It is bounded on the north by the states of Mang Lon, Mong Lem and Keng Hung (Hsip Hsawng Pannh); east by the Mekong River, south by the Siamese Shan States, and west in a general way by the Salween River,[2] though it overlaps it in some places.

The early history of Keng Tung is very obscure, but Burmese influence seems to have been maintained since the latter half, at any rate, of the 16th century.

The Chinese made several attempts to subdue the state, and appear to have taken the capital in 1765–66, but were driven out by the united Shan and Burmese troops.

Most of the Khuns would adopt Thai names and in the wats of Kengtong one would find the monks chanting their daily prayers in a similar manner as in Northern Thailand.

Of the hill tribes, the Kaw or Aka are the most homogeneous with 22,000, but probably the Wa (or Vu), disguised under various tribal names, are at least equally numerous.

Parallel to this successive hill ranges run north and south with mountainous country predominating.

Of these the chief is the Nam Lwe, which is navigable in the interior of the state, but enters the Mekong by a gorge broken up by rocks.

In the dry season crowds attend the market held according to Shan custom every five days, and numerous caravans come from China.

There are teak forests also in the Mekong drainage area in the south of the state, but there is only a local market for the timber.

Cotton and opium are exported in large quantities, the former entirely to China, a good deal of the latter to northern Thailand, which also takes shoes and sandals.

Large quantities of shoes and sandals are made of buffalo and bullock hide, with Chinese felt uppers.

The chief work in iron is the manufacture of guns, which has been carried on for many years in certain villages of the Sam Tao district.