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), Uyghurs (11 million), Hui (11.4 million), Miao (11 million), Manchu (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 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Han 1 | 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 |
Hui 2 | Hui | HU | 回族 | Huízú | 0.8070% | 11,377,914 | 10,586,087 | 9,828,126 | 8,602,978 | 1954 |
Miao 3 | 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 |
Tibetan 4 | 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 |
Dong 5 | 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 |
Hani 6 | 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 | 4,447,588 | 4,251,023 | 3,111,718 | 1954 |
Dai 7 | 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 |
Nakhi 8 | 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 |
Mulao 9 | 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 |
Jingpo 10 | 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 |
Maonan 11 | Maonan | MN | 毛南族 | Máonánzú | 0.0088% | 124,092 | 101,192 | 107,184 | 71,968 | 1964 |
Tajik 12 | 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 |
Vietnamese 13 | 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'ang 14 | 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 |
Hezhen 15 | 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 |
Gaoshan 16 | 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]
Chinese may refer to:
China is the second most populous country in Asia as well as the second most populous country in the world, with a population of 1.409 billion.
Ethnic minorities in China are the non-Han population in the People's Republic of China (PRC).
There are several hundred languages in China. The predominant language is Standard Chinese, which is based on Beijingese, but there are hundreds of related Chinese languages, collectively known as Hanyu, that are spoken by 92% of the population. The Chinese languages are typically divided into seven major language groups, and their study is a distinct academic discipline. They differ as much from each other morphologically and phonetically as do English, German and Danish, but meanwhile share the same writing system (Hanzi) and are mutually intelligible in written form. There are in addition approximately 300 minority languages spoken by the remaining 8% of the population of China. The ones with greatest state support are Mongolian, Tibetan, Uyghur and Zhuang.
The Bouyei, otherwise known as the Zhongjia, are an ethnic group living in Southern Mainland China. Numbering 2.5 million, they are the 11th largest of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China.
The Gelao people are an ethnic group of China and Vietnam. They form one of the 56 ethnic groups officially recognized by the People's Republic of China. However, many Gelao are also variously classified as Yi, Miao, and Zhuang by the Chinese government.
The Chinese people, or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation.
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Wenshan Zhuang and Miao Autonomous Prefecture is an autonomous prefecture in southeastern Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, and is the easternmost prefecture-level division of the province. It borders Baise, Guangxi, to the east, Vietnam's Hà Giang Province to the south for 438 kilometres (272 mi), Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture to the west, and Qujing to the north.
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The Gin, or Jing people, are a community of descendants of ethnic Vietnamese people living in China. They mainly live in an area called the Jing Islands (京族三岛), off the coast of Dongxing, Fangchenggang, in the Chinese autonomous region of Guangxi. These territories were administered by the Nguyễn dynasty but were later ceded by the French to the Qing dynasty due to the 1887 convention, after the Sino-French war.
Longlin Various Nationalities Autonomous County is an autonomous county, under the jurisdiction of the prefecture-level city of Baise, in the west of Guangxi, China, bordering Guizhou Province to the north. As of 2019, the county's population was 437,907 people.
Hongkongers, Hong Kongers, Hong Kongese, Hongkongese, Hong Kong citizens and Hong Kong people are demonyms that refer to the resident of Hong Kong, although they may also refer to others who were born and/or raised in the territory.
The 2010 Chinese census, officially the Sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China (中华人民共和国第六次全国人口普查), was conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China with a zero hour of November 1, 2010.
The 2000 Chinese census, officially the Fifth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, was conducted by the government of the People's Republic of China with 1 November 2000 as its zero hour. The total population was calculated as 1,295,330,000. The census also covered population growth, number of households, sex, age, ethnicity, educational attainment, and urban and rural population.
Li or Lee is a common Chinese surname, it is the 4th name listed in the famous Hundred Family Surnames. Li is one of the most common surnames in Asia, shared by 92.76 million people in China, and more than 100 million in Asia. It is the second-most common surname in China as of 2018, the second-most common surname in Hong Kong, the most common surname in Macau and the 5th most common surname in Taiwan, where it is usually romanized as "Lee". The surname is pronounced as in Cantonese, Lí (poj) in Taiwanese Hokkien, but is often spelled as "Lee" in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and many overseas Chinese communities. In Macau, it is also spelled as "Lei". In Indonesia it is commonly spelled as "Lie". The common Korean surname, "Lee", and the Vietnamese surname, "Lý", are both derived from Li and written with the same Chinese character (李). The character also means "plum" or "plum tree".
Secession in China refers to several secessionist movements in the People's Republic of China. Many current separatist movements in China arise from the country's ethnic issues. Some of the factors that have created these ethnic issues include history, nationalism, economic and political disparity, religion, and other factors. China has historically had tensions between the majority Han and other minority ethnic groups, particularly in rural and border regions. Historically, other ruling ethnicities, such as the Manchu of the early-Qing dynasty, experienced ethnic issues as well.
Local ethnic nationalism or local ethnic chauvinism refers to a form of nationalism that divides China by refusing to unite with the Han Chinese by focusing only on the 'national/ethnic interests' (民族利益) of ethnic minorities in China.