Skip to main content

Refugee Youth Resource

Refugee Youth Resource Center

Myanmar

With one of the longest current military conflicts in the world, the country of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has witnessed significant political instability and ethnoreligious violence. Based on figures as of June 2026, there were an estimated 3.7 million Internally Displaced Persons within Myanmar, with another 1.3 million seeking asylum in the neighboring countries of Bangladesh and Malaysia.  

Of the global population of refugees from Myanmar, it is estimated that around 1 million are Rohingya Muslims. While Rohingya families have lived in Myanmar for generations, they are not recognized as citizens and are the largest group of stateless people in the world. Other minority groups of Myanmar, such as Chin, Kachin, Karen, and Shan communities, have also experienced persecution, displacement, and human rights abuses related to their ethnic identity, religion, or political affiliations. 

Between 2015 and 2025, the U.S. resettled close to 67,000 refugees from Myanmar. This accounted for over 13% of all those resettled in the U.S. through the Refugee Admissions Program (second only to the Democratic Republic of the Congo). 

Additional resources for providers supporting children and youth from Myanmar are below.

RESOURCES: Myanmar

for Providers

Myanmar (Burmese) Culture

Myanmar (Burmese) Culture

Resource Type: Website

Source: Cultural Atlas

Myanmar’s Troubled History: Coups, Military Rule, and Ethnic Conflict

Myanmar’s Troubled History: Coups, Military Rule, and Ethnic Conflict

Resource Type: Website

Source: Council on Foreign Relations

Chin - Cultural Profile

Chin - Cultural Profile

Resource Type: Website

Source: EthnoMed

Karen - Cultural Profile

Karen - Cultural Profile

Resource Type: Website

Source: EthnoMed

Rohingya Refugees in the United States

Rohingya Refugees in the United States

Resource Type: PDF

Source: CARRE