1.3 China's Population and Ethnicity 中国的人口和民族

1.3 China's Population and Ethnicity 中国的人口和民族

China’s Population

China is the most populous country in the world. As of 2010, China has a population of more than 1.37 billion people, accounting for 22% of the world's population. That is to say, one out of every five people on the planet is Chinese.

China’s Population

China is the most populous country in the world. As of 2010, China has a population of more than 1.37 billion people, accounting for 22% of the world's population. That is to say, one out of every five people on the planet is Chinese.

The distribution of China’s population is uneven, with the majority of the population living in the east and a smaller population living in the west; the population density in the plains is larger than in the mountains and plateaus. This imbalance is caused by natural, historical, and economic reasons.

In recent years, due to the accelerated economic development of China’s cities, the urban population has grown rapidly. By 2010, the urban population accounted for 49.68% of the total population, and the rural population accounted for 50.32%. Compared with the results of the China Population Survey 10 years ago, the urban and rural population structure has undergone tremendous changes. As the urbanization rate of China's population continues to go up, the urban population will also continue to increase.

Chinese Ethnic Groups

China is a unified multi-ethnic country. In this vast land, there are 56 ethnic groups living and practicing a policy of national equality, solidarity and mutual assistance. Among them, the Han people have the largest population, accounting for 91.5% of the total population of China. Apart from the Han nationality, ethnic groups are collectively referred to as ethnic minorities, sue as Mongolian, Hui, Tibetan, Miao, Zhuang, etc.

Even though the total population of the ethnic minorities is not large, they are widely distributed, mainly in the northwest, southwest, and northeast. Almost every minority has its own language and traditions that are very different from others'. Through their costumes, songs and dances, and festival customs, they maintain their unique national culture. For example, the Miao embroidery is the Miao people's traditional handicraft skill, which helps to produce colorful Miao costumes; the Uyghur Xinjiang dance is very beautiful, for the Uyghur people are known for their singing and dancing; the Mongolian people are known as the “Prairie Nation”, and their annual “Nadamu” Traditional Mongolian Fair attracts thousands of tourists every year.

For thousands of years, ethnic minorities have contributed to the rich national culture of China.

Cultural Notes

The Miao embroidery

Miao embroidery is the traditional handicraft of the Miao nationality, mainly found in the Miao people's gathering places in Guizhou. The Miao embroidery uses a variety of geometric shapes and exaggerated forms to express the legends and myths of the Miao nationality. The needlework of embroidery is full of variety and colors. In 2006, the Miao embroidery was listed as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

“Nadamu” Traditional Mongolian Fair

The “Nadamu” Fair is a traditional Mongolian national festival. "Nadamu" means "entertainment" "game” in Mongolian. From the beginning of the 6th month in the Chinese lunar calendar, the fair is a literary, sport and entertainment event to celebrate the harvest. It is the grand event for the Mongolian people.