The Place and the People

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By Naomi Duguid

Published 2012

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The majority of the population of Burma is Bamar (“Burma” is derived from the name of this ethnic group). In the heart of the country (its large cities, the central fertile valleys, and the Irrawaddy Delta), Bamar is the dominant culture. In the hills and outlying areas, many other (non-Bamar) peoples have lived for centuries, each with a distinctive culture and way of life. These include the Shan, Mon, Kachin, Chin, and Karen. All of them are citizens of Burma (or Myanmar, as it is now officially called).