List of ethnic groups in China

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

The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group in mainland China. In 2010, 91.5% of the population were classified as Han Chinese (~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.

The major ethnic minorities in China are the Zhuang (19.6 million), Hui (11.4 million), Uyghurs (11 million), Miao (11 million), Manchus (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] In addition, there are a number of unrecognized ethnic groups which together comprise over 730,000 people. Collectively, the ethnic groups of China are referred to as the Zhonghua minzu (Chinese: 中华民族; pinyin: Zhōnghuá mínzú; lit. 'Chinese ethnicity').

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.[3][4] Languages of officially recognized minorities are used in official government documents.[5]

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 people 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.[6]

Standard Romanization[7] Code[7] Simplified Chinese Hanyu Pinyin 2020 National Shares 2020 Population[a] 2010 Population[a] 2000 Population[a] 1990 Population[a] Year of recognition[b]
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 ZH 壮族 Zhuàngzú 1.3801% 19,568,546 16,926,381 16,187,163 15,489,630 1954
Uygur UG 维吾尔族 Wéiwú'ěrzú 0.8352% 11,774,538 10,069,346 8,405,416 7,214,431 1954
Hui HU 回族 Huízú 0.8070% 11,377,914 10,586,087 9,828,126 8,602,978 1954
Miao[c] MH 苗族 Miáozú 0.7851% 11,067,929 9,426,007 8,945,538 7,398,035 1954
Man MA 满族 Mǎnzú 0.7394% 10,423,303 10,387,958 10,708,464 9,821,180 1954
Yi YI 彝族 Yízú 0.6973% 9,830,327 8,714,393 7,765,858 6,572,173 1954
Tujia TJ 土家族 Tǔjiāzú 0.6801% 9,587,732 8,353,912 8,037,014 5,704,223 1964
Zang[d] / Tibetan[e] ZA 藏族 Zàngzú 0.5008% 7,060,731 6,282,187 5,422,954 4,593,330 1954
Mongol MG 蒙古族 Měnggǔzú 0.4461% 6,290,204 5,981,840 5,827,808 4,806,849 1954
Buyei BY 布依族 Bùyīzú 0.2537% 3,576,752 2,870,034 2,973,217 2,545,059 1954
Dong[f] DO 侗族 Dòngzú 0.2480% 3,495,993 2,879,974 2,962,911 2,514,014 1954
Yao YA 瑶族 Yáozú 0.2347% 3,309,341 2,796,003 2,638,878 2,134,013 1954
Bai BA 白族 Báizú 0.1484% 2,091,543 1,933,510 1,861,895 1,594,827 1954
Hani HN 哈尼族 Hānízú 0.1229% 1,733,166 1,660,932 1,440,029 1,253,952 1954
Chosen / Korean[g] CS 朝鲜族 Cháoxiǎnzú 0.1207% 1,702,479 1,830,929 1,929,696 1,920,597 1954
Li LI 黎族 Lízú 0.1136% 1,602,104 1,463,064 1,248,022 1,110,900 1954
Kazak KZ 哈萨克族 Hāsàkèzú 0.1108% 1,562,518 1,462,588 1,248,022 1,110,900 1954
Dai[h] DA 傣族 Dǎizú 0.0943% 1,329,985 1,261,311 1,159,231 1,025,128 1954
Lisu LS 傈僳族 Lìsùzú 0.0541% 762,296 702,839 635,101 574,856 1954
She SH 畲族 Shēzú 0.0529% 746,385 708,651 710,039 630,378 1964
Dongxiang DX 东乡族 Dōngxiāngzú 0.0550% 774,947 621,500 513,826 373,872 1954
Gelao GL 仡佬族 Gēlǎozú 0.0481% 677,521 550,746 579,744 437,997 1964
Lahu LH 拉祜族 Lāhùzú 0.0354% 499,167 485,966 453,765 411,476 1954
Sui SU 水族 Shuǐzú 0.0352% 495,928 411,847 407,000 345,993 1954
Va VA 佤族 Wǎzú 0.0306% 430,997 429,709 396,709 351,974 1954
Naxi NX 纳西族 Nàxīzú 0.0230% 323,767 326,295 309,477 278,009 1954
Qiang QI 羌族 Qiāngzú 0.0222% 312,981 309,576 306,476 198,252 1954
Tu TU 土族 Tǔzú 0.0200% 281,928 289,565 241,593 191,624 1954
Mulao ML 仫佬族 Mùlǎozú 0.0197% 277,233 216,257 207,464 159,328 1964
Kirgiz KG 柯尔克孜族 Kē'ěrkèzīzú 0.0145% 204,402 186,708 160,875 141,549 1954
Xibe XB 锡伯族 Xībózú 0.0136% 191,911 190,481 189,357 172,847 1954
Salar SL 撒拉族 Sālāzú 0.0117% 165,159 130,607 104,521 87,697 1954
Jingpo[i] JP 景颇族 Jǐngpōzú 0.0114% 160,471 147,828 132,158 119,209 1954
Daur DU 达斡尔族 Dáwò'ěrzú 0.0094% 132,299 131,992 132,747 121,357 1964
Blang BL 布朗族 Bùlǎngzú 0.0090% 127,345 119,639 91,891 82,280 1964
Maonan MN 毛南族 Máonánzú 0.0088% 124,092 101,192 107,184 71,968 1964
Tajik[j] TA 塔吉克族 Tǎjíkèzú 0.0036% 50,896 51,069 41,056 33,538 1954
Pumi PM 普米族 Pǔmǐzú 0.0032% 45,012 42,861 33,628 29,657 1964
Achang AC 阿昌族 Āchāngzú 0.0031% 43,775 39,555 33,954 27,708 1964
Nu NU 怒族 Nùzú 0.0026% 36,575 37,523 28,770 27,123 1964
Ewenki EW 鄂温克族 Èwēnkèzú 0.0025% 34,617 30,875 30,545 26,315 1954
Gin[k] GI 京族 Jīngzú 0.0024% 33,112 28,199 22,584 18,915 1964
Jino JN 基诺族 Jīnuòzú 0.0018% 26,025 23,143 20,899 18,021 1979
Bonan BO 保安族 Bǎo'ānzú 0.0017% 24,434 20,074 16,505 12,212 1954
Deang[l] DE 德昂族 Dé'ángzú 0.0016% 22,354 20,556 17,935 15,462 1964
Russ RS 俄罗斯族 Éluósīzú 0.0011% 16,136 15,393 15,631 13,504 1954
Yugur YG 裕固族 Yùgùzú 0.0010% 14,706 14,378 13,747 12,297 1954
Uzbek UZ 乌孜别克族 Wūzībiékèzú 0.0009% 12,742 10,569 12,423 14,502 1954
Monba MB 门巴族 Ménbāzú 0.0008% 11,143 10,561 8,928 7,475 1964
Oroqen OR 鄂伦春族 Èlúnchūnzú 0.0007% 9,168 8,659 8,216 6,965 1954
Derung DR 独龙族 Dúlóngzú 0.0005% 7,310 6,930 7,431 5,816 1964
Hezhe[m] HZ 赫哲族 Hèzhézú 0.0004% 5,373 5,354 4,664 4,245 1964
Lhoba LB 珞巴族 Luòbāzú 0.0003% 4,237 3,682 2,970 2,312 1965
Tatar TT 塔塔尔族 Tǎtǎ'ěrzú 0.0003% 3,544 3,556 4,895 4,873 1954
Gaoshan[n] 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 citizens) none 外国人加入中国籍 Wàiguórén Jiārù Zhōngguójí 0.0012% 16,595 1,448 941 3,421 —
  1. ^ a b c d The population only includes mainland China.
  2. ^ For ethnic groups officially recognised in 1964 or earlier, this is the year of first inclusion in the national census, which were in 1954[8] and 1964.[9]
  3. ^ One 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.
  4. ^ Including Amdowa and Khampa, as well as roughly half of Pumi speakers, the remainder of whom are classified as a separate Pumi ethnicity.
  5. ^ Used for external purposes (对外使用时)
  6. ^ Also known as Kam.
  7. ^ Used for external purposes (对外使用时)
  8. ^ This 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.
  9. ^ Known as Kachin in Myanmar.
  10. ^ They are not Tajik people but Pamiri people.
  11. ^ The same group as Kinh people in Vietnam
  12. ^ Known as Palaung in Myanmar.
  13. ^ The same group as Nanai people on the Russian side of the border.
  14. ^ A 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.

Unlisted ethnic groups

Main article: Unrecognized ethnic groups in China

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

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.[13]

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. Hong Kong's minority groups include Western Europeans (mainly English and Portuguese), South Asians (mainly Indians, Nepalis, and Pakistanis), and Southeast Asians (mainly Filipinos and Indonesians) live in Hong Kong.[14] Macau's main ethnic groups are of Chinese and Portuguese descent, but other ethnicities (such as Filipinos) also live in the territory.[15]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Han Chinese proportion in China's population drops: census data". Xinhua News (English). 28 April 2011. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2015.
  2. ^ "index". www.stats.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2012-11-27. Retrieved 2017-06-08.
  3. ^ Jarmuth, Anna (2020-09-22). "Ethnic Minorities and the Fight against Poverty in China: The Case of Yunnan". Institute for Security and Development Policy. Archived from the original on 2023-11-29. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  4. ^ Lai, Hongyi. "China's Ethnic Policies and Challenges" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-11-21. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  5. ^ "White Paper 1999: Ethnic Minorities Policy in China". un.china-mission.gov.cn. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  6. ^ 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).
  7. ^ a b "Names of nationalities in China in romanization with codes" (PDF). Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China (in Simplified Chinese). GB 3304–91 (代替 GB 3304–82). Retrieved 2026-03-14.
  8. ^ First National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
  9. ^ Second National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
  10. ^ Olson, James S. (1998). "Altai". An Ethnohistorical Dictionary of China. Westport, Conn: Greenwood Press. pp. 9–11. ISBN 0-313-28853-4.
  11. ^ Mongush, M. V. (1996). "Tuvans of Mongolia and China". International Journal of Central Asian Studies (1): 225–243.
  12. ^ "Left Behind: Japan's Wartime Defeat and the Stranded Women of Manchukuo". Archived from the original on 2016-01-12. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  13. ^ 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 Archived 2018-08-26 at the Wayback Machine ( 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)
  14. ^ Paul O'Connor (2018). "Ethnic Minorities and Ethnicity in Hong Kong". Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Hong Kong. Routledge. pp. 59–274. ISBN 9780367580605.
  15. ^ João de Pina Cabral. "THE 'ETHNIC' COMPOSITION OF MACAO". Cultural Bureau of Macau. Archived from the original on 2024-03-02. Retrieved 2023-11-29.

Further reading

  • Media related to Ethnic groups in China at Wikimedia Commons
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