Vietnam is a multi-ethnic country with over fifty distinct groups (54 are recognized by the Vietnamese government), each with its own language, lifestyle, and cultural heritage. Many of the local ethnic groups are known collectively in the West as Montagnard or Degar. The largest ethnic groups are: Kinh (Viet) 86.2%, Tay 1.9%, Tai Ethnic 1.7%, Mường 1.5%, Khmer Krom (Khơ Me Crộm) 1.4%, Hoa 1.1%, Nùng 1.1%, Hmong 1%, others 4.1% (1999 census). The Vietnamese term for ethnic group is người thiểu số or dân tộc thiểu số (literally "minority people").

Alphabetical list

• Ba Na (Bahnar)

• Bố Y (Buyei)

• Brâu

• Bru-Vân Kiều

• Chăm - Descendants of the Champa kingdom in southern Vietnam

• Chơ Ro

• Chu Ru (Chru)

• Chứt - related to Vietnamese, only 2000-4000 people

• Co

• Cờ Ho

• Cờ Lao (Gelao)

• Cơ Tu

• Cống (Cong)

• Dao - Yao people, also known as Mien, many speak Iu Mien language, distant relatives of Hmong

• Ê Đê (Rhade)

• Gia Rai (Jarai, J'rai)

• Giáy

• Giẻ Triêng

• Hà Nhì (Hani)

• H'Mông (Hmong, Hơ-mông, Mong; formerly known as Mèo) - Also known as Miao in China

• Hoa (Chinese)

• Hrê (H're)

• Kháng

• Khmer Krom (Khmer, Khơ Me Crộm)

• Khơ Mú (Khmu)

• Kinh (also called Viet, the largest ethnic group in Vietnam)

• La Chí

• La Ha

• La Hủ

• Lao - People from Laos

• Lô Lô (Lo Lo, Yi)

• Lự

• Mạ

• Mảng

• M'Nông

• Mường - Closest to Kinh Vietnamese, the other main part of the Viet-Muong branch of the Vietic sub-family

• Ngái (Chinese, separately classified from Hoa)

• Nùng

• Ơ Đu

• Pà Thẻn

• Phù Lá

• Pu Péo

• Ra Glai (Raglai)

• Rơ Măm

• Sán Chay (San Chay, Cao Lan)

• Sán Dìu (San Diu, Chinese, separately classified from Hoa)

• Si La

• Tà Ôi (Ta Oi)

• Tày (Tay) - The largest minority in Vietnam

• Thái (Thai)

• Thổ (Tho) - Related to Kinh Vietnamese

• Xinh Mun (Xinh-mun)

• Xơ Đăng (Sedang, Xo Dang)

• Xtiêng (Stieng)

Listed by language group

• Mon-Khmer - Kinh (Viet), Ba Na (Bahnar), Brâu, Bru-Vân Kiều, Chơ Ro, Chứt, Co, Cờ Ho, Cơ Tu, Giẻ Triêng, Hrê (H're), Kháng, Khmer Krom (Khmer, Khơ Me Crộm), Khơ Mú (Khmu), Mạ, Mảng, M'Nông, Mường, Ơ Đu, Rơ Măm, Tà Ôi (Ta Oi), Thổ (Tho), Xinh Mun (Xinh-mun), Xơ Đăng (Sedang, Xo Dang), and Xtiêng (Stieng).

• Tay-Thai - Bố Y (Buyei), Giáy, Lao, Lự, Nùng, Sán Chay (San Chay, Cao Lan), Tày (Tay), and Thái (Thai)

• Tibeto-Burman - Cống (Cong), Hà Nhì (Hani), La Hủ, Lô Lô (Lo Lo, Yi), Phù Lá, and Si La

• Malayo-Polynesian - Chăm, Chu Ru (Chru), Ê Đê (Rhade), Gia Rai (Jarai, J'rai), and Ra Glai (Raglai)

• Kadai - Cờ Lao (Gelao), La Chí, La Ha, and Pu Péo

• Mong-Dao - Dao (Yao), H'Mông (Hmong, Hơ-mông, Mong; formerly known as Mèo), and Pà Thẻn

• Han - Hoa (Chinese), Ngái, and Sán Dìu (San Diu)

Listed by population (as of the 1999 census)

• Kinh (also called Viet, the largest ethnic group in Vietnam) 86.2%

• Tày (Tay) - The largest minority in Vietnam 1.9%

• Thái (Thai) 1.7%

• Mường - Closest to Kinh Vietnamese, other half of Viet-Muong language family 1.5%

• Khmer Krom (Khmer, Khơ Me Crộm) 1.4%

• Hoa (Chinese) 1.1%

• Nùng 1.1%

• H'Mông (Hmong, Hơ-mông, Mong; formerly known as Mèo) - Also known as Miao in China 1%

• Dao - Yao people, also known as Mien, many speak Iu Mien language, distant relatives of Hmong

• Gia Rai (Jarai, J'rai)

• Ê Đê (Rhade)

• Ba Na (Bahnar)

• Sán Chay (San Chay, Cao Lan)

• Chăm - Descendants of the Champa kingdom in southern Vietnam

• Xơ Đăng (Sedang, Xo Dang)

• Sán Dìu (San Diu)

• Hrê (H're)

• Cờ Ho

• Ra Glai (Raglai)

• M'Nông

• Thổ (Tho) - Related to Kinh Vietnamese

• Xtiêng (Stieng)

• Khơ Mú (Khmu)

• Bru-Vân Kiều

• Giáy

• Cơ Tu

• Giẻ Triêng

• Tà Ôi (Ta Oi)

• Mạ

• Co

• Chơ Ro

• Hà Nhì (Hani)

• Xinh Mun (Xinh-mun)

• Chu Ru (Chru)

• Lao - People from Laos

• La Chí

• Phù Lá

• La Hủ

• Kháng

• Lự

• Pà Thẻn

• Lô Lô (Lo Lo, Yi)

• Chứt - related to Vietnamese, only 2000-4000 people

• Mảng

• Cờ Lao (Gelao)

• Bố Y (Buyei)

• La Ha

• Cống (Cong)

• Ngái

• Si La

• Pu Péo

• Brâu

• Rơ Măm

• Ơ Đu

Ethnic groups not included in official list

• Nguồn - possibly Mường group, officially classified as a Việt (Kinh) group by the government, Nguồn themselves identify with Việt ethnicity; their language is a member of the Viet-Muong branch of the Vietic sub-family

• People of European, North American, Australian, and Asian (non-Vietnamese) origin. Many people of these origins are temporary residents in Vietnam as expatriate workers and some are permanently settled there, some through marriage. Included in permanent settlers are Europeans of French descent, who are descendants of the colonial settlers. Most of them left after its independence.

Sources