Pa-O

Pa'O people

A Pa'O woman near Kalaw, southern Shan State
Total population
(Total: 600,000 (2010 est.); 600,000 in Shan)
Regions with significant populations
Myanmar
Languages
Pa'O, Burmese, Shan
Religion
Theravada Buddhism

The Pa'O (Pa-O, Paoh) (Burmese: ပအိုဝ်းလူမျိုး(ပအိုဝ်ႏ), IPA: [pəo̰ lùmjóʊ], or တောင်သူ; Shan: ပဢူဝ်း) is the seventh largest ethnic nationality in Burma with a population of approximately 600,000- 1,800,000.

The Pa'O settled in the Thaton region of present-day Myanmar around 1000 B.C. Historically, the Pa'O wore colorful clothing until King Anawratha defeated the Mon King, Makuta of Thaton. The Pa'O were enslaved and forced to wear indigo-dyed clothing to signify their status.

The Pa'O people are the second largest ethnic group in the state of Shan. They also reside in Kayin State, Kayah State, Mon State, and the Bago Division. They are believed to be of Tibeto-Burman lineage, and share the language and culture of the Karen people. They compose two distinct groups: The Lowland Pa'O, based in Thaton, and The Highland Pa'O, based in Taunggyi. It is believed that there are as many as twenty-four Pa'O subgroups.

Many of the modern day Pa'O have fled to Mae Hong Son Province, in northern Thailand, due to ongoing military conflicts in Myanmar.

The Pa'O predominantly cultivate the leaves of the thanapet tree, onions, garlic, chili, potatoes, rice, peanuts, beans, sesame seeds, mustard leaves, and green tea.