Myanmar consists of 135 ethnic groups, with the Bamar--also known as Burman--taking up 70 percent of the population. The different ethnic groups have greatly contributed to the wide variety and richness of Burmese culture, but their opposition to the government has also caused much unrest in the country.
The Padaung, one of Myanmar's minority ethnic groups, live in Kayah and Shan States. Because long-necked women are regarded as beautiful, Padaung girls start wearing brass rings on their necks when they reach the age of five. The older they grow, the more brass rings they wear. Unfortunately, the weight of the brass rings puts a burden on their shoulders and vertebrae.