List of ethnic groups in Myanmar
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Myanmar (also known as 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][2]
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), 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 of the country.
Officially recognised ethnic groups
Note: The list is very controversial. Many of the names and spelling variants are known only from this list.[3][4]
- Kachin comprises 12 different ethnic groups
- 1. Kachin see: Jingpo people
- 2. Tarone see: Taron people
- 3. Dalaung, unknown[5]
- 4. Jinghpaw see: Singpho people
- 5. Guari, unknown[6]
- 6. Hkahku see: Jingpo people
- 7. Duleng, unknown[7]
- 8. Maru (Lawgore)
- 9. Rawang see Nung Rawang
- 10. Lashi (La Chit)
- 11. Atsi see Zaiwa language
- 12. Lisu
- Kayah comprises 9 different ethnic groups
Note, a known questionable source.[8]
- 13. Kayah (Karenni)
- 14. Zayein (Lahta; Gaungto; Loilong Karens)
- 15. Ka-Yun (Kayan; Padaung)
- 16. Gheko (Karen, Geko)
- 17. Kebar, maybe translation error for Geba Karen language
- 18. Bre (Ka-Yaw; Kayaw)
- 19. Manu Manaw (Manumanaw)
- 20. Yin Talai, maybe Yintale
- 21. Yin Baw (Yinbaw)
- Kayin comprises 11 different ethnic groups
- 22. Kayin (Karen)
- 23. Kayinpyu (Geba Karen)
- 24. Pa-Le-Chi, maybe Mobwa
- 25. Mon Kayin (Sarpyu), unknown[9]
- 26. Sgaw (Karen, S’gaw)
- 27. Ta-Lay-Pwa, unknown[10]
- 28. Paku (Karen, Paku)
- 29. Bwe (Bwe Karen)
- 30. Monnepwa (Karen, Paku)
- 31. Monpwa, unknown[11]
- 32. Shu (Pwo Kayin)
- Chin comprises 53 different ethnic groups
Possibly originally a list of tax rate districts. With the highest tax first.
- 33. Chin
- 34. Meithei (Meitei; Kathe)
- 35. Saline
- 36. Ka-Lin-Kaw (Lushay)
- 37. Khami (Chin, Khumi)
- 38. Awa Khami (Chin, Mro-Khimi)
- 39. Khawno
- 40. Kaungso
- 41. Kaung Saing Chin
- 42. Kwelshin
- 43. Kwangli (Sim)
- 44. Gunte (Lyente; Falam)
- 45. Gwete (Guite)
- 46. Ngorn (Chin, Ngawn)
- 47. Siyin (Sizaang), (Sizang)[12]
- 48. Sentang
- 49. Saing Zan
- 50. Za-How
- 51. Zotung
- 52. Zo-Pe
- 53. Zo
- 54. Zahnyet (Zanniet)
- 55. Tapong
- 56. Tiddim (Hai-Dim)
- 57. Tay-Zan
- 58. Taishon
- 59. Thado
- 60. Torr (Tawr)
- 61. Dim
- 62. Dai (Yindu)
- 63. Naga
- 64. Tanghkul
- 65. Malin
- 66. Panun
- 67. Magun
- 68. Matu
- 69. Miram (Mara, Shendu, Lakher, etc.)
- 70. Mi-er
- 71. Mgan
- 72. Lushei (Lushay)
- 73. Laymyo
- 74. Lyente
- 75. Lawhtu
- 76. Lai (Haka Chin)
- 77. Laizao
- 78. Mro (Wakim)
- 79. Haulngo
- 80. Anu
- 81. Anun
- 82. Oo-Pu
- 83. Lhinbu
- 84. Asho (Plain)
- 85. Rongtu
- Bamar comprises 9 ethnic groups
- 86. Bamar (Burman)
- 87. Dawei of Dawei city
- 88. Beik
- 89. Yaw
- 90. Yabein
- 91. Kadu (Kado)
- 92. Ganan
- 93. Salone (Salon; Moken)
- 94. Hpon
- Mon comprises 1 ethnic group
- 95. Mon
- Rakhine comprises 7 ethnic groups
- 96. Rakhine (Arakanese)
- 97. Kamein
- 98. Kwe Myi
- 99. Daingnet
- 100. Maramagyi
- 101. Mro (Wakim)
- 102. Thet
- Shan comprises 33 ethnic groups
- 103. Shan (Thai)
- 104. Yun (Lao)
- 105. Kwi
- 106. Pyin
- 107. Yao (Hmong; Mien)
- 108. Danaw (Danau)
- 109. Pale
- 110. Eng (En)
- 111. Son
- 112. Khamu (Khmu)
- 113. Kaw (Akha-E-Kaw)
- 114. Kokant (Kokang)
- 115. Khamti Shan
- 116. Hkun (Khün)
- 117. Taungyo
- 118. Danu
- 119. Palaung
- 120. Man Zi
- 121. Yin Kya
- 122. Yin Net
- 123. Shan Gale
- 124. Shan Gyi
- 125. Lahu
- 126. Intha
- 127. Eik-swair
- 128. Pa-O (Taungthu; Black Karen)
- 129. Tai-Loi
- 130. Tai-Lem
- 131. Tai-Lon
- 132. Tai-Lay
- 133. Maingtha (Achang)
- 134. Maw Shan
- 135. Wa (Va)
List grouped by language family
Sino-Tibetan
- Chinese
- Kokang (Mandarin Chinese dialect; sometimes spelled Kokant)
- Tibeto-Burman
- Tai
- Shan
- Hkun (also spelled Khün)
- Khamti Shan
- Thai
Unrecognised ethnic groups
The Government of Myanmar (Burma) does not recognise several ethnic groups as being among the list of 135 officially recognised ethnic groups:
Ethnic groups that hold Burmese citizenship
Ethnic groups that don't hold citizenship
- Tibetan people
- Anglo-Burmese (Eurasians of mixed Burmese and European—though not necessarily British—ancestry)
- Panthay
- Gurkha
- Burmese Pakistani
- Rohingya people
Language ISO 639-3 codes[14]
Note: This is a list of is languages, and the name of a language are not always the same as the name of an ethnic group.
- Achang [acn]
- Akeu [aeu]
- Akha [ahk]
- Anal [anm]
- Anong [nun]
- Blang [blr]
- Burmese [mya]
- Chak [ckh]
- Chakma [ccp]
- Chin:
- Chin, Anu-Hkongso [anl]
- Chin, Asho [csh]
- Chin, Bawm [bgr]
- Chin, Bualkhaw [cbl]
- Chin, Chinbon [cnb]
- Chin, Daai [dao]
- Chin, Dim [ctd]
- Chin, Eastern Khumi [cek]
- Chin, Falam [cfm]
- Chin, Haka [cnh]
- Chin, Kaang [ckn]
- Chin, Khumi [cnk]
- Chin, Laitu [clj]
- Chin, Lautu [clt]
- Chin, Mara [mrh]
- Chin, Matu [hlt]
- Chin, Mizo [lus]
- Chin, Mro-Khimi [cmr]
- Chin, Müün [mwq]
- Chin, Ngawn [cnw]
- Chin, Rawngtu [weu]
- Chin, Rungtu [rtc]
- Chin, Senthang [sez]
- Chin, Siyin [csy]
- Chin, Songlai [csj]
- Chin, Sumtu [csv]
- Chin, Tawr [tcp]
- Chin, Tedim [ctd]
- Chin, Thado [tcz]
- Chin, Thaiphum [cth]
- Chin, Zotung [czt]
- Chin, Zyphe [zyp]
- Chinese:
- Chinese, Mandarin [cmn]
- Danau [dnu]
- Danu [dnv]
- Drung [duu]
- Hmong Njua [hnj]
- Hpon [hpo]
- Intha [int]
- Jingpho [kac]
- Kadu [zkd]
- Kanan [zkn]
- Karen:
- Karen, Bwe [bwe]
- Karen, Geba [kvq]
- Karen, Geko [ghk]
- Karen, Mobwa [jkm]
- Karen, Paku [jkp]
- Karen, Pwo Eastern [kjp]
- Karen, Pwo Western [pwo]
- Karen, S’gaw [ksw]
- Kayah:
- Kayah, Eastern [eky]
- Kayah, Western [kyu]
- Kedah Malay [meo]
- Kayan [pdu]
- Kayaw [kvl]
- Khamti [kht]
- Khün [kkh]
- Lahta [kvt]
- Lahu [lhu]
- Lahu Shi [lhi]
- Lashi [lsi]
- Lhao Vo [mhx]
- Lisu [lis]
- Lü [khb]
- Manumanaw [kxf]
- Moken [mwt]
- Mon [mnw]
- Mru [mro]
- Naga:
- Naga, Akyaung Ari [nqy]
- Naga, Khiamniungan [kix]
- Naga, Koki [nxk]
- Naga, Konyak [nbe]
- Naga, Kyan-Karyaw [nqq]
- Naga, Lao [nlq]
- Naga, Leinong [lzn]
- Naga, Long Phuri [lpn]
- Naga, Makuri [jmn]
- Naga, Makyan [umn]
- Naga, Para [pzn]
- Naga, Ponyo-Gongwang [npg]
- Naga, Tangkhul [ntx]
- Naga, Tase [nst]
- Nusu [nuf]
- Palaung:
- Pali [pli]
- Pa’o [blk]
- Pyen [pyy]
- Rakhine [rki]
- Rawang [raw]
- Riang [ril]
- Rohingya [rhg]
- Samtao [stu]
- Shan [shn]
- Tai Laing [tjl]
- Tai Loi [tlq]
- Tai Nüa [tdd]
- Taman [tcl]
- Taungyo [tobacco]
- Tavoyan [tvn]
- Tibetan:
- Tibetan, Khams [khg]
- Wa:
- Wa, Parauk [prk]
- Wewaw [wea]
- Yinbaw [kvu]
- Yinchia [yin]
- Yintale [yin]
- Zaiwa [atb]
- Zayein [kxk]
- Zo [zom]
See also
References
- ^ Retrieved from Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism webpage at
- ^ For example, the Shan speak a Tai–Kadai language, the Lahu speak a Tibeto-Burman language, the Khamu speak a Mon–Khmer language, and the Yao speak a Hmong–Mien language.
- ^ Gamanii (25 September 2012). "135: Counting Races in Burma". Shan Herald. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ^ Composition of the Different Ethnic Groups
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ The source of this list is the 9 captions from an unscientific Italian book, therefore Italian spelling. I Ghekhù : tribu criana della Birmania orientale. Paolo Manna. 1902. Milano.
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ Ethnologue
- ^ https://books.google.com.au/books?id=ofo3H1cWp6IC&pg=PA40&lpg=PA40&dq=indians+in+burma+recognised+by+the+government&source=bl&ots=Qq4qJvnq-_&sig=1O2PudwaEIWUXZfFS1ZmjuLvpQU&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiH3KbIrv3JAhXGHaYKHbO4AO0Q6AEIKTAD#v=onepage&q=indians%20in%20burma%20recognised%20by%20the%20government&f=false
- ^ http://www.ethnologue.com/country/MM/languages Ethnologue: Myanmar
External links
- List of ethnic groups in Myanmar - Myanmar Ministry of Hotels and Tourism
- Ethnologue page for Burma languages
- Minorities in Burma and Burma: Time for Change by Minority Rights Group International
Books
- 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