Laos Ethnic Groups

laos ethnic groups="laos ethnic groups"

Minorities in China--First Six Groups

If you want to explore the Minority Discovery, China is a good place. China is a multi-nationalities nation. Besides Han, there are 55 ethinic groups live together harmoniously in this big landmass. Take a ethnic group tours to enjoy the colorful culture of Chinese minority.

1. Hui Minority

Hui ethnic group is China's most widely distributed ethnic minority, with a sizeable population of 9.8 million. Most of them inhabit in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in northwestern China, and there are many concentrated Hui communities in Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai, Hebei, Henan, Yunnan and Shandong Provinces. Chinese is the shared language of Hui people. However, they also retain some words of Arabic and Farsi in daily interaction and religious activities.

2. Bai Minority

People of the Bai Ethnic Minority mainly live in Dali, Lijiang, Bijiang, Baoshan, Nanhua, Yuanjiang, Kunming, and Anning of Yunnan Province, Bijie of Guizhou Province, Liangshan of Sichuan Province, and Sanzhi of Hunan Province. The population of the Bai nationality is 185,800. Today's Bai are descendants of the ancient Ji. During the pre-Qin period (about 2,200 years ago), the Ji inhabited the drainage area of the Huangshui River.

3. Zhuang Minority

Zhuang ethnic group has the largest population (almost 18 million) among all the 55 ethnic groups in China. Most of them inhabit in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province. In Guangdong, Hunan, Guizhou and Sichuan provinces of South China, there is also some distribution of Zhuang People. The Zhuang ethnic group has its own language, which is generally divided into northern and southern dialects.

 

4. Tibetan Minority

With a population of more than 5 million, Tibetan nationality mainly live in Tibet Autonomous Region in southeast China, and neighboring provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan. Tibetan people have their own spoken and written language. Tibetan language belongs to Cambodian branch, Sino-Tibetan language system. Tibetan areas are rich in natural resources, and Tibetan people mainly live on farming and stock raising.

5. Naxi Minority

With a rough population of 320,000, the ethnic group of Nakhi, or Naxi mainly inhabit in Yunnan Province in southern China. The largest single concentration of Naxi people in Yunnan Province live in Lijiang Naxi Autonomous County, while smaller enclaves of Naxi live scattered about in other counties of Yunnan Province. In neighboring Sichuan Province, Naxi enclaves can be found in Muli, Yanbia and Yanyuan Counties. Lastly, a small Naxi enclave is located in Mangkang County, Tibet Autonomous Region.

6. Dai Minority

The Dai (alternatively, Tai) are one of the 56 official ethnic minorities in China, whose ethnic majority are of course the Han Chinese. The Dai Ethnic Group comprises several smaller ethnic groups living mainly in the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and in the Dehong Dai and Jingpo Autonomous Prefecture, both located in the southern part of Yunnan Province, though smaller pockets of Dai live in and around the Yunnan cities of Xinping and Yuanjiang, as well as in other autonomous counties in Yunnan Province. In all there are roughly 1.2 million Dai living in China. However, the Dai of China belong to a larger family of Dai/ Tai ethnic groups that also exist in neighboring Burma, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Recommended China Minority Discovery Tours

 

About the Author

Top China Travel Destinations are Beijing, Shanghai, Guilin, Yangtze River Cruise and Tibet.

Dance Lao Huam Pao (Lao Ethnic Groups Unity) @ BBG bldg in Washington DC


laos ethnic groups