The junta was unable to collect data from an estimated 19 million people

The junta’s census report, released Tuesday, reveals it could gather data from only 44 percent of the country’s people due to limiting the count to areas under its control.

According to the report, junta officials tasked with leading the project were unable to conduct a census in the 58 townships currently under resistance and ethnic armed organisations’ (EAOs) authority.

The census could not be conducted in many townships across Myanmar, including areas in Rakhine State, Kachin State, Sagaing Region, Shan State, Mandalay Region, Chin State, Karenni (Kayah) State, and Magway Region.

This limited coverage highlights the regime’s restricted control over the nation. The census faced significant challenges due to ongoing conflict and security concerns, preventing comprehensive data collection across the country.

Notably, the towns of Natogyi, Singu, Mandalay, and Thabeikkyin in Mandalay Region—home to the junta’s Central Regional Military Command headquarters—are among the areas where census data could not be collected.

In October, Myanmar’s military regime chose to proceed with a population survey intended to lay the groundwork for planned elections, which the pro-democracy resistance has condemned as illegitimate.

The census revealed that the regime could only carry out assessments in 145 of the 330 townships nationwide, accounting for just 44 percent of the country’s total population.

The survey also suggests that of the 145 townships in junta territory, 127 of these are under partial control.

A previous census, which was carried out under President Thein Sein’s government in 2014, failed to collect data in Kachin, Karen, and Rakhine states due to security conditions, leaving nearly 1.2 million people out of the count.

This latest military-conducted census indicates an inability to collect information from an estimated 19 million people.

Despite significant criticism over the prospective elections’ legitimacy and transparency, the junta has stated it will hold general elections in 2025, using this census data for the voter lists.