List of ethnic groups in China

For the ethnic groups in historical China, see Ethnic groups in Chinese history.

The Han people are the largest ethnic group in mainland China. In 2010, 91.51% of the population were classified as Han (~1.2 billion).^[1] Besides the Han Chinese majority, 55 other ethnic (minority) groups are categorized in present-day China, numbering approximately 105 million people (8%), mostly concentrated in the bordering northwest, north, northeast, south and southwest but with some in central interior areas.

Ethnolinguistic map of China

China's Autonomous Regions and its Designated Ethnic Minority

The major ethnic minorities in China are the Zhuang (19.6 million), Uyghurs (11 million), Hui (11.4 million), Miao (11 million), Manchu (10.4 million), Yi (9.8 million), Tujia (9.6 million), Tibetans (7 million), Mongols (6.3 million), Buyei (3.5 million), Dong (3.5 million), Yao (3.3 million), Bai (2 million), Koreans (1.7 million), Hani (1.7 million), Li (1.6 million), Kazakhs (1.5 million), and Dai (1.2 million).^[2] At least 126,000 people from Canada, the United States, and Europe are living in mainland China.^[3] In addition, there are a number of unrecognized ethnic groups which together comprise over 730,000 people.

Officially recognized groups

Officially recognized ethnic groups receive or have received certain benefits over Han Chinese under the regional ethnic autonomy system, including affirmative action, exemptions from the one-child policy, designated seats in political organs and government support to preserve their culture. Ethnic minority autonomous areas receive additional state subsidies.^[4][5] Languages of officially recognized minorities are used in official government documents.^[6]

Soon after the establishment of the People's Republic of China, 39 ethnic groups were recognized by the first national census in 1954. This further increased to 54 by the second national census in 1964, with the Lhoba group added in 1965. The last change was the addition of the Jino people in 1979, bringing the number of recognized ethnic groups to the current 56. The following are the 56 ethnic groups (listed by population) officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.^[7]

English Name	Standard Romanization	Code^A	Simplified Chinese	Mandarin Pinyin	2020 National Shares	2020 Population^B	2010 Population^B	2000 Population^B	1990 Population^B	Year of recognition^C
Han^1	Han	HA	汉族	Hànzú	91.1098%	1,284,446,389	1,220,844,520	1,139,773,008	1,042,482,187	1954
Zhuang	Zhuang	ZH	壮族	Zhuàngzú	1.3801%	19,568,546	16,926,381	16,187,163	15,489,630	1954
Uyghur	Uygur	UG	维吾尔族	Wéiwú'ěrzú	0.8352%	11,774,538	10,069,346	8,405,416	7,214,431	1954
Hui^2	Hui	HU	回族	Huízú	0.8070%	11,377,914	10,586,087	9,828,126	8,602,978	1954
Miao^3	Miao	MH	苗族	Miáozú	0.7851%	11,067,929	9,426,007	8,945,538	7,398,035	1954
Manchu	Man	MA	满族	Mǎnzú	0.7394%	10,423,303	10,387,958	10,708,464	9,821,180	1954
Yi	Yi	YI	彝族	Yízú	0.6973%	9,830,327	8,714,393	7,765,858	6,572,173	1954
Tujia	Tujia	TJ	土家族	Tǔjiāzú	0.6801%	9,587,732	8,353,912	8,037,014	5,704,223	1964
Tibetan^4	Zang	ZA	藏族	Zàngzú	0.5008%	7,060,731	6,282,187	5,422,954	4,593,330	1954
Mongol	Mongol	MG	蒙古族	Měnggǔzú	0.4461%	6,290,204	5,981,840	5,827,808	4,806,849	1954
Bouyei	Bouyei	BY	布依族	Bùyīzú	0.2537%	3,576,752	2,870,034	2,973,217	2,545,059	1954
Dong^5	Dong	DO	侗族	Dòngzú	0.2480%	3,495,993	2,879,974	2,962,911	2,514,014	1954
Yao	Yao	YA	瑶族	Yáozú	0.2347%	3,309,341	2,796,003	2,638,878	2,134,013	1954
Bai	Bai	BA	白族	Báizú	0.1484%	2,091,543	1,933,510	1,861,895	1,594,827	1954
Hani^6	Hani	HN	哈尼族	Hānízú	0.1229%	1,733,166	1,660,932	1,440,029	1,253,952	1954
Korean	Chosŏn	CS	朝鲜族	Cháoxiǎnzú	0.1207%	1,702,479	1,830,929	1,929,696	1,920,597	1954
Li	Li	LI	黎族	Lízú	0.1136%	1,602,104	1,463,064	1,248,022	1,110,900	1954
Kazakh	Kazak	KZ	哈萨克族	Hāsàkèzú	0.1108%	1,562,518	4,447,588	4,251,023	3,111,718	1954
Dai^7	Dai	DA	傣族	Dǎizú	0.0943%	1,329,985	1,261,311	1,159,231	1,025,128	1954
Lisu	Lisu	LS	傈僳族	Lìsùzú	0.0541%	762,296	702,839	635,101	574,856	1954
She	She	SH	畲族	Shēzú	0.0529%	746,385	708,651	710,039	630,378	1964
Dongxiang	Dongxiang	DX	东乡族	Dōngxiāngzú	0.0550%	774,947	621,500	513,826	373,872	1954
Gelao	Gelao	GL	仡佬族	Gēlǎozú	0.0481%	677,521	550,746	579,744	437,997	1964
Lahu	Lahu	LH	拉祜族	Lāhùzú	0.0354%	499,167	485,966	453,765	411,476	1954
Sui	Sui	SU	水族	Shuǐzú	0.0352%	495,928	411,847	407,000	345,993	1954
Wa	Wa	WA	佤族	Wǎzú	0.0306%	430,997	429,709	396,709	351,974	1954
Nakhi^8	Naxi	NX	纳西族	Nàxīzú	0.0230%	323,767	326,295	309,477	278,009	1954
Qiang	Qiang	QI	羌族	Qiāngzú	0.0222%	312,981	309,576	306,476	198,252	1954
Tu	Tu	TU	土族	Tǔzú	0.0200%	281,928	289,565	241,593	191,624	1954
Mulao^9	Mulao	ML	仫佬族	Mùlǎozú	0.0197%	277,233	216,257	207,464	159,328	1964
Kyrgyz	Kirgiz	KG	柯尔克孜族	Kē'ěrkèzīzú	0.0145%	204,402	186,708	160,875	141,549	1954
Xibe	Xibe	XB	锡伯族	Xībózú	0.0136%	191,911	190,481	189,357	172,847	1954
Salar	Salar	SL	撒拉族	Sālāzú	0.0117%	165,159	130,607	104,521	87,697	1954
Jingpo^10	Jingpo	JP	景颇族	Jǐngpōzú	0.0114%	160,471	147,828	132,158	119,209	1954
Daur	Daur	DU	达斡尔族	Dáwò'ěrzú	0.0094%	132,299	131,992	132,747	121,357	1964
Blang	Blang	BL	布朗族	Bùlǎngzú	0.0090%	127,345	119,639	91,891	82,280	1964
Maonan^11	Maonan	MN	毛南族	Máonánzú	0.0088%	124,092	101,192	107,184	71,968	1964
Tajik^12	Tajik	TA	塔吉克族	Tǎjíkèzú	0.0036%	50,896	51,069	41,056	33,538	1954
Pumi	Pumi	PM	普米族	Pǔmǐzú	0.0032%	45,012	42,861	33,628	29,657	1964
Achang	Achang	AC	阿昌族	Āchāngzú	0.0031%	43,775	39,555	33,954	27,708	1964
Nu	Nu	NU	怒族	Nùzú	0.0026%	36,575	37,523	28,770	27,123	1964
Evenki	Ewenki	EW	鄂温克族	Èwēnkèzú	0.0025%	34,617	30,875	30,545	26,315	1954
Vietnamese^13	Gin	GI	京族	Jīngzú	0.0024%	33,112	28,199	22,584	18,915	1964
Jino	Jino	JN	基诺族	Jīnuòzú	0.0018%	26,025	23,143	20,899	18,021	1979
Bonan	Bonan	BO	保安族	Bǎo'ānzú	0.0017%	24,434	20,074	16,505	12,212	1954
De'ang^14	Deang	DE	德昂族	Dé'ángzú	0.0016%	22,354	20,556	17,935	15,462	1964
Russian	Russ	RS	俄罗斯族	Éluósīzú	0.0011%	16,136	15,393	15,631	13,504	1954
Yugur	Yugur	YG	裕固族	Yùgùzú	0.0010%	14,706	14,378	13,747	12,297	1954
Uzbek	Uzbek	UZ	乌孜别克族	Wūzībiékèzú	0.0009%	12,742	10,569	12,423	14,502	1954
Monba	Monba	MB	门巴族	Ménbāzú	0.0008%	11,143	10,561	8,928	7,475	1964
Oroqen	Oroqen	OR	鄂伦春族	Èlúnchūnzú	0.0007%	9,168	8,659	8,216	6,965	1954
Derung	Derung	DR	独龙族	Dúlóngzú	0.0005%	7,310	6,930	7,431	5,816	1964
Hezhen^15	Hezhen	HZ	赫哲族	Hèzhézú	0.0004%	5,373	5,354	4,664	4,245	1964
Lhoba	Lhoba	LB	珞巴族	Luòbāzú	0.0003%	4,237	3,682	2,970	2,312	1965
Tatars	Tatar	TT	塔塔尔族	Tǎtǎ'ěrzú	0.0003%	3,544	3,556	4,895	4,873	1954
Gaoshan^16	Gaoshan	GS	高山族	Gāoshānzú	0.0002%	3,479	4,009	4,488	2,909	1954
Undistinguished	—	none	未识别民族	Wèi Shìbié Mínzú	0.0593%	836,488	640,101	734,438	749,341	—
Naturalized Citizen	—	none	外国人加入中国籍	Wàiguórén Jiārù Zhōngguójí	0.0012%	16,595	1,448	941	3,421	—

^AGB 3304－91 "Names of ethnicities of China in romanization with codes";^[8]
BThe population only includes mainland China;
^CFor ethnic groups officially recognised in 1964 or earlier, this is the year of first inclusion in the national census, which were in 1954^[9] and 1964;^[10]
1Also included are the Chuanqing;
²Also includes Utsuls of Hainan, descended from Cham refugees;
³One subset of which is also known as Hmong and other include Hmu, Xong and A-Hmao. Some of the related languages and groups of peoples are not necessarily classified under the Miao umbrella, which makes this term somewhat vague;
⁴including Amdowa and Khampa, as well as roughly half of Pumi speakers, the remainder of whom are classified as a separate Pumi ethnicity;
⁵Also known as Kam;
⁶Also included are the Sangkong;
⁷This category includes several different Tai-speaking groups historically referred to as Bai-yi. In fact, the Dai nationality consists of speakers of varieties of Shan languages. For instance, the Tai Lue and Tai Nuea peoples are actually subgroups of the Shan people. Despite this, speakers of Bumang are also included in the Dai nationality;
⁸Also included are the Mosuo;
⁹Also included are the Qago (木佬人);
¹⁰Known as Kachin in Myanmar;
¹¹Also included are the Then;
¹²They are not Tajik people but Pamiri people;
¹³The same group as Vietnamese or Kinh people in Sino-Vietnamese;
¹⁴Known as Palaung in Myanmar;
¹⁵The same group as Nanai on the Russian side of the border;
¹⁶A collective name for all Taiwanese aborigine groups in Taiwan. In fact, the numbers of Gaoshan in census covers only those who lives in mainland China (mainly in Fujian) and consists of Amis (autonym: Pangcah), Paiwan and Bunun peoples.^{[citation needed]}

Taiwanese aborigines

Main article: Taiwanese indigenous peoples

The People's Republic of China government officially refers to all Taiwanese aborigines (Chinese: 原住民族; pinyin: Yuánzhùmínzú) as Gaoshan (Chinese: 高山族; pinyin: Gāoshānzú), whereas the Republic of China (Taiwan) recognizes 16 groups of Taiwanese aborigines.^[11] The term Gaoshan has a different connotation in Taiwan than it does in mainland China.^{[clarification needed]}

Unlisted ethnic groups

Main article: Unrecognized ethnic groups in China

 

Part of a poster in Beijing showing the 56 ethnic groups of China

The following ethnic groups living in China are not recognized by the Chinese government:

• Äynu people – classified as Uyghurs
• Altai people – classified as Mongols^[12]
• Fuyu Kyrgyz people – classified as Kyrgyz
• Gejia people – classified as Miao
• Bajia (八甲人; Bājiǎrén)
• Deng people
• Hu people – classified as Bulang
• Khmu people – classified as Bulang
• Kucong
• Mảng people
• Ili Turk people – classified as Uzbek
• Sherpa people – classified as Tibetan
• Tanka people, including Fuzhou Tanka
• Tebbu people
• Tuvans – classified as Mongols^[13]
• Waxiang people
• Jewish people
• Macanese people, mixed race Catholic Portuguese speakers who lived in Macau since 16th century of various ethnic origins
• Utsuls – classified as Hui

During the Fifth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China held in 2000, 734,438 people on the mainland were recorded as belonging to "undistinguished ethnic groups"—of these, 97% resided in Guizhou, .^[14]

Hong Kong and Macau

See also: Demographics of Hong Kong and Demographics of Macau

Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions within China. The governments of Hong Kong and Macau do not use the official PRC ethnic classification system, nor does the PRC's official classification system take ethnic groups in Hong Kong and Macau into account. Minority groups such as Western Europeans (mainly English and Portuguese), and Southern or Southeastern Asians (mainly Filipinos, Indians, Indonesians, Nepalese, and Pakistanis) live in Hong Kong.^[15] Macau's main ethnic groups are of Chinese and Portuguese descent, but other ethnicities also live in the territory.^[16]

Gallery

•  
  Han
•  
  Zhuang
•  
  Manchu
•  
  Hui
•  
  Miao
•  
  Uyghur
•  
  Tujia
•  
  Yi
•  
  Mongol

See also

•  China portal

• Affirmative action in China
• Demographics of China
• Demographics of Taiwan
• Local ethnic nationalism
• Taiwanese people
• Ethnic minorities in China
• Han Chinese subgroups
• Hua–Yi distinction
• Languages of China
• List of endangered languages in China
• Kra–Dai ethnic groups in China
• Taiwanese indigenous peoples
• Unrecognized ethnic groups in China
• Minzu (anthropology)
  • Zhonghua minzu

References

1. . Xinhua News (English). 28 April 2011. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
2. "index". www.stats.gov.cn.
3. "Expats in China: Nationalities and in which cities they settle".
4. Jarmuth, Anna (2020-09-22). "Ethnic Minorities and the Fight against Poverty in China: The Case of Yunnan". Institute for Security and Development Policy. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
5. Lai, Hongyi. "China's Ethnic Policies and Challenges" (PDF).
6. "White Paper 1999: Ethnic Minorities Policy in China". un.china-mission.gov.cn. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
7. 胡鸿保; 张丽梅 (2009). 民族识别原则的变化与民族人口 [Changes in Ethnic Identification Principles and Ethnic Population]. Southwest University for Nationalities University Press (in Chinese) (4).
8. GB 3304－91 Names of nationalities of China in romanization with codes 2009-11-01 at the Wayback Machine.
9. First National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
10. Second National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
11. "Gov't officially recognizes two more aboriginal people groups". China Post. CNA. 27 June 2014. from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
12. Olson, James S. (1998). "Altai". An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of China. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. pp. 9–11. ISBN 0-313-28853-4.
13. Mongush, M. V. (1996). "Tuvans of Mongolia and China". International Journal of Central Asian Studies (1): 225–243.
14. 第五次人口普查数据(2000年). 表1—6. 省、自治区、直辖市分性别、民族的人口 ( Fifth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China (2000). Table 1-6: Population of provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities by ethnicity). (in Chinese)
15. Paul O'Connor (2018). "Ethnic Minorities and Ethnicity in Hong Kong". Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Hong Kong. Routledge. pp. 59–274. ISBN 9780367580605.
16. João de Pina Cabral. "THE 'ETHNIC' COMPOSITION OF MACAO". Cultural Bureau of Macau. Retrieved 2023-11-29.

Further reading

• Olson, James S. (1998). An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of China. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0-313-28853-4.
• Schwars, Henry G. (1984). The Minorities of Northern China: A Survey.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ethnic groups in China.

• "Chinese ethnic odyssey" - collection of articles from the People's Daily
• Family album of Chinese 56 ethnic groups
• nytimes.com