Han Chinese

The Han Chinese (Chinese: 汉族; Hanyu pinyin: Hànzú) are the main ethnic group in China and Taiwan, consisting around 92% of the total population of these two countries, and nearly 20% of the total world population. They are the largest single ethnic group in the world.

The Han are usually referred to as "ethnic Chinese" or just simply "Chinese" in other countries. Their self-designation comes from the famous Han dynasty.

Language[edit]

The main language of the Han is Mandarin, though there are many dialects and sub-groups, such as Cantonese, Hakka, Wu, Min Nan, and many more.

Religion[edit]

The main religion among the Han is a mix of Buddhism, specifically the Mahayana sect, and Confucianism. There are also many Taoists. There is now a growing Christian population, and a very tiny Jewish population, most prominently in Kaifeng. Muslim Chinese are called "Hui."

Overseas Chinese[edit]

Outside of China, there are over 30 million people of Han descent. They are called "overseas Chinese" (Mandarin: Huaqiao). They are found in countries like the United States, Britain, Japan, Singapore, Canada, and many other industrialized Western nations.