Mon is a state in Myanmar which covers a narrow strip of land located
between Kayin state to the east and the Andaman Sea to the west. The
first recorded kingdom of Mon is attributed to Dvaravati which prospered
around 1024 AD till their capital was sacked by the Khmer Empire. The
region was conquered by the British in 1824 after the first
Anglo-Burmese War. The Mon people helped the British in the war, in
return for promises of their own leadership once Burma is defeated.
Thousands of Mons had migrated to Siam earlier but returned to their
homeland during the British rule. However, the promise was never
fulfilled and Mon existed as a colony of the British. Mon has a tropical
climate since it is located close to the sea. Currently, Mon has about 8
notable cities and two islands. It is home to the Mon people who are
the ethnic group of the state. They are one of the earliest people to
reside in Southeast Asia. They speak the earliest people to live in
southeast Asia.