People group profile · PG022042
The Bamar of Myanmar
The Bamar of Myanmar, numbering about 29,830,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnic Bamar community indigenous to Myanmar. The Bamar are the largest ethnic group in Myanmar, accounting for two-thirds of the country's population.
They are an indigenous people in the Burmese people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Theravada Buddhism, and they primarily speak Burmese.
Fast facts
- Country
- Myanmar
- Population
- 29,830,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Burmese
- Primary language
- Burmese (mya)
- Primary religion
- Theravada Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bamar are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Bamar
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Theravada Buddhism · Buddhism
97% adherents
Primary language
Burmese · Sino-Tibetan family
100% speak Burmese
Gospel resources in Burmese
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Burmese, Standard)
- JESUS (Burmese Musselmani)
- JESUS (Burmese, Common)
- Magdalena (Burmese, Standard)
Bibles
- Myanmar Standard Bible · audio, text
- သမ္မာကျမ်း (Judson Bible) · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bamar
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
Burmese in other countries
The same people (ROP3 101776) is reported in 12 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burmese | Thailand | 1,435,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Burmese | Bangladesh | 527,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Burmese | United States | 107,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Burmese | Malaysia | 32,500 | No Longer Unreached |
| Burmese | Australia | 14,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Burmese | United Kingdom | 12,500 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Burmese | Macao | 8,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Burmese | Canada | 5,900 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Burmese | Cambodia | 5,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Myen | Laos | 800 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Barmi | India | 650 | No Longer Unreached |
| Burmese | Germany | 500 | No Longer Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.