Burman
Quick Summary
The Burmans are the largest ethnic group in Myanmar, making up over two-thirds of the country's population. They are a Tibeto-Burman speaking people who established the powerful kingdom of Pagan in the mid-9th century, unifying the region and initiating Burman dominance that continues today. The Burmans are primarily concentrated in the Irrawaddy River valley and coastal areas. Their culture has been significantly influenced by Indian traditions, particularly Buddhism, which became the state religion and ideological foundation of the Pagan kingdom.1234
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
Irrawaddy RiverPeople of the Irrawaddy River…middle and lower basins, the Burmese are the dominant group, cultivating wheat, cotton, and oilseeds in the central dry zone and rice and jute to the south and in the delta region, where rainfall is more plentiful. Also to the south, and particularly in the delta proper, a considerable minority…
Read More…middle and lower basins, the Burmese are the dominant group, cultivating wheat, cotton, and oilseeds in the central dry zone and rice and jute to the south and in the delta region, where rainfall is more plentiful. Also to the south, and particularly in the delta proper, a considerable minority…
Read More- Irrawaddy RiverHistory
…century, the ancestors of the Burmese arrived from the China-Tibet border area. Using the Irrawaddy as a means of transport, they gradually spread onto the Kyaukse plain and became the major power in the rice-growing region of the north. The Burmese fortified the town of Pagan and eventually gained control…
Read More…century, the ancestors of the Burmese arrived from the China-Tibet border area. Using the Irrawaddy as a means of transport, they gradually spread onto the Kyaukse plain and became the major power in the rice-growing region of the north. The Burmese fortified the town of Pagan and eventually gained control…
Read More 
MyanmarEthnic groupsThe Burmans, who form the largest group, account for more than half of the population. They are concentrated in the Irrawaddy River valley and in the coastal strips, with an original homeland in the central dry zone.
Read MoreThe Burmans, who form the largest group, account for more than half of the population. They are concentrated in the Irrawaddy River valley and in the coastal strips, with an original homeland in the central dry zone.
Read More
Southeast AsiaEthnic compositionIn modern times the Burmans account for more than two-thirds of the ethnic stock of Myanmar, while ethnic Thais and Vietnamese account for about four-fifths of the respective populations of those countries. Indonesia is clearly dominated by the Javanese and Sundanese ethnic groups, while Malaysia is more evenly split…
Read MoreIn modern times the Burmans account for more than two-thirds of the ethnic stock of Myanmar, while ethnic Thais and Vietnamese account for about four-fifths of the respective populations of those countries. Indonesia is clearly dominated by the Javanese and Sundanese ethnic groups, while Malaysia is more evenly split…
Read More
- MyanmarThe advent of the Burmans at Pagan
Another group of Tibeto-Burman speakers, the Burmans, also had become established in the northern dry zone. They were centered on the small settlement of Pagan on the Irrawaddy River. By the mid-9th century, Pagan had emerged as the capital of a powerful…
Read MoreAnother group of Tibeto-Burman speakers, the Burmans, also had become established in the northern dry zone. They were centered on the small settlement of Pagan on the Irrawaddy River. By the mid-9th century, Pagan had emerged as the capital of a powerful…
Read More 
Pagan…deities of the animist ethnic Burmans.
Read More…deities of the animist ethnic Burmans.
Read More