Chinese ethnic minorities
The Chinese population and its ethnic plurality
China’s population of 1.379 billion represents approximately one-sixth of the world’s population. Although comprised of 56 ethnic groups, the Han ethnic group accounts for 91% of China’s total population. The remaining 9% is shared among 55 ethnic minorities.
The Hans
With a population of over one billion, the Han can be found almost everywhere in China, but in varying numbers. The vast majority of Han people are found in the eastern part of the country. They form the largest ethnic group in China, and the world.
Ethnic minorities in China
Although they represent a small portion of the Chinese population, the 55 ethnic minorities are scattered throughout China. They are mainly concentrated in the southwest, northwest, and northeast regions of China. Yunnan has the largest number of minorities, with 25 different ethnic groups. Of all the ethnic minorities, the Zhuang ethnic group is the largest.
To maintain the equality and unity of the various ethnic groups, the Chinese government has taken various measures to enable these 55 ethnic groups to live in harmony. This is particularly the case with the regional autonomy granted to the five autonomous regions: Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangxi, Ningxia, and Tibet, as well as the numerous autonomous prefectures and counties. All of these autonomous administrative entities are run with the supervision of the Chinese government.
List of 55 ethnic minorities in China and their locations
| Ethnies | Provinces | Ethnies | Provinces |
| Achang | Yunnan | Bai | Yunnan, Guizhou |
| Blang/Bulang | Yunnan | Bonan/Bao’an | Gansu |
| Bouyei | Guizhou | Chaoxian/Coréenne | Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang |
| Dai | Yunnan | Daur | Mongolie Intérieure, Heilongjiang, Xinjiang |
| Deang/De’ang | Yunnan | Dong | Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi |
| Dongxiang | Gansu, Xinjiang | Dulong/Drung | Yunnan |
| Ewenki | Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang | Gaoshan | Taiwan, Fujian |
| Gelao/Gelo | Guizhou,Guangxi | Gin/Jing | Guangxi |
| Hani | Yunnan | Hezhen | Heilongjiang |
| Hui | Ningxia, Gansu, Henan, Hebei, Qinghai, Shandong, Yunnan, Xinjiang, Anhui, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Shaanxi, Beijing, Tianjin | Jingpo | Yunnan |
| Jino | Yunnan | Kazak/Kazakhs | Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai |
| Kirgiz/Kirghize | Xinjiang, Heilongjiang | Lahu | Yunnan |
| Li | Hainan | Lisu | Yunnan, Sichuan |
| Luoba/Loba/Lhoba | Tibet | Man/Manchu/Mandchou | Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Beijing, Mongolie Intérieure |
| Maonan | Guangxi | Miao | Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hainan, Hubei |
| Monba/Mongba | Tibet | Mongolian | Mongolie Intérieure, Xinjiang, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Qinghai |
| Mulam | Guangxi | Naxi | Yunnan, Sichuan |
| Nu | Yunnan | Orogen/Oroqen | Inner Mongolia |
| Primi/Pumi | Yunnan | Qiang | Sichuan |
| Russian | Xinjiang | Salar | Qinghai, Gansu |
| She | Fujian, Zhejaing, Jiangxi, Guangdong | Shui | Guizhou, Guangxi |
| Tagik/Tajik | Xinjiang | Tatar/Tartar | Xinjiang |
| Tibetan/Tibetan | Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan | Tu | Qinghai, Gansu |
| Tujia | Hunan, Hubei | Uygur/Ouighour | Xinjiang |
| Uzbek/Ouzbek | Xinjiang | Wa/Va | Yunnan |
| Xibe/Xibo | Xinjiang, Liaoning, Jilin | Yao | Guangxi, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou |
| Yi | Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi | Yugur/Yugu | Gansu |
| Zhuang | Guangxi, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou |