Skip to content
WorldPop

Yangon

#73 largest metro areaAsia

In Myanmar

Metro population
5,565,000
0.067% of world population
Archive estimate
Annual growth
+1.45%
About 221 people a day
Archive estimate
Density
9,306/km²
598 km² metro area
City proper
4,477,638
Within the administrative boundary
GeoNames

About Yangon

With a metropolitan population of 5,565,000 and a city-proper population of 4,477,638, Yangon is among Asia's major urban centers. The city sits at 30 m elevation and experiences dense settlement at 9,306 people per km². Annual growth of 1.5% suggests a gradually expanding population base. Yangon International Airport (RGN) serves the city's air transport needs. The city was founded in 1035, giving it over a millennium of history within Myanmar.

This summary is AI-generated from the statistics on this page. The figures themselves come from the sources cited beside each value.

Key Facts

Country
Myanmar
Continent
Asia
World rank
#73 of 140
Share of country
10.1%
Founded
1035
Elevation
30 m
Coordinates
16.805, 96.156

Airports

Scheduled-service airports within 100 km, nearest first.

  • Yangon International AirportRGN

    12 km from the city centre

Source: OurAirports, matched by distance.

Compared with the World's Largest Cities

Metropolitan population against the fifteen largest metro areas.

  1. Tokyo37.4M
  2. Delhi32.9M
  3. Shanghai29.2M
  4. São Paulo22.6M
  5. Dhaka22.5M
  6. Mexico City22.3M
  7. Cairo22.2M
  8. Mumbai21.7M
  9. Beijing21.5M
  10. Osaka19M
  11. New York18.9M
  12. Karachi17.1M
  13. Kinshasa17.1M
  14. Chongqing16.9M
  15. Lagos15.9M
  16. Yangon5.57M
Metro populations are archive estimates; boundaries differ between national statistical agencies.
Yangon compared with the fifteen largest metropolitan areas
NameMetro population
Tokyo37.4M
Delhi32.9M
Shanghai29.2M
São Paulo22.6M
Dhaka22.5M
Mexico City22.3M
Cairo22.2M
Mumbai21.7M
Beijing21.5M
Osaka19M
New York18.9M
Karachi17.1M
Kinshasa17.1M
Chongqing16.9M
Lagos15.9M
Yangon5.57M

Population Trend in Myanmar

No free source publishes metropolitan population back to 1950, so the parent country's series is shown instead.

010M20M30M40M50M60M1950197520002025205020752100projected →
This is Myanmar's national population, not Yangon's. The legacy city series this page previously carried was generated by scaling the current figure, so it has been dropped rather than presented as history. Source: UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Myanmar population, 1950 to 2100
YearPopulation
195017,737,117
196021,730,250
197027,193,016
198033,227,204
199039,817,251
200045,290,841
201049,024,382
202053,016,522
203056,351,031
204058,169,858
205058,623,232
206057,935,312
207056,437,247
208054,433,608
209052,136,425
210049,658,882

Nearest Major Cities

Closest cities in our dataset by great-circle distance.

Yangon Population FAQ

What is the population of Yangon?

Yangon's metropolitan area has about 5,565,000 people, making it the 73rd largest metro area in our dataset of 140 major cities.

What is the difference between Yangon's city and metro population?

About 4,477,638 people live within the city proper, while the wider metropolitan area holds roughly 5,565,000. Metro figures include surrounding commuter areas that fall outside the city's administrative boundary.

Is Yangon growing or shrinking?

Yangon is growing at +1.45% a year.

What share of Myanmar's population lives in Yangon?

Yangon's metro area holds about 10.1% of Myanmar's total population.

How densely populated is Yangon?

Yangon has roughly 9,306 people per km² across a metro area of about 598 km².

Which airports serve Yangon?

The nearest major airports are Yangon International Airport (RGN).

Which country is Yangon in?

Yangon is in Myanmar, in Asia.

Explore More Cities

All 140 cities →Myanmar country profile →