Myanmar: Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Myanmar's official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) fell US$136.64 on 2019 (from US$1,518 to US$1,382).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +US$50.39 and a typical year strayed about US$128.8 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$635.21 in 2012 and the biggest yearly fall was US$136.64 in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$134.61 a year. A straight line explains 79% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

Closest to Myanmar in the 2020 ranking

• Guinea — 1st of 3: US$9,565
• Afghanistan — 3rd of 3: US$76.81

What this measures

Official exchange rate refers to the exchange rate determined by national authorities or to the rate determined in the legally sanctioned exchange market. This indicator represents the ratio of Local Currency Units relative to United States dollars.This indicator is derived as an average over the reference period.

Limitations: Official or market exchange rates are often used to convert economic statistics in local currencies to a common currency in order to make comparisons across countries. Since market rates reflect at best the relative prices of tradable goods, the volume of goods and services that a U.S. dollar buys in the United States may not correspond to what a U.S. dollar converted to another country's currency at the official exchange rate would buy in that country, particularly when nontradable goods and services account for a significant share of a country's output.

All 61 values

Official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) in nearby economies

• American Samoa — US$1 (2025)
• Australia — US$1.55 (2025)
• Brunei Darussalam — US$1.31 (2025)
• Cambodia — US$4,013 (2025)
• China — US$7.19 (2025)
• Fiji — US$2.3 (2025)
• French Polynesia — US$105.86 (2025)
• Guam — US$1 (2025)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — US$7.8 (2025)
• Indonesia

More financial sector data for Myanmar

• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 227.25 (2025)
• DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) — US$2,100 (2025)
• Inflation, GDP deflator (annual % growth) — 12.52% (2025)
• Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 28.98% (2020)
• Monetary sector credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 28.98% (2020)
• Broad money (current LCU) — 74.68 trillion (2020)
• Broad money (% of GDP) — 69.2% (2020)
• Broad money to total reserves ratio — 7.13 (2020)
• Claims on central government, etc. (% of GDP) — 26.09% (2020)
• Domestic credit to private sector (% of GDP)

Reading data like this

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Questions people ask

What is Myanmar's official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average)?

US$1,382 in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 28,914% from US$4.76 in 1960 (9.91% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$1,518 in 2019 and the lowest US$4.76 in 1960.

Is the latest change in official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) unusual for Myanmar?

In 2020, Myanmar's official exchange rate (LCU per US$, period average) fell US$136.64 on 2019 (from US$1,518 to US$1,382). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1990 to 2019), the average change was +US$50.39 and a typical year strayed about US$128.8 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 1.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was larger than a typical year, though not out of the range seen before.

Where does this data come from?

The World Bank's World Development Indicators, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator PA.NUS.FCRF, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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