About Us
Chin and Myanmar
We are Chin people- an ethnic group originally from the Chin state in western Myanmar also known as Burma. Burma is a country in Southeast Asia with a population of about 51 million according to Myanmar Census 2014 report. It is bordered by Bangladesh and India to its northwest, China to its Northeast, Laos and Thailand to its east and southeast.
Burma is made up of 7 states and 7 divisions. The 7 states are Kachin, Kayah , Kayin, Chin, Mon, Rakhine and Shan states. The 7 divisions are Ayeyarwady, Bago, Magway, Mandalay, Sagaing, Tanintharyi, and Yangon. Naypyidaw is the capital city of Burma. Chin state is located in the remote mountain ranges of north-western of Burma. It is bordered by Bangladesh and India to the west, Rakhine State to the south, and Magwe and Sagaing Divisions to the east.
Chin state has a population of about 578,801 representing less than 2% of the total population in Burma. Chin state is a habitat for a variety of Hornbill and the Great Hornbill is the official state bird as well as a national symbol among the Chin people. Chin state is the poorest state in Burma with more than 70% of people living under the poverty line according to United Nation Development Program’s report in 2010.
There are more than 50 different subgroups among Chin and different Chin people speak different dialects like Asho-Chin, Hakha-Chin, Tedim-Chin, Falam-Chin, etc. The majority of Chin (approximately 80%) are Christian. They converted to Christians from animists primarily due to the effort of American Baptist Missionaries. The written form of Chin language was also created by American missionaries. Due to the religious and political persecution by the Burmese military, many of Chin people fled from their homelands to neighboring countries in search of safety and better life. Many of them are resettled as refugee in USA. There are currently about 70,000 Chin living in USA and approximately 200 Chin called Saint Louis their new home.