Distribution of Ethnic Minorities
The Distribution of Ethnic Minorities has taken shape throughout China’s long history of development as ethnic groups migrated and mingled. China’s minority ethnicities mainly live in border regions and mountainous areas of the north, south, and west. Costumes are the most representative feature of an ethnic group, with designs and colours closely linked with geographical environment and customs. According to the population, the major ethnic groups are Zhuang, Uyghur, Hui, Manchu, Miao, Yi, Tujia, Tibetan, Mongol, Dong, Buyei, Yao, Bai, Korean, Hani, Li, Kazakh and Dai.
Chinese Ethnic Minorities Distribution
Ethnic Groups | Population(2010) | Major Area of Distribution |
Achang | 39,555 | Yunnan |
Bai | 1,933,510 | Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan |
Blang | 119,639 | Yunnan |
Bonan | 20,074 | Gansu |
Bouyei | 2,870,034 | Guizhou, Yunnan, Sichuan |
Chaoxian | 1,830,929 | Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang, Beijing Koreatown |
Dai | 1,261,311 | Yunnan |
Daur | 131,992 | Inner Mongolia, Heilongjian, Xinjiang |
Deang | 20,556 | Yunnan |
Dong | 2,879,974 | Guizhou, Hunan, Guangxi |
Dongxiang | 621,500 | Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, Xinjiang |
Dulong | 6,930 | Yunnan |
Ewenki | 30,875 | Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang |
Gaoshan | 4,009 | Taiwan (population not counted), Fujian |
Gelao | 550,746 | Guizhou, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan |
Gin | 28,199 | Guangxi |
Hani | 1,660,932 | Yunnan |
Hezhen | 5,354 | Heilongjiang |
Hui | 10,586,087 | Concentrated in Ningxia, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang |
Jingpo | 147,828 | Yunnan |
Jino | 23,143 | Yunnan |
Kazak | 1,462,588 | Xinjing, Gansu, Qinghai |
Kirgiz | 186,708 | Xinjiang, Heilongjiang |
Lahu | 485,966 | Yunnan |
Li | 1,463,064 | Hainan |
Lisu | 702,839 | Yunnan, Sichuan |
Luoba | 3,682 | Tibet |
Man | 10,387,958 | Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Beijing, Inner Mongolia |
Maonan | 101,192 | Guangxi |
Miao | 9,426,007 | Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hainan, Hubei, Guangdong |
Monba | 10,561 | Tibet |
Mongol | 5,981,849 | Inner Mongolia,Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, Xinjiang, Heilongjian, Qinghai, Henan |
Mulam | 216,257 | Guangxi |
Naxi | 326,295 | Yunnan, Sichuan |
Nu | 37,523 | Yunnan |
Oroqen | 8,659 | Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang |
Primi | 42,861 | Yunnan |
Qiang | 309,576 | Sichuan |
Russ | 15,393 | Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang |
Salar | 130,607 | Qinghai, Gansu, Xinjiang |
She | 708,651 | Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Anhui |
Shui | 411,847 | Guizhou, Guangxi |
Tagik | 51,069 | Xinjiang |
Tatar | 3,556 | Xinjiang |
Tibetan | 6,282,187 | Tibet, Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu, Yunnan |
Tu | 289,565 | Qinghai, Gansu |
Tujia | 8,353,912 | Hunnan, Hubei, Guizhou, Chongqing |
Uygur | 10,069,346 | Xinjiang |
Uzbek | 10,569 | Xinjiang |
Wa | 429,709 | Yunnan |
Xibe | 190,481 | Xinjiang, Liaoning, Jilin |
Yao | 2,796,003 | Guangxi, Hunan, Yunna, Guangdong, Guizhou |
Yi | 8,714,393 | Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi |
Yugur | 14,378 | Gansu |
Zhuang | 16,926,381 | Guangxi, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hunan |
Ethnic Minorities Distribution by Location
Distribution Location | Ethnic Minorities |
Southwest China | Bai, Blang, Bouyei, Dai, Dong, Deang, Dulong, Gelao, Hani, Jino, Jingpo, Luoba, Lahu, Lisu, Miao, Monba, Nu, Naxi, Primi, Qiang, Shui, Wa, Yi, Tibetan, Achang |
Northwest China | Bonan, Dongxiang, Russ, Hui, Kazak, Salar, Tu, Yugur, Tagik, Tatar, Uygur, Xibe, Kirgiz, Uzbek |
Southeast China | Gaoshan, Gin, Li, Mulam, Maonan, She, Tujia, Yao, Zhuang |
Northeast China | Chaoxian, Daur, Oroqen, Ewenki, Hezhen, Man, Mongol |
Minority Discovery with China Dragon Tours
On this vast land, there are 55 ethnic minority groups who have colorful costumes, different flavors of food, unique etiquette, and a variety of festivals. They are mainly distributed in the southwest, northwest and northeast areas. The most popular destinations for minority discovery are Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Xinjiang and Tibet, which also boasts amazing natural scenery at the same time. Yunnan province has the largest number of ethnic population in China with 25 ethnic minorities. Join our minority discovery tours, and you definitely will have great fun by discovering the ethnic villages, enjoying the local performance and taking parting in the local big event.
Recommended Tours:
4 Days XishuangBanna Water Splashing Festival Celebration Tour
5 Days Guizhou Miao & Dong Minority Tour
6 Days Xilingol Grassland and Chengde Culture Tour from Beijing
9 Days Best Yunnan Minorities Discovery
16 Days Yunnan-Guizhou-Guangxi Minorities Discovery by Speed Train
Keep Reading
- Ethnic Culture in China
- Ethnic Minorities in China
- Autonomous Regions in China
- Ethnic Minority Food
- Ethnic Minority Festivals
- Autonomous Banner in China
- Autonomous Counties in China
- Autonomous Prefectures in China
- Ethnic Towns in China
- Ethnic Villages in China
- Policy and Regulation of Ethnic Minorities