Rakhine People; Rakhine State; Rohingya

Rakhine (sometimes transcribed Rakhaing) is the modern name for the west coast of Burma, immediately south of the Bangladeshi border. This area was formerly called Arakan. The Arakan people, now the Rakhine people, speak a Burmese language that is different from central Burmese. They are predominantly Buddhist, although there are also many Muslims. Some of the Muslims in Rakhine are descended from early Muslim traders and settlers, some are of Bangladeshi origin, and most are labeled Rohingya (also transcribed Rohinga). The Rohingya have faced persecution from the Burmese government for years; as a result many have fled to Bangladesh, Thailand, or Malaysia.