The coastal Region of Yangon sits within the wider Delta Region of the south, sharing borders with Ayeyarwady to the west, and Bago to the north and east, and resting on the Andaman Sea to the south. Yangon Region covers a span of 10,171 km2 administratively divided into 45 townships. Despite being Myanmar’s smallest state by land mass, it is by far the most densely populated with the estimated population of 9.04 million (2023 UNFPA Projections) and population density of 889 people per square kilometre.

Yangon Region contains Yangon City, Myanmar’s largest city and economic hub. Since 2021, it has experienced an unprecedented surge in urban poverty, particularly in its peri-urban areas, where those affected by economic collapse and conflict are seeking refuge (UNDP, Jun 2025). In 2023, 43% of Yangon’s urban population was classified as poor. With an urban population of approximately 6.2 million, nearly 2.7 million individuals are now living in poverty. The depth of urban poverty has also intensified, from 2% in 2017 to 26% in 2023. This means that not only are more people in Yangon falling below the poverty line, but those who are poor are now much further below the poverty line than before.