▁formerly , ▁Kar en ni ▁State ) ▁is ▁a ▁state ▁of ▁My an mar . ▁Situ ated ▁in ▁eastern ▁My an mar , ▁it ▁is ▁bounded ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁by ▁Sh an ▁State , ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁by ▁Th ailand ' s ▁Ma e ▁Hong ▁Son ▁Province , ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁and ▁west ▁by ▁Kay in ▁State . ▁It ▁lies ▁approximately ▁between ▁ 1 8 ° ▁ 3 0 ′ ▁and ▁ 1 9 ° ▁ 5 5 ′ ▁north ▁latitude ▁and ▁between ▁ 9 6 ° ▁ 5 0 ′ ▁and ▁ 9 7 ° ▁ 5 0 ′ ▁east ▁longitude . ▁The ▁area ▁is ▁. ▁Its ▁capital ▁is ▁Lo ik aw ▁( also ▁sp elt ▁Lo i - ka w ). ▁The ▁estimated ▁population ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁was ▁approximately ▁ 2 0 7 , 3 5 7 , ▁according ▁to ▁UN ICE F . ▁It ▁is ▁inhab ited ▁primarily ▁by ▁the ▁Kar en ni ▁eth nic ▁group , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁Red ▁Kar en ▁or ▁Kay ah , ▁a ▁S ino - T ib et an ▁people . ▁ ▁Geography ▁▁ ▁Kar en ni ▁( ▁Kay ah ▁) State ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁eastern ▁part ▁of ▁My an mar . ▁The ▁relief ▁of ▁Kar en ni ▁( ▁Kay ah ▁) ▁State ▁is ▁mountain ous ▁with ▁the ▁Daw na ▁Range ▁and ▁the ▁Kar en ▁Hills ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁" K aren ni - K aren " ▁mountains ▁separated ▁by ▁the ▁Sal ween ▁River ▁as ▁it ▁flows ▁through ▁Kar