Myanmar is emerging from decades of military rule, central planning and economic isolation as it implements political and economic reforms and, as a result, faces fewer international sanctions. The country has great potential for rapid development due to its vast natural resources, abundant labour force and geostrategic location. To assist efforts, ESCAP and OECD conducted a multi-dimensional policy review of Myanmar from the end of 2012 in coordination with the Government of Myanmar. During the review, the lack of information on the business conditions on the ground was found to be a serious impediment to the development of appropriate polices. To address this, a joint business survey with the Union of Myanmar Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (UMFCCI) was conducted, providing a rich dataset of 3 000 firms in all sectors and regions to help in understanding characteristics and the challenges they face. This publication explores the results in depth, in order to develop policies that address challenges and promote private sector development in Myanmar.