List of ethnic groups in China
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). 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.
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List of ethnic groups in China
Ethnolinguistic map of China
China's Autonomous Regions and its Designated Ethnic Minority
This map shows the largest ethnic groups in each Chinese subdivision from the 2020 census.
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). 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). 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
List of ethnic groups in China
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. Languages of officially recognized minorities are used in official government documents.
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.
Unlisted ethnic groups
List of ethnic groups in 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 • Bajia (八甲人; Bājiǎrén) • Chuanqing people – classified as Han • Deng people • Fuyu Kyrgyz people – classified as Kyrgyz • Gejia people – classified as Miao • Hu people – classified as Bulang • Ili Turk people – classified as Uzbek • Khmu people – classified as Bulang • Kucong • Macanese people, mixed race Catholic Portuguese speakers who lived in Macau since 16th century of various ethnic origins • Mảng people • Mosuo – classified as Naxi • Qago people (木佬人) – classified as Mulao • Sangkong people – classified as Hani • Sherpa people – classified as Tibetan • Tanka people, including Fuzhou Tanka – classified as Han • Tebbu people • Then people – classified as Maonan • Tuvans – classified as Mongols • Utsuls – classified as Hui • Waxiang people • Yamato people and Ryukyuan people, primarily Japanese settlers that remained in China after the Second Sino-Japanese War, which mostly were women and orphaned children
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.
Hong Kong and Macau
List of ethnic groups in China
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. Macau's main ethnic groups are of Chinese and Portuguese descent, but other ethnicities (such as Filipinos) also live in the territory.
Gallery
List of ethnic groups in China
• Zhuang • Manchu • Hui • Miao • Uyghur • Tujia • Yi • Mongol