Rakhine State

Rakhine State is a coastal region located in western Myanmar.

It sits between the Bay of Bengal to the west and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. To the east, it borders several areas including the Magway, Bago, and Ayeyarwady Regions. The Arakan Mountains, also called the Rakhine Yoma, form a natural barrier separating the coast from central Myanmar. Off the coast, you can find large islands like Ramree, Cheduba, and Myingun. The capital city of this state is Sittwe, which was previously known as Akyab.

The history of this region is deeply tied to the movement of people and the flow of rivers. Beginning in the 400s, Tibeto-Burman groups known as the Pyus and Kanyans migrated westward. They crossed the Arakan Mountains to settle in this coastal area. Over time, these people mixed with Indo-Aryans to create a unique cultural identity. This group eventually became the Rakhine people, who are the majority population today. Historians often divide the region's long history into seven distinct parts. These divisions are based on where the main centers of power were located. Many of these early political centers sat along the Kaladan River.

Early kingdoms established the foundation of Rakhine culture. According to local legend, the first kingdom was the Sakya clan. This kingdom was centered in the northern town of Dhanyawadi. Inscriptions suggest the famous Mahamuni Buddha image was cast there around 554 BCE. After Dhanyawadi fell in the 4th century CE, power shifted to the Waithali kingdom. The Waithali period lasted until 818 CE and is considered a classical era. This era was defined by significant achievements in architecture, art, and Buddhism.

Following the decline of Waithali, new dynasties emerged along the Lemro River. This led to the Lemro period, where four different towns served as successive capitals. The most famous era began in 1429 with the founding of the Mrauk U kingdom.

Founded by Min Saw Mon, Mrauk U became a vital maritime trade hub. The Rakhine people view this period as a golden age of their history. Mrauk U was a powerful port in the Bay of Bengal. It even used Portuguese help to conquer the area of Chittagong.

Political shifts in the 18th century changed the region's status permanently. In 1784, the Konbaung dynasty of Burma launched a military expedition into Arakan. They used three land columns and a naval flotilla to invade. By January 1785, the Kingdom of Mrauk U fell to the Burmese. The last king, Maha Thammada Raza, was captured and taken to Amarapura. During this invasion, the sacred Mahamuni Buddha Image was also taken. This led to direct tension between Burma and the British East India Company. This tension resulted in the First Anglo-Burmese War from 1824 to 1826.

After the war, the Treaty of Yandabo was signed in 1826. This treaty forced Burma to cede Rakhine and Tanintharyi to the British. Rakhine then became part of British India. It remained under British rule through the era of the British Raj. During World War II, the region saw intense fighting during the Arakan Campaign. The Japanese occupied the area and granted some autonomy to the region. This included the creation of the Arakan Defense Force. This force eventually joined the allies and fought against the Japanese in 1945.

In 1948, Burma gained independence and Rakhine became a division within the new state. The government later changed the English name from Arakan to Rakhine in 1989. Since 2010, the state has faced significant political and social instability. Severe communal violence occurred between 2012 and 2014, causing many people to flee.

Currently, the region is a site of active armed conflict. As of late 2024, the Arakan Army maintains de facto control over about 90 percent of the state. This includes 14 of the 17 townships. The central government in Sittwe and a few other townships remain under their control.