Flight Capital and Illicit Financial Flows to and from Myanmar: 1960-2013

By Global Financial Integrity • September 9, 2015

There have been few empirical studies on flight capital and illicit trade flows to and from Myanmar. This may be due in part to significant challenges with obtaining reliable data and statistics on the country. The statistical database is weak, with gaps in data availability, and the methodology used to compile the statistics has not been reviewed for quite some time. Hence, there is a risk that compilers may not have adhered to international guidelines for the compilation of economic statistics. These serious data issues present a formidable challenge to carrying out empirical studies. The relatively insular nature of government policies and the resulting closed economy has created obstacles for comprehensive study.