List of ethnic groups in China

Multiple ethnic groups populate China, where "China" is taken to mean areas controlled by either of the two states using "China" in their formal names, the People's Republic of China (China) and the Republic of China (Taiwan).

The Han Chinese are the largest ethnic group, where (as of 2010) some 91.51%^[1] of the population was classified as Han Chinese (~1.2 billion). Besides the Han majority, 55 other ethnic groups are recognised in China by the PRC government, numbering approximately 105 million people, mostly concentrated in the northwest, north, northeast, south, and southwest but with some in central interior areas.

The major minority ethnic groups in China are Zhuang (16.9 million), Uyghur (11.5 million), Hui (10.5 million), Manchu (10.3 million), Miao (9.4 million), Yi (8.7 million), Tujia (8.3 million), Tibetan (6.2 million), Mongol (5.9 million), Dong (2.8 million), Buyei (2.8 million), Yao (2.7 million), Bai (1.9 million), Korean (1.8 million), Hani (1.6 million), Li (1.4 million), Kazakh (1.4 million), and Dai (1.2 million).

Ethnic groups recognized by People's Republic of China

In order of population, this is the list of the 56 ethnic groups in China that are officially recognized by the government of the People's Republic of China. The number of officially recognized ethic groups in China used to be 39 in 1954, which increased to 54 by 1964. The last change was the addition of the Jino people in 1979, bringing the number of recognized ethnic groups to the current 56.^[2]

English Name	Standard Romanization	Code^A	Pinyin	Simplified Chinese	2010 National Shares	2010 Population^B	2000 Population^B	1990 Population^B	Year of recognition^C
Han^1	Han	HA	Hàn Zú	汉族	91.6474%	1,220,844,520	1,139,773,008	1,042,482,187	1954
Zhuang	Zhuang	ZH	Zhuàng Zú	壮族	1.2700%	16,926,381	16,187,163	15,489,630	1954
Hui^2	Hui	HU	Huí Zú	回族	0.7943%	10,586,087	9,828,126	8,602,978	1954
Manchu	Man	MA	Mǎn Zú	满族	0.7794%	10,387,958	10,708,464	9,821,180	1954
Uyghur	Uyghur	UG	Wéiwú'ěr Zú	维吾尔族	0.7555%	10,069,346	8,405,416	7,214,431	1954
Miao^3	Miao	MH	Miáo Zú	苗族	0.7072%	9,426,007	8,945,538	7,398,035	1954
Yi	Yi	YI	Yí Zú	彝族	0.6538%	8,714,393	7,765,858	6,572,173	1954
Tujia	Tujia	TJ	Tǔjiā Zú	土家族	0.6268%	8,353,912	8,037,014	5,704,223	1964
Tibetan^4	Zang	ZA	Zàng Zú	藏族	0.4713%	6,282,187	5,422,954	4,593,330	1954
Mongol	Mongol	MG	Měnggǔ Zú	蒙古族	0.4488%	5,981,840	5,827,808	4,806,849	1954
Dong	Dong	DO	Dòng Zú	侗族	0.2161%	2,879,974	2,962,911	2,514,014	1954
Bouyei	Bouyei	BY	Bùyī Zú	布依族	0.2153%	2,870,034	2,973,217	2,545,059	1954
Yao	Yao	YA	Yáo Zú	瑶族	0.2098%	2,796,003	2,638,878	2,134,013	1954
Bai	Bai	BA	Bái Zú	白族	0.1451%	1,933,510	1,861,895	1,594,827	1954
Korean	Chosen	CS	Cháoxiǎn Zú	朝鲜族	0.1374%	1,830,929	1,929,696	1,920,597	1954
Hani^5	Hani	HN	Hāní Zú	哈尼族	0.1246%	1,660,932	1,440,029	1,253,952	1954
Li	Li	LI	Lí Zú	黎族	0.1098%	1,463,064	1,248,022	1,110,900	1954
Kazakh	Kazak	KZ	Hāsàkè Zú	哈萨克族	0.1097%	1,462,588	1,251,023	1,111,718	1954
Dai^6	Dai	DA	Dǎi Zú	傣族	0.0946%	1,261,311	1,159,231	1,025,128	1954
She	She	SH	Shē Zú	畲族	0.0532%	708,651	710,039	630,378	1964
Lisu	Lisu	LS	Lìsù Zú	傈僳族	0.0527%	702,839	635,101	574,856	1954
Dongxiang	Dongxiang	DX	Dōngxiāng Zú	东乡族	0.0466%	621,500	513,826	373,872	1954
Gelao	Gelao	GL	Gēlǎo Zú	仡佬族	0.0413%	550,746	579,744	437,997	1964
Lahu	Lahu	LH	Lāhù Zú	拉祜族	0.0365%	485,966	453,765	411,476	1954
Wa	Wa	WA	Wǎ Zú	佤族	0.0322%	429,709	396,709	351,974	1954
Sui	Sui	SU	Shuǐ Zú	水族	0.0309%	411,847	407,000	345,993	1954
Nakhi^7	Naxi	NX	Nàxī Zú	纳西族	0.0245%	326,295	309,477	278,009	1954
Qiang	Qiang	QI	Qiāng Zú	羌族	0.0232%	309,576	306,476	198,252	1954
Tu	Tu	TU	Tǔ Zú	土族	0.0217%	289,565	241,593	191,624	1954
Mulao^8	Mulao	ML	Mùlǎo Zú	仫佬族	0.0162%	216,257	207,464	159,328	1964
Xibe	Xibe	XB	Xībó Zú	锡伯族	0.0143%	190,481	189,357	172,847	1954
Kyrgyz	Kirgiz	KG	Kē'ěrkèzī Zú	柯尔克孜族	0.0140%	186,708	160,875	141,549	1954
Jingpo^9	Jingpo	JP	Jǐngpō Zú	景颇族	0.0111%	147,828	132,158	119,209	1954
Daur	Daur	DU	Dáwò'ěr Zú	达斡尔族	0.0099%	131,992	132,747	121,357	1964
Salar	Salar	SL	Sālā Zú	撒拉族	0.0098%	130,607	104,521	87,697	1954
Blang	Blang	BL	Bùlǎng Zú	布朗族	0.0090%	119,639	91,891	82,280	1964
Maonan^10	Maonan	MN	Máonán Zú	毛南族	0.0076%	101,192	107,184	71,968	1964
Tajik^11	Tajik	TA	Tǎjíkè Zú	塔吉克族	0.0038%	51,069	41,056	33,538	1954
Pumi	Pumi	PM	Pǔmǐ Zú	普米族	0.0032%	42,861	33,628	29,657	1964
Achang	Achang	AC	Āchāng Zú	阿昌族	0.0030%	39,555	33,954	27,708	1964
Nu	Nu	NU	Nù Zú	怒族	0.0028%	37,523	28,770	27,123	1964
Evenki	Ewenki	EW	Èwēnkè Zú	鄂温克族	0.0023%	30,875	30,545	26,315	1954
Gin^12	Gin	GI	Jīng Zú	京族	0.0021%	28,199	22,584	18,915	1964
Jino	Jino	JN	Jīnuò Zú	基诺族	0.0017%	23,143	20,899	18,021	1979
De'ang	Deang	DE	Dé'áng Zú	德昂族	0.0015%	20,556	17,935	15,462	1964
Bonan	Bonan	BO	Bǎo'ān Zú	保安族	0.0015%	20,074	16,505	12,212	1954
Russian	Russ	RS	Éluósī Zú	俄罗斯族	0.0012%	15,393	15,631	13,504	1954
Yugur	Yugur	YG	Yùgù Zú	裕固族	0.0011%	14,378	13,747	12,297	1954
Uzbek	Uzbek	UZ	Wūzībiékè Zú	乌孜别克族	0.0008%	10,569	12,423	14,502	1954
Monba	Monba	MB	Ménbā Zú	门巴族	0.0008%	10,561	8,928	7,475	1964
Oroqen	Oroqen	OR	Èlúnchūn Zú	鄂伦春族	0.0006%	8,659	8,216	6,965	1954
Derung	Derung	DR	Dúlóng Zú	独龙族	0.0005%	6,930	7,431	5,816	1964
Hezhen^13	Hezhen	HZ	Hèzhé Zú	赫哲族	0.0004%	5,354	4,664	4,245	1964
Gaoshan^14	Gaoshan	GS	Gāoshān Zú	高山族	0.0003%	4,009	4,488	2,909	1954
Lhoba	Lhoba	LB	Luòbā Zú	珞巴族	0.0003%	3,682	2,970	2,312	1965
Tatars	Tatar	TT	Tǎtǎ'ěr Zú	塔塔尔族	0.0003%	3,556	4,895	4,873	1954
Undistinguished	—	none	Wèi Shìbié Mínzú	未识别民族	0.0480%	640,101	734,438	749 341	-
Naturalized Citizen	—	none	Wàiguórén Jiārù Zhōngguójí	外国人加入中国籍	0.0001%	1,448	941	3,421	-

^AGB 3304－91 "Names of nationalities of China in romanization with codes";^[3]
BThe population only includes China and the Republic of China (Taiwan);
^CFor ethic groups officially recognised in 1964 or earlier, this is the year of first inclusion in the national census, which were in 1954 ^[4] and 1964;^[5]
1Also included are the Chuanqing;
²Also includes Utsuls of Hainan, descended from Cham refugees;
³A subset of which is also known as Hmong;
⁴including Amdowa and Khampa;
⁵Also included are the Sangkong;
⁶This category includes several different Tai-speaking groups historically referred to as Bai-yi;
⁷Also included are the Mosuo;
⁸Also included are the 木佬人 (Qago);
⁹Known as Kachin in Myanmar;
¹⁰Also included are the Then;
¹¹Actually not Tajik people but Pamiri people;
¹²The same group as Vietnamese or Kinh people in Sino-Vietnamese;
¹³The same group as Nanai on the Russian side of the border;
¹⁴A collective name for all Taiwanese aborigine groups in Taiwan.

Taiwanese aborigines

The People's Republic of China government officially refers to all Taiwanese aborigines as Gaoshan, whereas the Republic of China (Taiwan) recognizes 16 groups of Taiwanese aborigines. The term Gaoshan has a different connotation in Taiwan than it does in mainland China. While several thousands of these aborigines have migrated to Fujian province in mainland China, most remain in Taiwan. Due to the contested political status and legal status of Taiwan, the PRC classification of Taiwanese aborigines may be controversial.

Taiwanese Han "blood nationalists" have in the past claimed that they have Plains Aboriginal ancestry in order to promote Taiwan independence, claiming an identity different from that of mainland Chinese. However, genetic tests showed differences between them and plains aborigines, and given that they usually were recent migrants, their claims were rejected by descendants of Taiwanese Plains Aborigines.^[6]

"Undistinguished" ethnic minority groups

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

This is a list of ethnic groups in China that are not officially recognized by the government of the People's Republic of China.

• Ayi people
• Äynu people
• Gejia (亻革家人, Gèjiā Rén)
• Bajia (八甲人, Bājiǎ Rén)
• Deng (僜人, Dèng Rén)
• Hu (户语)
• Khmu (克木人, Kèmù Rén)
• Kucong (Yellow Lahu/Lahu Shi (苦聪人; Traditional: 苦聰人; Kǔcōng Rén)
• Mang (芒人, Máng Rén)
• Sherpas (夏尔巴人; Traditional: 夏爾巴人; Xiàěrbā Rén)
• Tankas (疍家人; Traditional: 蜑家人; Dànjiā Rén) including Fuzhou Tanka
• Tebbu people
• Tuvans (图瓦人, Túwǎ Rén)
• Waxiang (瓦乡人, Wǎxiāng Rén)
• Yi (羿人, Yìrén)
• Youtai (犹太; Traditional: 猶太; Yóutài) (Jewish people of China and Jewish people in general)
• Yamato Japanese (大和民族) and Ryukyuans (琉球民族) living as permanent residents in Taiwan and North East China
• Macanese (土生葡人, mixed race Catholic Portuguese speakers who lived in Macau since 16th century of various ethnic origins
• Utsuls, descendants of Cham Muslims who fled Vietnamese invasions of Champa

During the Fifth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China (2000), 734,438 persons in the Chinese mainland, 97% of them in Guizhou, were specifically recorded as belonging to "Undistinguished ethnic groups".^[7] Presumably, other members of such groups may have been counted within larger "recognized" groups.

Ethnic groups in Hong Kong and Macau

Hong Kong and Macau are special administrative regions of the People's Republic of 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. As a result, minority groups such as Europeans (mainly English), and South or South East Asians (mainly Filipinos, Indian, Indonesians, Nepalese and Pakistani) live in Hong Kong.

Gallery

• 

  Zhuang

• 

  Manchu

• 

  Hui

• 

  Miao

• 

  Uyghurs

• 

  Tujia

• 

  Yi

• 

  Mongols

See also

• Affirmative action in China
• Demographics of the People's Republic of China and Taiwan
• Ethnic groups in Taiwan
• Ethnic minorities in China
• Han Chinese subgroups
• Languages of China
• List of endangered languages in China
• Tai ethnic groups in China
• Taiwanese aborigines
• Unrecognized ethnic groups in China
• Zhonghua Minzu

References

1. "Han Chinese proportion in China's population drops: census data (2011-04-28)". Xinhua News (English). Retrieved 1 September 2015.
2. 胡鸿保 张丽梅 “民族识别原则的变化与民族人口” 《西南民族大学学报》（人文社科版）2009/04 总第212期
3. GB 3304－91 Names of nationalities of China in romanization with codes.
4. First National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
5. Second National Population Census of the People's Republic of China
6. Chen, Shu-Juo (2009). How Han are Taiwanese Han? Genetic inference of Plains Indigenous ancestry among Taiwanese Han and its implications for Taiwan identity (Ph.D.). STANFORD UNIVERSITY. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
7. 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 minicipalities by ethnicity). (Chinese)

External links

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