Rakhine people

Rakhine people

ရခိုင်လူမျိုး (Rakhine)
Flag of the Rakhine State
A Rakhine girl tosses water at revellers during the Thingyan.
Total population
4 million (2024 est.)
Regions with significant populations
Myanmar	3,100,00 (2014)[1]
India	50,000 [citation needed]
Bangladesh	11,195[2]
Other countries	50,000 - 100,000
Languages
Rakhine, Burmese
Religion
Theravada Buddhism
Related ethnic groups
Bamar Chakma Marma Maramagyi

The Rakhine people (Burmese and Rakhine : ရခိုင်လူမျိုး) or Arakanese are a Southeast Asian ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma) forming the majority along the coastal region of present-day Rakhine State (formerly called Arakan), although Rakhine communities also exist throughout the country, particularly in the Ayeyarwady and Yangon Regions. They constitute approximately 4.61% or more of Myanmar's total population.^[3] Rakhine communities also exist in Bangladesh's Chittagong Hill Tracts and India's Northeastern states, where they are known as the Marma and Magh peoples respectively.^[4]

Rakhine people consist of seven different ethnic groups, namely Rakhine, Kamein, Kwe Myi, Daingnet people, Maramagyi, Mru people and Thet.  Among them, Rakhine group are the majority ethnic group in Rakhine State and have long been influenced by their proximity to India and have formed trading links with the sub-continents. Thet, Kamein, Daingnet and Marma people are the minority ethnic groups and they live in the hills.

The Arakanese are predominantly Theravada Buddhist. Their language has some similarities with Burmese language and also very similar to Burma in culture and traditional dress.^[5] They have developed their own kingdoms, dynasties, scripts, coins, costumes, culture, and dialects, showcasing a rich and distinct heritage. They also have their own ethnic armed group in Myanmar's Rakhine State known as the Arakan Army.^[6]

The Rakhine people have a variety of appearances, showing a mix of traits from both South Asian and Mongoloid backgrounds. They have range of skin tones, typically ranging from light to medium brown. Rakhine men mostly wear a sarong called lungyi, while the women also wear a sarong called thabein..The Rakhine people celebrate several key festivals including Sangrain and Buddha Purnima.^[7]