These minority groups are estimated to make up at least one-third of Myanmar’s population and inhabit half of the land cover (Smith and Allsebrook 1994). The Myanmar 1974 constitution (now being revised) established seven ethnic minority states (the Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah (formerly Karenni), Mon, Rakhine (or Arakan), and Shan) and seven divisions, which are largely inhabited by the majority Burman population (Smith 2002). Throughout history, settlers from various ethnic backgrounds have moved around the great horseshoe of mountains which encircled the Irrawaddy river plain. Myanmar is among the most diverse countries in the world.

The country’s total land area is 653,290 km 2 (252,237 sq.

Myanmar’s population is equivalent to 0.7% of the total world population. The population of Myanmar is estimated at 54.5 million people according to the UN 2020 midyear data. The 2008 constitution’s official name of the country is “The Republic of The Union of Myanmar” (Mohajan 2018). The name was later changed to Myanmar by the then military junta. The country was proclaimed as Burma by the 1947 constitution. Located in Southeast Asia, Myanmar is a least-developed country.

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