Located in the northeast of the country, Shan State covers one-quarter of Burma??? land mass. It was traditionally separated into principalities and is mostly comprised of ethnic Shan, Burman Pa-O, Intha, Taungyo, Danu, Palaung and Kachin peoples.

The ethnic Tai-Shan people are believed to have migrated from Yunnan in China. The Shan are descendants of the oldest branch of the Tai-Shan, known as ???ai Long??(Great Tai) or ???hai Yai??(Big Thai). The Tai-Shan who migrated to the south and now inhabit modern-day Laos and Thailand are known as ???ai Noi??(Little Tai) or ???ai Nyai??

The Shan have inhabited the Shan Plateau and other parts of modern-day Myanmar as far back as the 10th century CE. The Shan kingdom of Mong Mao (Muang Mao) existed as early as the 10th century CE, but became a Burmese vassal state during the reign of King Anawrahta of Pagan (1044-1077).