City Life Survey
Given the lack of reliable data in Myanmar as well as government’s lack of experience with city planning, complex urbanization issues are becoming significant challenges to policymakers. This pilot City Life Survey is the beginning of a project that is intended to shine light on what Myanmar’s cities are like as places to work and live. It is the first of its kind in Myanmar, tracking public perceptions and lived experiences of urban life across multiple cities and on a multiyear basis. For this pilot City Life Survey, the research team asked 1,400 urban residents of Yangon, Taunggyi and Hpa-An 118 questions about their perceptions, attitudes, and experiences. The survey goes beyond a narrow focus on cities as centers of commerce and seeks to provide a holistic overview of residents’ sentiments and experiences. The survey builds off The Asia Foundation’s experience conducting over 300 perception surveys in Asia, as well as the Foundation’s Myanmar 2014: Civic Knowledge and Values in a Changing Society survey.
