Myanmar

Background reviewed 2026-10-23 · Background as of 2026-10

Background

Myanmar’s military seized power on 1 February 2021, detaining the elected leadership. Mass protests were followed by armed resistance, and fighting between the military and a range of armed groups has since spread across many states and regions.

In late 2023 an alliance of ethnic armed groups launched a major offensive in northern Shan State, and resistance forces gained ground in several regions. A powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar in March 2025. The military held an election in phases from December 2025; the military-backed party won, in a vote that many governments and observers did not consider free or fair.

Many armed groups are active in different parts of the country, so reports often concern local fighting. Locations in rural areas are frequently known only at township or region level, which we show as an area rather than a point.

History

Myanmar, formerly Burma, became independent from Britain in 1948. Armed conflicts between the central state and ethnic armed organisations in the borderlands began soon after and are among the longest-running in the world. The military ruled directly from 1962 to 2011.

A partial opening began in 2011, and Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy won elections in 2015 and 2020. In 2017 a military campaign in Rakhine State forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh, a crisis that led to a genocide case at the International Court of Justice. The 2021 coup ended the civilian government and led to a nationwide armed resistance joined by many ethnic armed organisations.

Main parties

Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) — Governs through bodies it created after the 2021 coup.
National Unity Government (NUG) and People’s Defence Forces (PDF) — Formed by opponents of the coup.
Ethnic armed organisations — Including the Arakan Army, Kachin Independence Army, Karen National Union and Ta’ang National Liberation Army.

Key dates

2021-02-01 — The military takes power in a coup.
2021-04 — Opponents of the coup form the National Unity Government (NUG).
2023-10-27 — An alliance of ethnic armed groups launches a major offensive in northern Shan State.
2025-03-28 — A magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes near Mandalay and Sagaing.
2025-12-28 — The first phase of a military-run election is held.
2026-01 — The military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party is declared the winner.

Humanitarian situation

Several million people are displaced inside Myanmar, according to UN agencies. Air strikes, the collapse of public services and restrictions on aid access have left large parts of the population in need of assistance, and the Rohingya population in Rakhine State remains particularly vulnerable.

How to read reports about Myanmar

Place names can have several spellings; we match the common English forms.
Claims by different parties about territory are not shown on the map.

Recent events

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