Geography

Geography

Chin State is located in the southern part of northwestern Myanmar, bordered by Bangladesh and India to the west, Rakhine State to the south, and Magwe and Sagaing Divisions to the east. Chin State is also known as the “Chin Hills” due to its mountainous geography that has an average elevation of 1500-2500 meter. The highest peak is Mt. Victoria that rises 3071 meter above sea level. The land is rich in natural resources that are primarily forest based, and the climate includes three main seasons: summer (hot), winter (mild), and rainy (wet). April and May are the warmest months of the year, with temperatures reaching 30+C. Most Chins live at higher elevations in the Chin Hills. The capital, Hakha, lies at approximately 2000 meter above sea level. The Chin people live primarily in Chin State, but also inhabit areas of the Chittagong Hills tract of Bangladesh, and in Mizoram and Manipur states of India.

Mt. Kennedy (2704 meter) is the highest peak in Northern Chin State. Many natural watercourses flow among mountain ranges running from north to south forming a number of valleys and gorges. The state has a lot of rivers and the Manipur River flows through its northern half. The Tayawbar River (Tyao River) (Rih lake area) forms much of the border with India for the northern half of the state. The Boynu River, as the Kaladan River is known upstream from its confluence with the Tayawbar, forms the border with India for the central portion of the state. In the southwestern part of the state, the Kaladan River enters from India and flows down past Paletwa and exits into Rakhine State