Vietnam Ethnic Groups

Vietnam is a multi-nationality country with 54 ethnic groups. The Viet (Kinh) people account for 87% of the country’s population and mainly inhabit the Red River delta, the central coastal delta, the Mekong delta and major cities. The other 53 ethnic minority groups, totaling over 8 million people, are scattered over mountain areas (covering two-thirds of the country’s territory) spreading from the North to the South.

Among ethnic minorities, the most populated are Tay, Thai, Muong, Hoa, Khmer, Nung... with a population of around 1 million each, while the least populated are Brau, Roman, Odu with several hundred people each.

The Viet people succeeded in establishing a centralized monarchy right in the 10th century. The Cham people once boasted a flourishing culture early in the history. The Tay, Nung, and Khmer peoples had reached high levels of development with the presence of various social strata. The Muong, H’mong, Dao, Thai peoples... gathered under the rule of local tribal heads. Many ethnic groups divided their population into social echelons, especially those who lived in mountainous areas.

A number of ethnic minorities had mastered some farming techniques. They grew rice plants in swamped paddy fields and carried out irrigation. Others went hunting, fishing, collecting and lived a semi-nomadic life. Each group has its own culture, diverse and special. Beliefs and religions of the Vietnamese ethnic minority groups were also disparate from each other.

However, a fundamental solidarity among ethnic groups has been established on top of this difference as a result of a centuries long cooperation on the soil of Vietnam. Right in the first century of the history, a mutual supplement in economic relationship between lowland people and mountainous people was formed. This solidarity had been unceasingly strengthened during wars of resistance for defending the country. Through the shared struggle for defending and building of the country and the mutual assistance for co-existence and development, a common community between the Viet people and other ethnic minority peoples had been established and continuously consolidated and developed.

Nonetheless, an evident gap in the material and moral life has indeed still existed between peoples living in the deltas and those living in mountain areas as well as among ethnic minorities themselves. The Vietnamese government has worked out specific policies and special treatments in order to help mountainous people catching up with lowland people, and made great efforts to develop and preserve traditional cultural identities of each ethnic minority group. At present, the programs of providing iodized salt for remote villages, equipping village’s health care and hygienic station, fighting malaria, building free schools for ethnic minority children, settled agriculture and fixed residence, and projects of creating new writing scripts for minority peoples and studying and developing traditional culture of each ethnic minority group... have obtained satisfactory results.

Composition and Distribution

of the Vietnamese Ethnic Minority Groups

No.	Name		Population		Other names		Sub-groups		Locations of inhabitation
1	2		3		4		5		6
1	Kinh		55,900,000		ViÖt				All over the country
2	Tµy		1,190,000		Thæ		Ng¹n, Ph¸n, Thu lao, PadÝ		Hµ Giang, Tuyªn Quang, Lao Cai, Yªn B¸i, Cao B»ng, Lai Ch©u, B¾c Th¸i, Hµ B¾c
3	Th¸i		1,040,000		Tµy		T¸y Khao (White Th¸i), T¸y §¨m (Black Th¸i), T¸y ChiÒng or T¸y M¬ng (Hµng Tæng), T¸y Thanh (Man Thanh), T¸y Mêng, Pu Thay, Thæ §µ B¾c, T¸y Méc Ch©u (T¸y §eng)		S¬n La, Lai Ch©u, NghÖ An, Thanh Ho¸, Lao Cai, Yªn B¸i, Hoµ B×nh, L©m §ång...
4	Mêng		914, 000		Mol, Mual, Mäi		Mäi Bi, Ao T¸ (¢u T¸)		Hoµ B×nh, Thanh Ho¸, VÜnh Phó, Yªn B¸i, S¬n La, Ninh B×nh
5	Hoa		900,000		Kh¸ch, Tµu, H¸n		TriÒn Ch©u, Phóc KiÕn, Qu¶ng §«ng, Qu¶ng T©y, H¶i Nam, X¹ Phang, Thoßng Nh»n, HÑ		Kiªn Giang, H¶i Phßng, VÜnh Long, Trµ Vinh, Qu¶ng Ninh, §ång Nai, HËu Giang, Minh H¶i, Ho Chi Minh City
6	Khmer		895,000				Miªn, Cur, Cul, Thæ, Khmer-orrigin Viet, Khmer Kr«m		HËu Giang, VÜnh Long, Trµ Vinh, Kiªn Giang, Minh H¶i, T©y Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, S«ng BÐ, An Giang
7	Nïng		705,000				Nïng Xuång, Nïng Giang, Nïng An, Nïng Phµn S×nh, Nïng Lßi, Nïng Tïng Sl×n, Nïng Ch¸o, Nïng Quý		Cao B»ng, L¹ng S¬n, B¾c Th¸i, Hµ Giang, Tuyªn Quang, Hµ B¾c, Qu¶ng Ninh, Ho Chi Minh City, L©m §ång, §¾c L¾c, Laos
8		Hmong		556 000		Mèo, Meo, Man, Mieu Toc		Meo Hoa, Meo bleu, Meo rouge, Meo noir, Na Mieo, Meo blanc		Ha Giang, Yen Bai, Lao Cai,Lai Chau, Son La, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Hoa binh, Bac Thai
9		Dao (Zao)		474 000		Man, Dong, Trai, Ziu, Mien, Kiem, Kim Mun		Zao Dai Ban, Zao Do (rouge), Zao Coc Ngang, Zao Coc Mun, Zao Lo Giang, Zao Quan Chet, Zao Tam Dao, Zao Tien, Zao Quan Trang, Zao Lan Tien, Zao Ao zai		Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Cao Bang, Lang Son, Bac Thai, Lai Chau, Son La, Vinh Phu, Ha Bac, Thanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Hoa Binh, Ha Tay
10		Giarai		242 000		Moi, Chrai		Cho, Hdung, Arap, Mdhur, Tbuan		Gia Lai, Kong Tum, Dac Lac
11		Édé		183 000		De, Moi		Radé, Rhadé, Edé Ega, Anak Edé, Kpa Adam, krung Ktul, Dlié, Rué, Blo, Epan, Mdhur, Bih,Kdrao, Dong Kay, Dong Mak, Ening, Arul, Hning, Kmun, Ktlé		Dac Lac, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa
12		Bana		137 000		Bnam, Roh, Kon, Kdé, Ala Cong, Kpang Cong		Tlo, Glar, Rngao, Krem, Geloeng (Yloeng)		Kon Tum, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen
13		San Chay		114 000		Man, Cao Lan San, Chi, Hon, Chung, Son Tu		Cao Lan, San Chi		Bac Thai, Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, Ha Bac, Lang Son, Vinh Phu, yen Bai
14		cham		99 000		Chiem Thanh, Cham Pa, Hoi		Cham Hroi, Cham Chau Doc, Cha Va, Ku, Cham Pong		Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, An Giang, Ho Chi Minh Ville, Binh Dinh, PhuYen, Chau Doc, Khanh Hoa
15		Sdang		97 000		Kmerong, Hdang, Konelane Brila		Steng, Tra, Mename, Halang, Casong, Chau, Tatché, (Tatchi)		Kong Tum, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Quang Ngai
16		San Ziu		94 630		Tchai, Tchai Dat, San Zo, Man Kwan Cok, Man Vay Xer				Quang Ninh, Ha Bac, Hai Hung, Bac Thai, Vinh Phu, Tuyen Quang
17		Hré		94 000		Moi Da Vach, Chamré, Moi Luy, Thach Bich, Moi Son Phong				Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh
18		K'ho		92 000				Sré, Nop (Tu Nop), Kzon, Chil, Lat (Lach), Tring		Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa
19		Raglai		72 000		Orang, Glay, Roglay, Radlay, Moi		Raclay (Ray), Noong (Laoang)		Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong
20		Mnong		67 000				Gar, Chil, Rlam, Preh, Kuenh, Nong, Bu Dang, Prang, Dip, Biet, Si To, Bu Deh		Dac Lac, Lam Dong
21		Tho		51 000				Kuo, Mon, cuoi, Ho, Dan Lai Ly Ha, Tay Poong (Con Kha, Xa La Vang)		Nghe An, Thanh Hoa
22		Xtieng		50 000		Xa Dieng Moi, Ta Mun				Song Be, Tay Ninh, Lam Dong, Dac Lac
23		Khmu		43 000		Xa Cou, Bu Thenh, Tay Hay, Viet, Cang, Kha		Quang Lam		Son La, Lai Chau, Nghe An, Yen Bai
24		Bru Van Kieu		40 000				Van Kieu, Mang Koong, Tri, Khua, Bru		Quang Binh, Quang Tri
25		Zay (Giáy)		38 000		Nhang Giang, Sa Nhan, Pau Thin, Chung, Cha, Pu Nam		Pu Na (Cui Chu ou Quy Chau)		Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau
26		Ktu		37 000		Katu, Katang, Moi, Cao, Ha		Phuong, Kantua		Quang Nam, Da Nang, Thua Thien Hue
27		Gietrieng		27 000		Giang Ray, Brila, Katang, Moi, Doan		Gié (Dgieh, Tareh), Trieng (Treng), Ve, Lave, Panoong (Bnoong)		Quang Nam, Da Nang, Kong Tum
28		Taoi		26 000		Toi Oi, Tahoi, Ta Oih, Ta Uat (Atuat)		Paco, Bahi, Cantua		Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue
29		Ma		25 000				Chau Ma, Cho Ma, Moi		Lam Dong, Dong Nai
30		Co		23 000		Trau, Cua,Moi, Col, Cor, Khua				Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Da Nang
31		Chro		15 000		Chauro, Zro, Moi				Dong Nai
32		Ha Nhi		12 500		U Ni, Xa U Ni, Ha Nhi Gia		Ha Nhi Co Cho, Ha Nhi La Mi, Ha Nhi Den		Lai Chau, Lao Cai
33		Xinh Mun		11 000		Puoc, Pua, Xa		Za, Nghet		Son La, Lai Chau
34		Churu		11 000		Chru, Kru, Moi				Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan
35		Lao		10 000		Lao Boc, Lao Noi				Son La, Lai Chau
36		Lachi		8 000		Tho Den, Cu Té, Xa, Lati, Man Chi				Ha Giang
37		Phu La		6 500				Bo Kho Pa (Xa Pho), Mun Di Pa, Phu La Den, Phu La Hoa, Phu La Blanc, Phu La Han, Chu La Phu La		Lao Cai, Lai Chau, Son La, Ha Giang
38		La Hu		4 000				Khu Sung (Co Sung), Kha Quy (Xa Quy), Xa Toong Luong (Xa La Vang), Xa Puoi		Lai Chau
39		Khang		4 000		Xa Khao, Xa Don, Xa Tu Lang		Khang Xua, Khang Don, Khang Zong, Khang Hoc, Khang Ai, Khang Bung, Khang Quang Lam		Lai Chau, Son La
40		Lu		3 700		Lu, Zuon, Nhuon				Lai Chau
41		Pa Then		3 700		Pa Hung, Man Pa Teng, Tong		Tong, Meo Lai		Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang
42		Lo Lo		3 200		Mun Zi, O Man, Lu Loc Man, Zi, Qua La, La La, Ma Zi		Lo Lo Den, Lo Lo Hoa		Ha Giang, Cao Bang, Lao Cai
43		Chut		2 400		Xa La Vang, Cha Cui, (Tac Cui), Tu Vang, Pa Leng		Sach, May, Ruc, Ma Lieng, Arem, Slang, Umo		Quang Binh
44		Mang		2 300		Mang U, Xa La Vang, Nieng O, Xa Mang,Xa Cang Lai		Mang He, Mang Gung		Lai Chau
45		Klao		1 500				Klao Blanc, Klao Bleu, Klao Rouge		Ha Giang
46		Bo Y		1 450		Chung Cha, Trung Gia, Pau Y, Pu Zi		Bo Y, Tu Zi		Ha Giang, Lao Cai
47		La Ha		1 400		Xa Khao, Xa Cha, Xa La Nga		Khla Phlao, La Ha Ung		Yen Bai, Son La
48		Cong		1 300				Xam khoong, Xa Xeng, Xa, Xa Coong		Lai Chau
49		Ngai		1 200		San Ngai		Xin, Le, Dan, Khanh Gia, Hac Ca (Xec)		Quang Ninh, Ho Chi Minh Ville, Hai Phong
50		Si La		600		Cu De Xu				Lai Chau
51		Pu Peo		400		Ka Beo, Pen Ti Lo Lo, La Qua, Man				Ha Giang
52		Brau		250		Brao				Kong Tum
53		Rmam		250						Kong Tum
54		Oedu		100		Tay Hat				Nghe An

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