Our answer
56 groups, led by the Han 五十六个民族
The Han are 91.11% of the population; the Zhuang are the largest of the 55 minorities
The short answer
China officially recognises 56 ethnic groups: the Han, who were 91.11% of the population in the 2020 census, and 55 ethnic minorities, who together number 125.47 million (8.89%). The largest minority is the Zhuang, with 19.57 million people; the smallest number only a few thousand each.
| In Chinese | 民族 (mínzú), ethnic group; 少数民族 (shǎoshù mínzú), ethnic minorities |
|---|---|
| Officially recognised | 56: the Han plus 55 minorities (since 1979) |
| Han share (2020 census) | 91.11%, 1,286,311,334 people |
| Minorities (2020 census) | 125,467,390 people, 8.89%; up 10.26% since 2010 |
| Largest minority | Zhuang, 19,568,546 (2020 census) |
| Most groups | Yunnan, home to 25 of the 56 |
| Autonomous regions | 5: Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Guangxi, Ningxia, Tibet |
All 56 ethnic groups in China, by population
Ranked by 2020 census population. Main region uses the broad regional grouping in the Hong Kong Education Bureau's national geography notes; most groups also live well beyond it. Follow the links for our guides to individual peoples.[1][2][3]
| Rank | Group | Chinese | Population (2020 census) | Main region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Han | 汉族 Hànzú | 1,286,311,334 | Nationwide |
| 2 | Zhuang | 壮族 Zhuàngzú | 19,568,546 | Central-south and southeast |
| 3 | Uygur | 维吾尔族 Wéiwú'ěrzú | 11,774,538 | Northwest |
| 4 | Hui | 回族 Huízú | 11,377,914 | Northwest |
| 5 | Miao | 苗族 Miáozú | 11,067,929 | Southwest |
| 6 | Manchu | 满族 Mǎnzú | 10,423,303 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 7 | Yi | 彝族 Yízú | 9,830,327 | Southwest |
| 8 | Tujia | 土家族 Tǔjiāzú | 9,587,732 | Central-south and southeast |
| 9 | Tibetan | 藏族 Zàngzú | 7,060,731 | Southwest |
| 10 | Mongol | 蒙古族 Měnggǔzú | 6,290,204 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 11 | Buyei | 布依族 Bùyīzú | 3,576,752 | Southwest |
| 12 | Dong | 侗族 Dòngzú | 3,495,993 | Southwest |
| 13 | Yao | 瑶族 Yáozú | 3,309,341 | Central-south and southeast |
| 14 | Bai | 白族 Báizú | 2,091,543 | Southwest |
| 15 | Hani | 哈尼族 Hānízú | 1,733,166 | Southwest |
| 16 | Korean (Chaoxianzu) | 朝鲜族 Cháoxiǎnzú | 1,702,479 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 17 | Li | 黎族 Lízú | 1,602,104 | Central-south and southeast |
| 18 | Kazak | 哈萨克族 Hāsàkèzú | 1,562,518 | Northwest |
| 19 | Dai | 傣族 Dǎizú | 1,329,985 | Southwest |
| 20 | Dongxiang | 东乡族 Dōngxiāngzú | 774,947 | Northwest |
| 21 | Lisu | 傈僳族 Lìsùzú | 762,296 | Southwest |
| 22 | She | 畲族 Shēzú | 746,385 | Central-south and southeast |
| 23 | Gelao | 仡佬族 Gēlǎozú | 677,521 | Southwest |
| 24 | Lahu | 拉祜族 Lāhùzú | 499,167 | Southwest |
| 25 | Sui | 水族 Shuǐzú | 495,928 | Southwest |
| 26 | Va | 佤族 Wǎzú | 430,997 | Southwest |
| 27 | Naxi · see also Mosuo | 纳西族 Nàxīzú | 323,767 | Southwest |
| 28 | Qiang | 羌族 Qiāngzú | 312,981 | Southwest |
| 29 | Tu | 土族 Tǔzú | 281,928 | Northwest |
| 30 | Mulao | 仫佬族 Mùlǎozú | 277,233 | Central-south and southeast |
| 31 | Kirgiz | 柯尔克孜族 Kē'ěrkèzīzú | 204,402 | Northwest |
| 32 | Xibe | 锡伯族 Xībózú | 191,911 | Northwest |
| 33 | Salar | 撒拉族 Sālāzú | 165,159 | Northwest |
| 34 | Jingpo | 景颇族 Jǐngpōzú | 160,471 | Southwest |
| 35 | Daur | 达斡尔族 Dáwò'ěrzú | 132,299 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 36 | Blang | 布朗族 Bùlǎngzú | 127,345 | Southwest |
| 37 | Maonan | 毛南族 Máonánzú | 124,092 | Central-south and southeast |
| 38 | Tajik | 塔吉克族 Tǎjíkèzú | 50,896 | Northwest |
| 39 | Pumi | 普米族 Pǔmǐzú | 45,012 | Southwest |
| 40 | Achang | 阿昌族 Āchāngzú | 43,775 | Southwest |
| 41 | Nu | 怒族 Nùzú | 36,575 | Southwest |
| 42 | Ewenki | 鄂温克族 Èwēnkèzú | 34,617 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 43 | Gin | 京族 Jīngzú | 33,112 | Central-south and southeast |
| 44 | Jino | 基诺族 Jīnuòzú | 26,025 | Southwest |
| 45 | Bonan | 保安族 Bǎo'ānzú | 24,434 | Northwest |
| 46 | Deang | 德昂族 Dé'ángzú | 22,354 | Southwest |
| 47 | Russian | 俄罗斯族 Éluósīzú | 16,136 | Northwest |
| 48 | Yugur | 裕固族 Yùgùzú | 14,706 | Northwest |
| 49 | Uzbek | 乌孜别克族 Wūzībiékèzú | 12,742 | Northwest |
| 50 | Monba | 门巴族 Ménbāzú | 11,143 | Southwest |
| 51 | Oroqen | 鄂伦春族 Èlúnchūnzú | 9,168 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 52 | Derung | 独龙族 Dúlóngzú | 7,310 | Southwest |
| 53 | Hezhen | 赫哲族 Hèzhézú | 5,373 | Northeast and Inner Mongolia |
| 54 | Lhoba | 珞巴族 Luòbāzú | 4,237 | Southwest |
| 55 | Tatar | 塔塔尔族 Tǎtǎ'ěrzú | 3,544 | Northwest |
| 56 | Gaoshan | 高山族 Gāoshānzú | 3,479 | Central-south and southeast |
The Han figure is the National Bureau of Statistics communiqué total; the detailed census tables give a slightly lower 1,284,446,389. Minority figures come from the census tables as compiled by Wikipedia. A further 836,488 people were recorded in 2020 as belonging to groups not yet identified.
How China came to count 56 ethnic groups
The figure of 56 was not fixed from the start. After 1949 the government asked social scientists to work out which peoples counted as separate 民族 (mínzú). They mainly used language to tell groups apart, along with culture and customs. The best-known part of the work began in 1954 in Yunnan, one of China's most ethnically varied provinces, where ethnologists carried out a survey of the province's many communities.
The first national census in 1954 recognised 39 groups, and the second, in 1964, raised the total to 54. The Lhoba were added in 1965 and the Jino of Yunnan in 1979, which gave the present 56: the Han and 55 ethnic minorities. Some small communities still sit outside the list and are recorded as undistinguished groups.
The minorities are spread unevenly. The Hong Kong Education Bureau's notes describe them as concentrated in the west and north of the country, living in small clusters intermingled with other groups. The southwest alone is home to 25 of the 55 minorities.[2][3][4][5]
China's five autonomous regions
Areas with large minority populations are organised as autonomous regions, prefectures, counties and banners. At province level there are five; by 2005 there were also 30 autonomous prefectures, 117 autonomous counties and 3 autonomous banners.[3][6]
| Region | Chinese | Established |
|---|---|---|
| Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region | 内蒙古自治区 Nèi Měnggǔ Zìzhìqū | 1947 |
| Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region | 新疆维吾尔自治区 Xīnjiāng Wéiwú'ěr Zìzhìqū | 1955 |
| Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region | 广西壮族自治区 Guǎngxī Zhuàngzú Zìzhìqū | 1958 |
| Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region | 宁夏回族自治区 Níngxià Huízú Zìzhìqū | 1958 |
| Tibet Autonomous Region | 西藏自治区 Xīzàng Zìzhìqū | 1965 |
Ethnic festivals worth planning a trip around
Most minority festivals follow the lunar or a traditional calendar, so the Western date moves each year. Check the local date before you book.[9][10][11][12][13][14]
| Festival | Chinese | Group and place | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water-Splashing Festival | 泼水节 Pōshuǐ Jié | Dai: Xishuangbanna and Dehong, Yunnan | Usually 13–15 April | The Dai New Year: dragon-boat races, then two days of splashing water for good fortune, in traditional dress |
| Sanyuesan | 三月三 Sānyuèsān | Zhuang: Guangxi | 3rd day of the 3rd lunar month (11 April in 2024) | Traditional costume, singing, the bamboo-pole dance and local food |
| Sisters' Meal Festival | 姊妹节 Zǐmèi Jié | Miao: Taijiang county, Guizhou | Around the 15th–18th of the 3rd lunar month | Village parades; listed as national intangible cultural heritage |
| Third Month Fair | 三月街 Sānyuè Jiē | Bai and other Yunnan peoples: Dali | From the 15th of the 3rd lunar month, for several days | A big street market below the Cangshan range, song and dance, horse racing |
| Torch Festival | 火把节 Huǒbǎ Jié | Yi, also Bai, Hani, Lahu, Naxi and Pumi: southwest China | 24th or 25th of the 6th month of the Yi calendar (August) | Torch parades through villages and fields, bonfires, dancing through the night, wrestling and horse races |
| Miao New Year | 苗年 Miáo Nián | Miao: many Miao areas | Usually the 10th lunar month, after the harvest; varies by place | Harvest-time celebration; the date differs from village to village |
Where to see ethnic culture in China
Three southwestern provinces give a visitor the most variety in the least travelling.[3][7][8][15][16][17][18][19][20]
| Province | Why go | Places to start |
|---|---|---|
| Yunnan | 25 of China's 56 groups live here, and minorities make up over a third of the population | Old Town of Lijiang, a UNESCO site since 1997 with distinctive Naxi architecture; Dali for the Bai and the Three Pagodas; the Hani rice terraces of Honghe (UNESCO, 2013); Xishuangbanna for the Dai |
| Guizhou | Minorities are more than 37% of the population; the Miao, Buyei, Dong, Tujia and Yi are the largest groups | Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (seat: Kaili) for Miao and Dong villages; the Grand Song of the Dong, sung in village drum towers, is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list (2009); Hailongtun, one of the Tusi Sites (UNESCO, 2015) |
| Guangxi | The Zhuang are 31.36% of the region's people and the Yao 3.36% | Sanyuesan celebrations across the region; the Longji rice terraces in Longsheng Various Nationalities Autonomous County, about 100 km from Guilin; Zuojiang Huashan rock art (UNESCO, 2016) |
The other two Tusi Sites, Laosicheng in Hunan and Tangya in Hubei, are linked to the Tujia.
Questions readers ask
How many ethnic groups are there in China?
56. China officially recognises the Han and 55 ethnic minorities. The total reached 56 in 1979, when the Jino of Yunnan were added; the first census in 1954 had recognised 39.
What is the largest ethnic group in China?
The Han Chinese, with 1,286,311,334 people, or 91.11% of the population, in the 2020 census. See our guide to [the Han Chinese](/culture/han-chinese).
What is the largest ethnic minority in China?
The [Zhuang](/culture/ethnic-groups-in-china/zhuang), with 19,568,546 people in the 2020 census; the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region is named after them. Next come the Uygur, Hui, Miao and Manchu, each with more than 10 million.
What is the smallest ethnic group in China?
In the 2020 census the smallest recorded groups were the Gaoshan (3,479), Tatar (3,544), Lhoba (4,237) and Hezhen (5,373).
What percentage of China's population are ethnic minorities?
8.89% in the 2020 census: 125,467,390 people. The minority population grew by 10.26% between 2010 and 2020, about twice as fast as the Han.
Which province of China has the most ethnic groups?
Yunnan, where 25 of the 56 recognised groups live. Guizhou and Guangxi also have large minority populations.
What are the 5 autonomous regions of China?
Inner Mongolia (1947), Xinjiang Uygur (1955), Guangxi Zhuang (1958), Ningxia Hui (1958) and Tibet (1965).
Where can tourists see ethnic minority culture in China?
Yunnan (Lijiang, Dali, Xishuangbanna, the Hani terraces), Guizhou (Miao and Dong villages around Kaili) and Guangxi (the Longji terraces and Sanyuesan celebrations) are the easiest places to start. Time a visit for a festival such as the Dai Water-Splashing Festival in mid-April.
Sources
- National Bureau of Statistics of China, Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 2), 11 May 2021 · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, List of ethnic groups in China (2020 census populations; recognition by census year) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Education Bureau, Hong Kong SAR, National Geography Info Sheet 03: Ethnic minorities (regional distribution of the 55 minorities) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Ethnic minorities in China (classification after 1949; Lhoba 1965, Jino 1979) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- USC US-China Institute, Coming to Terms with the Nation: Ethnic Classification in Modern China (Thomas Mullaney) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Autonomous administrative divisions of China · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Yunnan (ethnic groups) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Guizhou (ethnic groups and autonomous prefectures) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Water-Sprinkling Festival (Dai New Year) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Torch Festival · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Gov.cn (State Council English site), Sanyuesan Festival celebrated in Guangxi, 12 April 2024 · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- China Daily, Miao Sisters Festival celebrated in Guizhou, 27 April 2021 · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Miao festivals (Miao New Year) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Third Month Fair (Dali) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Old Town of Lijiang · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Cultural Landscape of Honghe Hani Rice Terraces · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Tusi Sites · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, Grand song of the Dong ethnic group (2009) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, List of World Heritage Sites in China (inscription years) · accessed 2 Nov 2026
- Wikipedia, Longji Rice Terraces · accessed 2 Nov 2026
Update log. 2 November 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 2 February 2027. Suggest a correction