Taungtha Frontier
Intha Frontier
Taman
Mok Frontier
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Every nation carries a redemptive purpose. Marks that seem woven into the identity God desires to restore:
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
one of the lowest in Southeast Asia, but rising because of the economic crisis
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Learn basic Burmese: outside hotels and tourism, English has limited use.
- Be patient with electricity: power outages are common in much of the country.
- Bring cash: international cards and apps have very limited acceptance.
- Find out about conflict areas: travel within the country can be unsafe in certain regions.
- Dress modestly: covered shoulders and knees are expected, especially near temples.
- Attend to health matters in advance: the healthcare network is limited outside major urban centers.
- Prepare for internet outages: the government imposes blocks and connection restrictions in various regions.
- Avoid political comments in public: the topic is sensitive and can put both you and local residents at risk.
- Exchange money at official currency exchanges: the kyat's black market is unstable and risky.
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.