Karen

Asiaother subsistence combinations
Map
expand_more Description

The Karen are a group of Sino-Tibetan speaking peoples primarily living in eastern Burma (Myanmar) and western Thailand. The various Karen languages are largely unintelligible, with the Pwo and Pa-O forming one category of related languages, while the Sgaw and several others constituting a second group. Traditional subsistence depended on rice farming, consisting of both swidden and paddy fields. Post-colonial Karen society has been affected by decades of violent war between the Burmese national army and the Karen Nationalist Union.

Identifier
Region
  • Asia
Subregion
  • Southeast Asia
Subsistence Type
  • other subsistence combinations
Samples
Countries
  • Burma
  • Thailand
External Links