A Southeast Asian country surrounded by India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and China, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar bought US$12.5 billion worth of imported products from global markets in 2024.

That dollar amount results from a -30.7% decline compared to $18 billion 5 years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, the value of total imports into Myanmar dropped by -24.3% compared to $16.4 billion starting from 2023.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, the Myanmar kyat depreciated by -34.8% against the US dollar since 2020 and weakened by -0.7% from 2023 to 2024. Its weaker local currency in 2024 made Myanmar’s imports paid for in Myanmar kyats relatively more expensive for buyers located in Myanmar.

Major Suppliers of Myanmar’s Imported Products

The latest available country-specific data shows that 94.1% of products imported into Myanmar was furnished by exporters in: mainland China (33.5% of the Mayanma total), Singapore (24.9%), Malaysia (10.1%), Thailand (9.3%), Indonesia (5.4%), India (2.9%), Oman (1.8%), Vietnam (1.7%), South Korea (1.3%), Japan (1.1%), Australia (0.97%) and the United States of America (0.9%).

Applying a continental lens, 94.3% of Myanmar’s imports by total cost were purchased from fellow Asian countries. Trade partners located in Europe supplied 3.1% of imports purchased by Myanmar while another 1.04% worth of goods originated from sellers in Oceania (1.04%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Tinier percentages came from exporters in North America (0.99%), Latin America (0.31%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Africa (0.22%).

Given Myanmar’s population of 54.2 million people, its total $12.5 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $300 in yearly product demand from every person living in the Southeast Asian nation also known as Burma. That dollar amount lags the average $320 per capita one year earlier during 2023.

Myanmar’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Myanmar’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Myanmar.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$4.5 billion (36.3% of total imports)
2. Manmade staple fibers: $717.4 million (5.8%)
3. Animal/vegetable fats, oils, waxes: $575.7 million (4.6%)
4. Manmade filaments: $537.5 million (4.3%)
5. Fertilizers: $535.3 million (4.3%)
6. Machinery including computers: $451.3 million (3.6%)
7. Electrical machinery, equipment: $447.8 million (3.6%)
8. Iron, steel: $386.1 million (3.1%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: $372.5 million (3%)
10. Vehicles: $352 million (2.8%)

Myanmar’s top 10 import product categories generated well over two-thirds (71.5%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Imported manmade staple fibers attracted the fastest growth in spending among Myanmar’s top 10 import categories via a 32.4% uptick from 2023 to 2024.

The other gainer for improving Burmese import purchases was the vehicles category which expanded by 3.2%.

Leading the year-over-year declines were Myanmar’s imports of machinery including computers (down -53.2% year over year), electrical machinery and equipment (down -42.4%) then the metals iron and steel (down -40.6%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. Information presented below delves into the more granular 4-digit HTS codes.

From the more detailed codes perspective, Myanmar’s top 5 most valuable imported products are refined petroleum oils (35.1% of the overall total), palm oil (4.5%), synthetic yarn woven fabrics (3.7%), fertilizer mixes (2.7%) then woven fabrics containing predominantly synthetic staple fibers (also 2.7%).

That cohort of 5 main imports represent almost half (48.7%) of Myanmar’s overall spending on imported products in 2024.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Fuels

In 2024, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related goods.

1. Processed petroleum oils: US$4.4 billion (down -15.7% from 2023)
2. Petroleum gases: $69.9 million (up 12.5%)
3. Electrical energy: $33.5 million (down -52.4%)
4. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $16.7 million (down -51.2%)
5. Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $13.4 million (down -12.4%)
6. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $11.8 million (down -8.9%)
7. Petroleum oil residues: $2.9 million (down -76.3%)
8. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $672,000 (down -49.1%)
9. Asphalt/petroleum bitumen mixes: $199,000 (up 26.8%)
10. Distilled tar: $64,000 (up 8.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of asphalt or petroleum bitumen mixes (up 26.8%), petroleum gases (up 12.5%) then distilled tar (up 8.5%) grew from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels including oil among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Animal or Vegetable Fats, Oils

In 2024, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of animal or vegetable fats and oils.

Myanmar’s importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of animal or vegetable fats and oils during 2024.

1. Palm oil: US$565.6 million (down -9.9% from 2023)
2. Margarine: $3.5 million (down -66.8%)
3. Sun/safflower/cotton-seed oil: $3.4 million (down -66.9%)
4. Coconut/palm/babassu oil: $2 million (up 113.4%)
5. Soya-bean oil: $988,000 (down -27.4%)
6. Olive oil: $136,000 (up 72.2%)
7. Wool grease, lanolin: $9,000 (2023 data unavailable)
8. Vegetable/bees/insect waxes: $8,000 (down -94.9%)
9. Rape/colza/mustard oil: $7,000 (down -85.1%)
10. Fixed vegetable fats/oils: $4,000 (down -92.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of coconut, palm or babassu oil (up 113.4%) and olive oil (up 72.2%) grew from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported animal or vegetable fats and oils among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s Main Imported Man-made Filaments

In 2024, Burmese importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of man-made filaments.

1. Synthetic yarn woven fabrics: US$459.7 million (down -19.2% from 2023)
2. Other synthetic yarn woven fabrics: $49.1 million (up 201.9%)
3. Synthetic filament yarn: $18.2 million (down -22%)
4. Sewing thread: $8.3 million (down -30.1%)
5. Artificial filament yarn: $2.1 million (down -83.4%)
6. Synthetic monofilament: $128,000 (up 26.7%)

Among these import subcategories, Burmese purchases of other synthetic yarn woven fabrics (up 201.9%) and synthetic monofilament (up 26.7%) grew from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage changes within parenthesis suggest where the strongest demand remains for different types of imported man-made filaments among businesses and consumers in Myanmar.
 

See also Myanmar’s Top 10 Exports, Thailand’s Top Trading Partners, Japan’s Top Trading Partners, India’s Top Trading Partners, Malaysia’s Top Trading Partners and Poland’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook East Asia/Southeast Asia: Burma. Accessed on December 6, 2025

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on December 6, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 6, 2025

Wikipedia, Myanmar. Accessed on December 6, 2025