Size :
62,500 square mile (160,000 square kilometers); shares boundaries with Burma, China, Laos, Thailand and the Karenni.

Topography and Drainage :
Bisected north to south by the Salween, one of the longest rivers in Asia. It lies at an average of 2,000 feet above sea-level, and the highest point, Mount Loilaeng, is 8,777 feet. It is composed of broad valleys, thickly wooded mountain ranges and rolling hills forming scenic landscapes. Jong-ang, the biggest waterfall (972 feet) can be found near the town of Kengtong in Mongnai State.

Climate
There are three seasons: Raing (May to October), cold (November to January) and Warm (February to April). Annual rainfalls averages between 40-60 inches. The overall temperature is agreeable: not too cold and not too hot.

Vegetation
Pine and evergreen forests can be found in abundance. Teak and various kinds of hardwood cover over 47,210 square miles.

Minerals
The bulk of the so-called Burmese natural resources are in the Shan State: silver, lead, gold, copper, iron, tin, wolfram, tungsten, manganese, nickel, coal, mica, antimony, fluorite, marble, gemstones and even uranium. Mines well known are: the Mogok (Mognkut in Shan) and Mongsu ruby mines, and the Namtu Bawdwin silver mines disovered by the Chinese traders and renovated in 1904 by none other than Herbert Clerk Hoover (1874-1964) who became the 31st President of the United State.

A study of Indian geological reports made by Drs Cogging and Sondhi in 1993 reveals Northern Shan States incredible mining potential...As for Southern Shan’s remarkable resources, they can be studied from the reports made by a G.V. Hovson (Shanland’s Grievances, by Htoon Myint of Taunggyi, )

People :
The population of these multi-racial people, described by ancient travelers as the most peace loving people who trust everybody and envy nobody is estimated at 7-8 million, the majority of whom are Tai, of the same ethnological stock as Thai and Laotion, plus several other racial groups including Pa-o, Palaung and Wa of Mon-Khmer stock; and Kachin, Akha and Lahu of Tibeto-Burman stock. All in all, it various indigenous races have lived harmoniously together for centuries. This fact is supported by the Burmese analyst Josef Silverstein, who say’s. although the Shans dominated the people in the area both politically and numerically, they never assimilated the minorities; as a result, cultural pluralism existed through out the Shan States’ (Politics in the Shan State, The Question of Secession from the Union of Burma, 1958). The Shan stand on the racial question is best described by Sao Shwe Thaike, who in his capacity as the Speaker of the Constituent Assembly, countered the objection that Muslims could not be considered as being indigenous by saying : Muslims of the Arakan certainly bilong to one of the indigenous races of Burma. If they do not belong to the indigenous races, we also cannot be taken as indigenous races.

Culture:
Shan is still the first language of the majority, though due to 60 years under British protection and 40 years under Burmese colonialism, usage of English and Burmese has become fairly common.
As for attire, Shan men, unlike the Burmese, who wear longyis or long skirts, don long baggy trousers. Theravada Buddhism is the pre-eminent faith, and perhaps due to this tolerant religion, Hinduism, Christianity, Islamism and even animisms flourish in this land.

Agriculture:
Primarily a self-sufficient agricultural economy, being blessed with fertile soil, it produces rice, tea, cheroot leaves, tobacco, potatoes, oranges, lemon, pears, and opium. Cattle-and horse-breeding is also a common sight in low grasslands. Added to the fact that it is rich in mineral resources and abundant in timber, there is no reason why the Shan State could not become one of the richest and most economically dynamic countries in Southeast Asia, given a favorable political climate.