KAREN-NI, the country of the Red Karens, a collection of small States, formerly independent, but now feudatory to Burma. It is situated approximately between 18° so' and 19° 55' N. and between 97° I o' and 97° 5o' E. The tract is bounded on the north by the Shan States of Mong Pai, Hsatung and Mawkmai; on the east by Siam ; on the south by the Salween district of Burma; and on the west a stretch of mountainous country, inhabited by the Bre and various other small tribes, formerly in a state of independence, divides it from the districts of Toungoo and Yamethin. It is divided in a general way into eastern and western Karen-ni; the former consisting of one State, Kantara wadi, with an approximate area of 3,00o sq.m. ; the latter of the four small States of Kyebogyi, area about 700 sq.m. ; Bawlake, 500 sq.m. ; Nammekon, 5o sq.m. ; and Naungpale, about 3o sq. miles. The total population in 1921 was 63,85o. The small States of western Karen-ni were formerly all subject to Bawlake, but the subordination has now ceased.
Karen-ni consists of two widely differing tracts of country, which roughly mark now, and formerly actually did mark, the division into east and west. Kantarawadi has, however, en croached westwards beyond the boundaries which nature would assign to it. The first of these two divisions is the southern por tion of the valley of the Hpilu, or Balu stream, an open, fairly level plain, well watered and in some parts swampy. The second division is a series of chains of hills, intersected by deep valleys, through which run the two main rivers, the Salween and the Pawn, and their feeder streams. Many of the latter are dried up in the hot season and only flow freely during the rains. The whole country being hilly, the most conspicuous ridge is that lying between the Pawn and the Salween, which has an average altitude of 5,000 feet. It is crossed by several tracks, passable for pack-animals, the most in use being the road between Sawlon, the capital of Kantarawadi and Man Mail The principal peak east of the Salween is on the Loi Lan ridge, 7,109 ft. above mean sea-level.
The Nam Pawn is a large river, with an average breadth of Ioo yd., but is unnavigable owing to its rocky bed. Even timber cannot be floated down it without the assistance of elephants. The Salween throughout Karen-ni is navigated by large native craft. Its tributary, the Me Pai, on the eastern bank, is navigable as far as Mehawnghsawn in Siamese territory. The Balu stream
flows out of the Inle lake, and is navigable from that point to close on Lawpita, where it sinks into the ground in a marsh or succession of funnel holes. Its breadth averages so yd. and its depth is 15 ft. in some places.
The chief tribes are the Red Karens, Bres and Paduangs. Since Oct. 1, 1922, Karen-ni has been administered as one of the three divisions of the Federated Shan States. (See SHAN STATES.) Little of the history of the Red Karens is known; but it appears to be generally admitted that Bawlake was originally the chief State of the whole country, east and west, but eastern Karen-ni under Papaw-gyi early became the most powerful. Slav ing raids far into the Shan States brought on invasions from Burma, which, however, were not very successful. Eastern Karen-ni was never reduced until Sawlapaw, having defied the British Government, was overcome and deposed by Gen. Collett in the beginning of 1889. Sawlawi was then appointed myoza, and received a sanad, or patent of appointment, on the same terms as the chiefs of the Shan States. The independence of the Western Karen-ni States had been guaranteed by the British Gov ernment in a treaty with King Mindon in 1875. They were, how ever, formally recognized as feudatories in 1892 and were pre sented with sanads on Jan. 23 of that year. Kantarawadi pays a regular tribute or "nazar" of Rs. 5,025 yearly. Bawlake, Rs. 225; and Kyebogyi, Rs. 1 oo.
The Mawchi mines are worked intermittently, otherwise the chief source of wealth is in lac, cutch, teak and hides. The out turn of teak logs dropped to low levels in 1922-23. The largest and most important forests are those on the left bank of the Salween. Others lie on both banks of the Nam Pawn, and in western Karen-ni on the Nam Tu. Rice, areca-nuts, and betel vine leaf are the chief agricultural products. The birth-rate of the people is considered to exceed the death-rate by very little, and the Red Karen habit of life is most unwholesome. The pop ulation of Karen-ni, judging from the census of 1911 and 1921, is about stationary. Numbers enlist in the Burma police but there are various opinions as to their value. Rubies and spinets of inferior value are found in the Upper Tu Valley.
See Report on the Administration of the Shan and Karen-ni States (annual).