The Rakhine people (, : , , ), also known as the Arakanese people, are a Southeast Asian ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma) forming the majority along the coastal region of present-day Rakhine State (formerly officially called Arakan), although Rakhine communities also exist throughout the country, particularly in Ayeyarwady and Yangon Regions. They constitute approximately 5.53% or more of Myanmar's total population, but no accurate census figures exist. Smaller Rakhine communities exist in southeastern parts of Bangladesh, especially in Chittagong Division and Barisal Division, as well as in India. A group of Rakhine descendants, living in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh at least since the 16th century, are known as the Marma people or Mog people. Ancestral origins Beginning in the 900s BC, the Pyu people began migrating westward, crossing the Arakan Mountains and settling in what is now Rakhine State. By the 1100s, they had consolidated control of the region, becoming a tributary state of the Pagan Empire until the 13th century. Over time, these migrants formed a distinct cultural identity, eventually becoming the Rakhine people. According to traditional legends, the Rakhine ascribe their origins to Pyu settlers who migrated westward, led by Kanyaza Gyi, the legendary founder of the Second Dhanyawaddy Dynasty. In the late 18th century, the Rakhine settled in Cox's Bazar and Patuakhali District after migrating from Myanmar. The Konbaung Kingdom of Burma annexed Arakan in 1784 and refugees moved to Cox's Bazar in 1796. The British colonial officer of the East India Trading Company, Captain Hiram Cox, was given the task of providing land to the refugees in 1799. An estimated 100 thousand refugees were settled in Cox's Bazar, Chittagong Hill Tracts, and Patuakhali by the East India Company government. They settled in Patuakhali District and Barguna District in the 19th century. Rakhine descendants spread as far north as Tripura state in India, where their presence dates back to the ascent of the Rakhine kingdom when Tripura was ruled by Rakhine kings. In northeast India, the Arakanese people are referred to as the Mog, while in Indian sources, the Marma (descendants of the Rakhine in Bangladesh) and other Rakhine peoples are referred to as the Magh people. Geographic distribution Outside of Myanmar, there are a sizable Rakhine community in the southeast districts of Bangladesh, namely in Khagrachari, Rangamati, Bandarban and southern Cox's Bazar, with the Mong circle in Khagrachari having administrative duties. There is