Chin State

Chin State is a special area in western Myanmar. It is next to Sagaing Division, Magway Division, and Rakhine State on one side, and to the Chattogram Division of Bangladesh and the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur on the other side. The capital city of Chin State is called Hakha.

The area is named after the Chin people, many different groups who have lived there for a long time. Most people in Chin State follow the Christian faith. This makes it special because it is the only part of Myanmar where most people believe in Christianity.

The land in Chin State is mostly mountains, and not many people live there. There are also not many roads, so it can be hard to travel there. Because of this, many people in Chin State have very little money.

History

Early history

Main article: Chin chieftainship

Chin State is in the hilly area of the Chin Hills. For a long time, it was far from big powers like the kingdoms in Burma and states in India. Before the British came, city-states such as Ciimnuai, Tedim, and Hakha kept peace in the area. Each city-state ruled itself.

The people of Chin State followed their own beliefs, called animism. Later, Catholic and Protestant teachers arrived in the late 1800s, and many people changed their beliefs.

20th century

When Burma became free from the United Kingdom in 1948, a special area called the Chin Hills Special Division was created, with its capital at Falam. Later, Hakha became the capital. Some areas now part of Chin State used to belong to other places until 1974, when Chin State became an official state.

"Chin National Day" is celebrated on 20 February to remember a big meeting in 1948. The first celebration was in 1951, but the government of Myanmar recognized it later, in the 2010s.

Myanmar civil war

Main article: Chin theater

Chin State has been affected by the Myanmar civil war since 2021. Many people from Chin State had to leave their homes and go to places like Mizoram in India. Some towns, such as Thantlang, were damaged in the fighting. New groups formed to protect the people, and they received help from people living outside Myanmar and the National Unity Government of Myanmar.

In December 2023, the Chin National Front created a constitution for a place called Chinland. However, people from five areas in Chin State did not agree with this constitution.

By November 2025, groups fighting for Chin people controlled most of Chin State, including many of its towns.

Administrative divisions

• Falam District Northern Chin State
  • Falam Township
  • Tedim Township
  • Tonzang Township
• Hakha District of Central Chin State
  • Hakha Township
  • Thantlang Township
• Matupi District of Central and Southwestern Chin State
  • Matupi Township
  • Rezua Sub-township
  • Paletwa Township
• Mindat District of Southeastern Chin State
  • Mindat Township
  • Kanpetlet Township

Hakha District was created on June 1st. Matupi District was created by a meeting on June 28, 2017.

Government

Chin State is part of Myanmar. The government of Myanmar controls the state. Local leaders help manage the area and its people.

Economy

Chin State is still developing and has very little infrastructure. Many people there live in poverty.

Farming is very important for the people of Chin State. Many grow just enough food to feed their families, with crops like rice, maize, and millet. Some families grow vegetables and other crops like coffee and avocado to sell for money. Chin State grows the most konjac in Myanmar. Some people also make a living by trading cattle and goods with neighbors in Mizoram, India.

Demographics

Ethnic makeup

The Chin peoples are the biggest group in Chin State. There are also smaller groups of Rakhine and Bamar people. The state has many tribes, each with its own language and culture. Some tribes are called Zo, Zomi, Zotung, Laimi, K'Cho, Khumi, Daai, and Asho.

After the 2014 Census in Myanmar, detailed information about the different groups was not shared. In 2022, researchers studied reports to learn more about the people living in Chin State.

As of February 2024, the United Nations estimates that 60,000 Chin people moved to the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur. Another 61,000 are still away from their homes after the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état.

Religion

Religion in Chin (2014)

1. Christianity (85.4%)
2. Buddhism (13.0%)
3. Tribal (Animism) (0.40%)
4. Hinduism (0.02%)
5. Islam (0.10%)
6. Others (1.10%)

According to the 2014 Myanmar Census, most people in Chin State are Christians. They make up 85.4% of the population. Other groups include Buddhists (13.0%), Muslims (0.1%), Hindus (0.02%), and Animists and other religions (~1.5%). Chin State is the only state in Myanmar where most people are Christian.

Education

See also: List of universities in Chin State

Education in Chin State faces many challenges. Many schools lack basic supplies like books, boards, markers, pencils, tables, and chairs. Since the 1990s, teaching the local Chin languages as a separate subject has not been allowed in primary schools. Only a small number of young people in Chin State finish their grade 10 exams. In 2003, there were 25 high schools in the state.

• Bethel Bible College in Tedim Township
• Chin Christian College in Hakha Township
• Zomi Theological College in Falam, Falam Township