Overview of the Hui Population

The Hui ethnic group is one of China’s larger minority groups, with a total population of 9.8168 million (as of 2000, excluding Taiwan Province). The Hui are distributed across all 31 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities of the country. The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region is their primary area of concentration, with 1.8625 million Hui people, accounting for 18.9% of the total Hui population in China.

Major Regions with Hui Population

In addition to Ningxia, several other regions have significant Hui populations exceeding 200,000, including:

• Beijing
• Hebei
• Inner Mongolia
• Liaoning
• Anhui
• Shandong
• Henan
• Yunnan
• Gansu
• Xinjiang

Distribution by Region

• Western Region: Holds the highest proportion of Hui, making up 60.75% of the total population.
• Eastern Region: The second-largest Hui population.
• Central Region: The fewest Hui people.

North-South Distribution Pattern

The majority of the Hui population is concentrated in the northern provinces along the Yellow River, with fewer people in the southern regions. According to the Fifth National Census, the Hui are one of the most widely distributed ethnic groups in China, ranking third in dispersal across provinces.

Characteristics of Hui Distribution

Descriptions of Hui Distribution Patterns

Some scholars describe the distribution of the Hui population as resembling an irregular “T” shape, while others use a “Y” shape. The primary pattern can be summarized as “large dispersion, small concentration.”

Large Dispersion

The Hui population is widely spread across more than 2,000 counties or cities.

• Only two provinces (Ningxia and Qinghai) have Hui populations exceeding 10% of their total population.
• Six provinces have Hui populations making up 1-5% of the population.
• 23 provinces have Hui populations below 1%.

Small Concentration

While widely dispersed, Hui populations are concentrated in smaller communities in some regions:

• Western Provinces: Hui communities are more likely to live in continuous, dense areas, particularly in autonomous regions, prefectures, and counties.
• Eastern Regions: Hui populations are often found in counties, villages, and streets along the Grand Canal.

Hui Autonomous Areas and Communities

Hui Autonomous Regions

China has 14 Hui autonomous areas, including:

• 1 autonomous region (Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region)
• 2 autonomous prefectures
• 11 autonomous counties (including combined autonomous counties)

Most of these areas are located in the northwest.

Hui Townships Across China

Nationwide, there are 140 Hui townships:

• 37 in the northwest
• 28 in the southwest
• 27 in North China
• 12 in East China
• 5 in Northeast China
• 31 in Central South China

Urbanization of the Hui Population

Hui in Large Cities

Among 183 cities with populations exceeding one million, 97 have the Hui as the predominant minority group. This is particularly true in cities located in eastern and central China.

Designated Hui Districts

Four cities have administrative districts specifically designated for the Hui:

• Chanhe Hui District in Luoyang
• Guancheng Hui District in Zhengzhou
• Shunhe Hui District in Kaifeng
• Hui District in Hohhot

These districts reflect the high level of urbanization among the Hui, making them one of the most urbanized ethnic groups in China.

This structure organizes the content with H1 and H2 headings to clearly distinguish different sections, making it easier to follow and understand the distribution and characteristics of the Hui ethnic group in China.