Economy and Demographics

1. Karen Demographics and Economy Overview

2. Karen Overview
Population:
 1.6 Million (3% of Myanmar)
 70,000 other ethnics
 80% in Rural
 97 males for 100 females
 Adult literacy rate: 70%
 300,000 migrants workers in
Thailand
Population Density
 52/75/square kilometer
Main Towns & Population:
 Hpa-an 420,000 – 83% rural
 Myawaddy 195,000 – 40% rural
 Kawkareik 220,000 – 81% rural
 Hlaingbwe 155,000 – 93% rural
 Kyarinseikkyi 100,000 – 92% rural
 458 villages
Economy/Social
 Nominal GDP $ 2 Billion
 17 percent of households living below
the poverty line
 30pc of children are stunted
 20% never goes to school
 75% never goes to preschool while
70% in Kaya state goes to preschool
 45% never gets clean waters
 20% need immediate sanitation
 8% never use toilet
Migrants:
 IDP: 90,000
 Refugee: 60,000
Ethinicities/Religions:
• 75% Buddhist, 2% Muslim, 15% Christian
• Sgaw Karen, Pwo Karen, Bwe Karen, Paku
Karen, Shan, Pao, Myanmar, Mon

3. Karen Demographics
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000 35,000 40,000
0 - 4
10 -14
20 - 24
30 - 34
40 - 44
50 - 54
60 - 64
70 - 74
80 - 84
90+
Urban Age Distribution
0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000 140,000 160,000
0 - 4
10 -14
20 - 24
30 - 34
40 - 44
50 - 54
60 - 64
70 - 74
80 - 84
90+
Rural Age Distribution

4. Intersate Migration
Kachin Kayah
Chin Sagaing
Tanintharyi
Bago
Magway
Mandalay
Mon
Rakhine
Yangon
Shan Ayewaddy
Naypyitaw
Immigration into Karen State
0
1,000,000
2,000,000
3,000,000
4,000,000
5,000,000
6,000,000
7,000,000
8,000,000
9,000,000
10,000,000

5. Natural Resources

6. Agro Resources & Utilizations

7. Karen Economy Overview
Border Trade
 USD 500 million trade
 Half a million Border Tourists
 5 Billion Bath Remittance back to
Kayin State
Main Border Export Goods
 Green mung
 Bean
 Sesame seeds
 Tamarind
 Raw rubber
 Hide and skin
 Fresh and dried
 Prawns
 Fish and Fish
 Product
 Teak Log
 Teak
 Conversion
 Hardwood Log
 Hardwood
 Base metal and ores
 Jade
 Garment
Asia Highway
A 1450-kilometre (900-mile) highway, in various stages of development, is intended to link
Vietnam starting in Da Nang with Laos and Thailand and then pass through Kayin state to
the port of Mawlamyine at the mouth of the Thanlwin (Salween) river.
Economy
• More than 60pc of state income comes from
agriculture, particularly rubber plantations,
which cover 400,000 acres, and coffee.
SEZ
• Hpa-An industrial zone. It covers nearly
1,000 acres of land. It is divided into four
parts, and 59 land plots have been
earmarked for foreign investors at industrial
Zone One.
• The Myawaddy industrial zone to be open on
2017 is being built on a 201-acre site
between Myawaddy and Thingan Nyi Naung,
just 7 miles (11 kilometres) from the Thai-
Myanmar border.

8. People Voice and Issues
Governance-related:
 There is still a high level of control, rigidity and top down management in government: these practices are due to personal dominance and lack of trust of the government in the people;
 The people are not really represented in committees and administration, the people who are selected do not represent all groups in society
 People's awareness about their rights and responsibilities is still very low;
Social problems:
 There is increased drug abuse among the youths;
 Multilevel Networking
Economy-related:
 More people need to be connected to the electricity network and electricity supply should be more reliable;
 More business activities and investments will increase employment;
 Further improvements in the communication and transport network are needed.

9. Immediate Resolutions
Education
Brain Drain/Labor Drain
Agro and Trading Sector Development