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List of ethnic groups in Myanmar

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Note: This map is based on 1972 Burmese census. Other ethnic groups like Rakhine, Kayah, Pa’O and Shanni might not appear on this map because government merge sub ethnic groups into a large single ethnic group. (i.e. Kayah and Pa’O are Karen sub groups so government merge them into a one single ethnic identity.)

Myanmar (Burma) is an ethnically diverse nation with 135 distinct ethnic groups officially recognised by the Burmese government. These are grouped into eight "major national ethnic races":

The "major national ethnic races" are grouped primarily according to region rather than linguistic or ethnic affiliation, as for example the Shan Major National Ethnic Race includes 33 ethnic groups speaking languages in at least four widely differing language families.[1]

The list has faced criticism for overcounting the number of ethnic groups. Specifically, it represents clans and people withh dialectical differences as distinct ethnic groups, sometimes even repeating the same group under a different name.[2] According to Gamanii, a researcher who scrutinized the claim, only 59 out of the 135 ethnic groups mentioned can be verified as existing entities.[3]

Many unrecognised ethnic groups exist, the largest being the Burmese Chinese and Panthay (who together form 3% of the population), Burmese Indians (who form 2% of the population), Rohingya, Anglo-Burmese and Gurkha. There are no official statistics regarding the population of the latter two groups, although unofficial estimates place around 52,000 Anglo-Burmese in Burma with around 1.6 million outside the country.

Ethnic composition of Myanmar (2019 GAD township reports)[4][5]

  Bamar (68.5%)
  Kayin (6.6%)
  Shan (4.7%)
  Rakhine (4.3%)
  Mon (2.1%)
  Chin (2.1%)
  Pa-O (2.1%)
  Kachin (1.5%)
  Ta'ang (0.6%)
  Danu (0.6%)
  Lahu (0.5%)
  Kokang (0.4%)
  Karenni (0.4%)
  others (5.6%)


Officially recognized ethnic groups

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Note: The list is very controversial. Many of the names and spelling variants are known only from this list.[3][6]

Kachin

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Kachin comprises 12 different ethnic groups:

Kayah

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Nine groups:[note 1][8]

  1. ^ The source of this list is the nine captions from an unscientific Italian book, using Italian spelling.

Kayin

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11 groups:

  • Karen (Kayin)
  • Kayinpyu (Geba Karen)
  • Pa-Le-Chi, maybe Mobwa
  • Mon Kayin (Sarpyu), unknown[7]
  • Sgaw (Karen, S’gaw)
  • Ta-Lay-Pwa, maybe Thalebwa[7]
  • Paku (Karen, Paku)
  • Bwe (Bwe Karen)
  • Monnepwa (Karen, Paku)
  • Monpwa, unknown[7]
  • Shu (Pwo Kayin)

Chin

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53 groups. This list was possibly originally a list of tax rate districts with the highest tax first.

  • Chin
  • Meithei (Meitei; Kathe)
  • Saline
  • Ka-Lin-Kaw people (Lushay)
  • Khumi (Khami)
  • Mro-Khimi people
  • Khawno
  • Kaungso
  • Kaung Saing Chin
  • Kwelshin (Khualsim)
  • Kwangli (Sim)
  • Gunte people (Lyente; Falam)
  • Gwete (Guite)
  • Ngorn (Chin, Ngawn)
  • Siyin (Sizaang), (Sizang)[7]
  • Sentang
  • Saing Zan

Burman

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Nine groups:

Mon

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Rakhine

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Seven groups:

Shan

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33 groups:

  • Shan (Tai)
  • Yun (Tai Yuan/Northern Thai)
  • Kwi
  • Pyin
  • Yao (Mien)
  • Danaw (Danau)
  • Pale
  • Eng (En)
  • Son
  • Khamu (Khmu)
  • Kaw (Akha-E-Kaw

Unrecognised ethnic groups

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The government of Myanmar does not recognise several ethnic groups as being among the list of 135 officially recognised ethnic groups:

Thaungtha is similar with rabain

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Myanmar People & Races". Archived from the original on 9 June 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2007. For example, the Shan speak a Tai–Kadai language, the Lahu speak a Tibeto-Burman language, the Khmu people speak a Mon–Khmer language, and the Yao speak a Hmong–Mien language.
  2. ^ "2014 Population Census: The problematic of 135 ethnic groups categorization". Shan Herald. 5 December 2017. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ^ a b Gamanii (25 September 2012). "135: Counting Races in Burma". Shan Herald. Archived from the original on 5 January 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  4. ^ "PoneYate ethnic population dashboard".
  5. ^ Jap, Jangai; Courtin, Constant (22 November 2022). Deciphering Myanmar's Ethnic Landscape: A Brief Historical and Ethnic Description of Myanmar's Administrative Units. International IDEA. p. 18. doi:10.31752/idea.2022.57. ISBN 978-91-7671-577-2.
  6. ^ "Composition of the Different Ethnic Groups". Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g "Ethnologue". Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2006.
  8. ^ Manna, Paolo (1902). I Ghekù, tribù cariana della Birmania orientale | WorldCat.org. Milan: Tipografia pontificia S. Giuseppe. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  9. ^ Mullins, Jeremy; Aye, Mon Mon (30 March 2014). "Panthay Muslims protect their name". Myanmar Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  10. ^ Tracing an Indian Diaspora: Contexts, Memories, Representations – Google Books
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Books

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  • U Min Naing, National Ethnic Groups of Myanmar (Trans. by Hpone Thant).

Yangon: Thein Myint Win Press, 2000.

  • "National Races of Myanmar" (1960) by the Ministry of Culture
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