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| Karen State | |
|---|---|
| Name | Karen State |
| Native name | ကရင်တိုင်းဒေသကြီး |
| Settlement type | State |
| Subdivision type | Country |
| Subdivision name | Myanmar |
| Seat type | Capital |
| Seat | Hpa-An |
| Leader title | Chief Minister |
| Area total km2 | 30353 |
| Population total | 1,574,079 |
| Population as of | 2014 |
| Timezone | Myanmar Standard Time |
Karen State is a first-level administrative region in Myanmar located in the southeastern part of the country, bordering Thailand. The state is centered on the city of Hpa-An and is a focal point for interactions among Burmese people, Karen people, Mon people, and various ethnic armed organizations such as the Karen National Union. It has long been a site for international humanitarian engagement by organizations including United Nations agencies, International Committee of the Red Cross, and numerous non-governmental organizations.
The name derives from the ethnonym used by outsiders for the Karen people, a collection of groups related to the Sino-Tibetan languages and associated with upland regions adjoining the Salween River and the Thanlwin River. Historical sources including accounts by British Empire officials during the First Anglo-Burmese War and ethnographers such as Sir Arthur Phayre recorded variants of the name. Regional usage intersects with exonyms found in Thai chronicles and colonial-era maps produced by the Survey of India.
The region's precolonial polities interacted with the Toungoo Dynasty, Konbaung Dynasty, and coastal kingdoms like the Kingdom of Taungoo and Mon kingdom of Thaton. During the British colonization of Burma, the area was incorporated into the colonial administration and saw missionary activity by groups connected to American Baptist Missionary Union and Anglican Church Missionary Society. Post-World War II processes included negotiations involving Aung San, Burmese independence movement, and ethnic leaders of the Karen National Union culminating in complex insurgencies during the Burmese Civil War. The state has experienced protracted conflict involving the Tatmadaw, Karen National Liberation Army, and other armed actors, with ceasefires mediated at times by the Norwegian government and initiatives linked to the Bangkok Peace Process.
The state occupies terrain from the Dawna Range and Tenasserim Hills to river valleys of the Salween River and the Thanlwin River, featuring karst formations around Hpa-An and lowland plains adjacent to the Thai border. Climate is influenced by the Southwest Monsoon and ecosystems range from tropical evergreen forests to riparian wetlands supporting species such as Asian elephant, Banteng, and numerous bird taxa recorded by BirdLife International. Environmental issues include deforestation linked to illegal logging, impacts from cross-border agricultural expansion tied to markets in Bangkok and resource extraction with involvement from companies registered in Singapore and Thailand.
Administratively, the state comprises districts and townships including Hpa-An District, Kawkareik District, and Hpapun District. Principal townships include Hlaingbwe Township, Kyondoe Township, and Myawaddy Township in adjacent areas of strategic transit. Governance structures connect to ministries seated in Naypyidaw, while local institutions interact with civil society groups based in Yangon and cross-border networks linked to Mae Sot and Ranong in Thailand.
Populations include the Karen people subgroups such as the Sgaw Karen and Pwo Karen, significant numbers of Bamar people, Mon people, Pa-O people, and communities of Rakhine people and Chin people. Religious adherence features Theravada Buddhism among many Mon people and Bamar people, Christianity among sections of the Karen people influenced by missionaries, and indigenous practices associated with animism and local spirits recorded in ethnographies by scholars linked to SOAS University of London and National Museum of Myanmar collections. Population studies have been undertaken by the Myanmar Population and Housing Census and international agencies like the UNFPA.
Economic activity includes rice cultivation in lowland paddies, rubber and betel nut plantations connected to trade with China and Thailand, and fisheries in riverine zones supplying markets in Yangon and Bangkok. Infrastructure corridors include the Asian Highway Network routes linking to Mae Sot and cross-border checkpoints such as Myawaddy–Mae Sot bridge, while energy projects have included hydropower proposals on the Salween River evaluated by firms from China and Japan. Development initiatives have attracted funding from multilateral banks like the Asian Development Bank and bilateral cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Political life features representation by regional parties and national actors including the National League for Democracy and ethnic parties such as the Kayin People's Party, alongside armed groups like the Karen National Liberation Army and splinter organizations engaging with the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement. State institutions are influenced by policies from the State Administration Council and historical accords negotiated in forums like the Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong. International diplomacy has involved Thailand, China, and Western embassies concerned with displacement and humanitarian access.
Cultural practices include traditional Karen music, weaving traditions documented in collections at the National Museum and festivals like Thingyan observed regionally alongside Karen cultural celebrations such as Kayin New Year and harvest rites. Oral literature preserves epics and folktales collected by researchers associated with University of Yangon and SOAS University of London, while culinary traditions feature dishes shared with Mon cuisine and Thai cuisine influences across border towns such as Mae Sot. Civil society actors include organizations like the Karen Women's Organisation and faith-based groups operating with support from UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières.
Category:States of Myanmar