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People group profile · PG009462

The Lahta Karen of Myanmar

The Lahta Karen of Myanmar, numbering about 11,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Karen, an ethnic group indigenous to Kayin State in southeastern Myanmar.

They are an indigenous people in the Karen people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Lahta Karen.

Pray for the Lahta KarenPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Lahta Karen people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Karen, Lahta

Fast facts

Country
Myanmar
Population
11,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Karen
Primary language
Lahta Karen (kvt)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Lahta Karen are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Lahta Karen

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Animism · Ethnoreligion

70% adherents

Primary language

Lahta Karen · Bookkeeping family

100% speak Lahta Karen

Gospel resources in Lahta Karen

  • Bible not available
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Lahta Karen

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

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