Facts at a glance

Country: Karenni State (Kayah State)

Area: 11,731 sq km (4582 sq miles)

Location: Situated between Burma and Thailand; bounded on the north by Shan State, on the east by Thailand and on the South and West by of Kaw Thoo Lei (Karen State)





Capitol: Loikaw (population 50,000)

Townships: Loikaw, Demawso, Pruso, Pasaung, Bawlake, Meh Sae, Shadaw and Mawchi

Rivers: The Salween, Htoo, Belu, Pai and the Pon

Nationality: Karennis

Population: 246,000
(SPDC-Ministry of Immigration and Population census 1997)
Estimated 300,000
Religion: Christian, Buddhist, Traditional Religion (Kay Tyoboe)

Agriculture: Subsistence agriculture (lowland and upland shifting cultivation).
The main crop is paddy. Other crops are millet, maize, sesame, groundnut, garlic and vegetables.
There has been a marked drop in agricultural produce as a result of the on-going conflict, leading to a shortage of food in the state.

Education: Loikaw University
Loikaw Government Technological College
Loikaw Government Computer College
Primary, Middle & High Schools (c.50, 200 students registered) (3000 registered in higher education).

Burmese State Officials link the development of education in Karenni State to the need for “peace and tranquility” in the area, Loikaw has been nominated a zone selected for development projects, however education throughout the state is selective.

Education is not free and the cost is beyond the means of many of the people. Parents cannot afford textbooks or uniforms. The rural areas are poorly supplied with schools and there are no provisions for children living in IDP areas. Villages may have a Primary School, but there is a shortage of teaching staff and the standard of teaching is poor due to the lack of teacher training and the very low salaries offered. There is therefore a very high drop out rate due to the inaccessibility and the costs.



Language is another problem for state education is in Burmese, which is not the children’s first language.

Health: Karenni State, Public Hospital (200-bed) in Loikaw
One Traditional Medicine hospital
A total of 36 health care facilities

Health care is largely inaccessible to the rural people as the hospitals are in the towns and the people have to pay for medicines, which they cannot afford. There are meant to be township hospitals and rural health care clinics but these are poorly equipped and under-staffed and medicines are scarce.

UNICEF run an immunization program and distributes vitamins and deworming tables to help combat malnutrition. They also run a malaria prevention program. However the number of children immunized is the lowest in Burma as many children live in restricted areas beyond the reach of medical teams. Hospital stall also admit that a lack of financial support from the central government has driven them to make patients pay for drugs provided free by international aid agencies.

The number of communities without access to clean water is high.

Economy: Agriculture.
Minerals: antinomy, alabaster, and tin, tungsten and shale from the Mawchi Mine
Forestry (teak is the largest export)
Hydroelectric power
All are in decline as a result of the SPDC’s “Four Cuts” policy.