List of ethnic groups in Vietnam


Fifty-four ethnic groups in Vietnam have been officially recognized by the Vietnamese government since 2 March 1979. Each ethnicity has its own unique language, traditions, and culture. The largest ethnic groups are: Kinh 85.32%, Tày 1.92%, Thái 1.89%, Mường 1.51%, Hmong 1.45%, Khmer 1.32%, Nùng 1.13%, Dao 0.93%, Hoa 0.78%, with all others accounting for the remaining 3.7%. The Vietnamese terms for ethnic groups are dân tộc and sắc tộc.

List of ethnic groups

The total population of Vietnam was 96,208,984 according to the 2019 census.
GroupPeoplePercentage of population2009
census
2019 censusGrowth rate Distribution
Note
Total85,846,99796,208,984%
1. VieticKinh%73,594,42782,085,826%throughout Vietnamalso called Viet, the largest ethnic group in Vietnam
1. VieticChứt%6,0227,513%Quảng Bình Chứt consists of five distinct tribes: Arem, Mã Liêng, Mày, Rục, Sách.
1. VieticMường%1,268,9631,452,095%Hòa Bình, Thanh Hóa, Phú Thọ, Sơn La, Hà Nội, Ninh Bình closest to the Kinh, the other main part of the Viet–Mường branch of the Vietic subfamily
1. VieticThổ%74,45891,430%Nghệ An, Thanh Hóa Tho - Related to Kinh Vietnamese
2. Austroasiatic Ba Na%227,716286,910%Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Bình Định Bahnar
2. Austroasiatic Brâu<0.005%397525%Kon Tum, Hồ Chí Minh City, Đồng Nai Brau
2. Austroasiatic Bru Vân Kiều%74,50694,598%Quảng Trị, Quảng Bình, Đăk Lăk Bru
2. Austroasiatic Chơ Ro%26,85529,520%Đồng Nai, Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, Bình Thuận
2. Austroasiatic Co%33,81740,442%Quảng Ngãi, Quảng Nam
2. Austroasiatic Cờ Ho%166,112200,800%Lâm Đồng, Bình Thuận Koho
2. Austroasiatic Cơ Tu%61,58874,173%Quảng Nam, Thừa Thiên-Huế
2. Austroasiatic Giẻ Triêng%50,96263,322%Kon Tum, Quảng Nam
2. Austroasiatic Hrê%127,420149,460%Quảng Ngãi, Bình Định H're
2. Austroasiatic Kháng%13,84016,180%Sơn La, Điện Biên
2. Austroasiatic Khmer%1,260,6401,319,652%Sóc Trăng, Trà Vinh, Kiên Giang, An Giang, Bạc Liêu, Bình Dương, Hồ Chí Minh City, Cà Mau, Đồng Nai, Vĩnh Long each constituting less than 10% of all Khmer in VietnamKhmer
2. Austroasiatic Khơ Mú%72,92990,612%Nghệ An, Điện Biên, Sơn La, Lai Châu, Yên Bái Khmu
2. Austroasiatic Mạ%41,40550,322%Lâm Đồng, Đắk Nông, Đồng Nai
2. Austroasiatic Mảng<0.005%3,7004,650%Lai Châu
2. Austroasiatic Mnông%102,741127,334%Đăk Nông, Đăk Lăk, Bình Phước, Lâm Đồng Mnong
2. Austroasiatic Ơ Đu<0.005%376428%Nghệ An
2. Austroasiatic Rơ Măm<0.005%436639%Kon Tum
2. Austroasiatic Tà Ôi%43,88652,356%Thừa Thiên-Huế, Quảng Trị Ta Oi
2. Austroasiatic Xinh Mun%23,27829,503%Sơn La, Điện Biên Xinh-mun
2. Austroasiatic Xơ Đăng%169,501212,277%Kon Tum, Quảng Nam, Quảng Ngãi, Đắk Lắk Sedang, Xo Dang
2. Austroasiatic X’Tiêng%85,436100,752%Bình Phước Stieng
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Bố Y<0.005%2,2733,232%Lào Cai, Hà Giang Bouyei
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Giáy%58,61767,858%Lào Cai, Hà Giang, Lai Châu, Yên Bái
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Lào%14,92817,532%Lai Châu, Điện Biên, Sơn La
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Lự%5,6016,757%Lai Châu Lu
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Nùng%968,8001,083,298%Lạng Sơn, Cao Bằng, Bắc Giang, Thái Nguyên, Hà Giang, Đắk Lắk
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Sán Chay%169,410201,398%Tuyên Quang, Thái Nguyên, Bắc Giang, Quảng Ninh San Chay, Cao Lan
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Tày%1,626,3921,845,492%Lạng Sơn, Cao Bằng, Tuyên Quang, Hà Giang Tay - The largest minority in Vietnam
3. Tai–Kadai,
Tai
Thái%1,550,4231,820,950%Sơn La, Nghệ An, Thanh Hóa, Điện Biên, Lai Châu Including Tai Daeng, Tai Dón, Tai Dam and other minor groups
4. Tai-Kadai,
Kra
Cờ Lao<0.005%2,6364,003%Hà Giang Gelao
4. Tai-Kadai,
Kra
La Chí%13,15815,126%Hà Giang Lachi
4. Tai-Kadai,
Kra
La Ha%8,17710,157%Sơn La Laha
4. Tai-Kadai,
Kra
Pu Péo<0.005%687903%Hà Giang Qabiao, Pubiao
5. Hmong–MienDao%751,067891,151%Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang, Lào Cai, Yên Bái, Quảng Ninh Yao people, also known as Mien, many speak Iu Mien language
5. Hmong–MienHmong%1,068,1891,393,547%Hà Giang, Điện Biên, Sơn La, Lào Cai, Lai Châu, Yên Bái formerly known as Mèo, classified as Miao in China
5. Hmong–MienPà Thẻn%6,8118,248%Hà Giang, Tuyên Quang Pa-Hng
6. Malayo-PolynesianChăm%161,729178,948%Ninh Thuận, Bình Thuận, Phú Yên, An Giang, Hồ Chí Minh City, Đồng Nai, Bình Định Cham - Descendants of the Champa polities of Southern Vietnam
6. Malayo-PolynesianChu Ru%19,31423,242%Lâm Đồng Chru
6. Malayo-PolynesianÊ Đê%331,194398,671%Đăk Lăk, Phú Yên Rade
6. Malayo-PolynesianGia Rai%411,275513,930%Gia Lai, Kon Tum, Đắk Lắk Jarai
6. Malayo-PolynesianRaglay%122,245146,613%Ninh Thuận, Khánh Hòa, Bình Thuận Roglai
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesHoa%823,071749,466%Hồ Chí Minh City, Đồng Nai, Sóc Trăng, Kiên Giang, Bắc Giang, Bình Dương Make up those with Cantonese background. Not to be confused with the Ngái Hakka, who are classified separately.
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesNgái<0.005%1,0351,649%Thái Nguyên, Bình Thuận Hakka Chinese, classified separately from the Hoa
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesSán Dìu%146,821183,004%Thái Nguyên, Vĩnh Phúc, Bắc Giang, Quảng Ninh San Diu, Yao that speak Cantonese, though some know Iu Mien
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesCống<0.005%2,0292,729%Lai Châu, Điện Biên Phunoi
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesHà Nhì%21,72525,539%Lai Châu, Lào Cai, Điện Biên Hani
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesLa Hủ%9,65112,113%Lai Châu Lahu
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesLô Lô%4,5414,827%Cao Bằng, Hà Giang Yi
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesPhù Lá%10,94412,471%Lào Cai, Yên Bái
7. Sino-Tibetan languages, Chinese languagesSi La<0.005%709909%Lai Châu, Điện Biên