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.
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] 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 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 |
CodeA |
Simplified Chinese |
Mandarin Pinyin |
2020 National Shares | 2020 PopulationB |
2010 PopulationB |
2000 PopulationB |
1990 PopulationB |
Year of recognitionC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Han1 | 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 |
Hui2 | Hui | HU | 回族 | Huízú | 0.8070% | 11,377,914 | 10,586,087 | 9,828,126 | 8,602,978 | 1954 |
Miao3 | 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 |
Tibetan4 | 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 |
Dong5 | 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 |
Hani6 | 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 | 1,462,588 | 1,248,022 | 1,110,900 | 1954 |
Dai7 | 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 |
Nakhi8 | 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 |
Mulao9 | 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 |
Jingpo10 | 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 |
Maonan11 | Maonan | MN | 毛南族 | Máonánzú | 0.0088% | 124,092 | 101,192 | 107,184 | 71,968 | 1964 |
Tajik12 | 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 |
Vietnamese13 | 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'ang14 | 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 |
Hezhen15 | 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 |
Gaoshan16 | 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 | — |
A
GB 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]
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]
This section needs additional citations for
verification. (March 2024) |
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, . [14]
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]