A nationwide census has been launched by Myanmar’s military government, which says it will be used to compile voter lists for a general election promised for next year, even though much of the country is engulfed in civil war.

Myanmar's military government conducts census for voter lists amid civil war, facing resistance from pro-democracy groups and armed militias.

On Tuesday, Myanmar’s ruling junta officially launched a census aimed at creating election rolls for a promised vote next year.

The census is widely seen as an effort to gather information to closely monitor opponents of military rule even more