Arakan Mountains

Lore & Background

The Arakan Mountains, known natively as Rakhine Yoma and technically as the Southern Indo-Burman Range, form a prominent arc of parallel ridges stretching from Cape Negrais in southern Myanmar northward into Manipur, India. This chain includes the Naga Hills, Chin Hills, Patkai range, and Lushai Hills, and extends over 600 miles in length, with approximately 250 miles of continuous mountainous terrain. The range is submerged beneath the Bay of Bengal for a long stretch before re-emerging as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Its highest point is Khonu Msung, also called Mount Victoria. The mountains act as a formidable barrier, dividing the Rakhine coast from central Myanmar. This separation has historically fostered the distinct linguistic and cultural development of the Rakhine people, while also inhibiting invasions from central Myanmar and allowing coastal cities like Mrauk U and Waithali to form the core of Arakan civilization. During World War II, fierce battles occurred here between January 1943 and March 1944, with British forces defeating Japanese divisions on the coastal side. Ecologically, the range blocks the southwestern monsoon, drenching its western slopes with over one meter of rain monthly while leaving the eastern slopes much drier. This environment supports the Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests, home to elephants and the critically endangered Arakan forest turtle, thought extinct until its rediscovery in 1994. The mountains are crossed by a road between Ann and Minbu and an all-weather route from Taungup to Pyay.

Reader's Guide

The Arakan Mountains, known locally as the Rakhine Yoma, form a major geological and ecological barrier in western Myanmar. Geologically, they arose from the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, creating the Naga-Patkai foldbelt. Stretching over 950 kilometers from Cape Negrais in the south to Manipur, India, the range includes the Naga Hills, Chin Hills, and Patkai range, with its highest peak, Khonu Msung (Mount Victoria), reaching 3,094 meters. The chain submerges into the Bay of Bengal before re-emerging as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ecologically, the mountains block the southwestern monsoon, causing extraordinarily heavy rainfall—often over one meter per month—on the western slopes, while the eastern side remains much drier. This supports the Chin Hills-Arakan Yoma montane forests ecoregion, home to elephants and the critically endangered Arakan forest turtle, thought extinct until its rediscovery in 1994. Historically, the range has separated the Rakhine coast from central Myanmar, fostering the distinct linguistic and cultural identity of the Rakhine people and enabling the development of a separate political entity, with coastal cities like Mrauk U and Waithali as its core. During World War II, fierce battles occurred here between January 1943 and March 1944, where British forces defeated Japanese divisions. As of 2026, the Arakan Army, Student Armed Force, and allied Chin groups control parts of the range, limiting junta advances. Infrastructure includes a road between Ann and Minbu and an all-weather road from Taungup to Pyay.

Did You Know?

• The Arakan Mountains are listed as 950 km (590 mi) long in the source.
• The range acts as a barrier to the southwestern monsoon rains, with western slopes receiving typically over 1 metre (39 in) of rain per month.
• The mountains are crossed by a road between Ann and Minbu and by an all-weather road from Taungup to Pyay on the Irrawaddy.
• The range fostered the separate development of the Rakhine people linguistically and culturally from the Burmese.
• Coastal cities such as Mrauk U and Waithali formed the core of Arakan civilization.