Table of Contents
What is the ethnic breakdown of Xinjiang?
Xinjiang
| Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region | |
|---|---|
| • Ethnic composition (2020 Census) | 44.96\% Uyghur 42.24\% Han 15.80\% Other |
| • Languages and dialects | Uyghur (official) Mandarin (official) Kazakh Kyrgyz Oirat Mongolian 43 other languages |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-XJ |
| GDP (2020) | CN¥1.38 trillion US$200 billion (25th) |
How many ethnic groups are in Xinjiang?
Xinjiang’s 13 major ethnic groups have been involved in constant migration due to great changes in the natural environment. These population movements have caused religious and cultural intermingling, producing the region’s present unique customs.
How many Han live in Xinjiang?
Xinjiang’s population increased to 25.85 million in 2020, of which 11.62 million were members of the Uygur ethnic minority and 10.92 million were Han.
When did the Han migrate to Xinjiang?
The north-south inequality has been further exacerbated by the massive in-migration of Han to Xinjiang. From 1957 to 1967, about two million Han migrants settled in northern Xinjiang, most of whom had very little contact with the Uyghurs (Hu, 2003).
When did China acquire Xinjiang?
Incorporation of Xinjiang into the People’s Republic of China
| Date | 13 October 1949 |
|---|---|
| Location | Xinjiang Province, Republic of China |
| Result | PLA control of Xinjiang |
| Territorial changes | Republic of China lost Xinjiang Province to the People’s Republic of China |
How many Uighurs are there in Xinjiang?
12 million
Official figures released by Chinese authorities place the Uyghur population within the Xinjiang region to be just over 12 million, comprising approximately half of the total regional population.
Why has the Han population increased in Xinjiang?
Xinjiang’s Han population has increased in the region from 220,000 in 1949, to 8.4 million in 2008. Much of this migration can be attributed to the Chinese Government’s incentives to migrate into the region. According to the CCP, the government has pursued a policy to promote economic development in Xinjiang over demographic development.
Why are there so many Uighurs in Xinjiang?
Historically, Xinjiang’s Uighur population has outweighed the ethnic Han population. In 1949, 82 per cent of the population in Xinjiang were Uighurs. Due to Beijing’s policies designed to actively encourage migration into the region, however, the Uighur population today makes up just under half of the total population.
What is the relationship between Han Chinese and Uyghur?
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, Han Chinese made up around 6.7\% of Xinjiang’s population in 1949 and 40\% in 2008. However, the Uyghur had not had the same exposure as the Hui to the Han prior to these movements, thus fueling the ethnic tensions between the Uyghur and Han.
What is happening in Xinjiang and why is it controversial?
In 2014 riots in Shache, a county in Xinjiang, resulted in 96 people being killed. There have also been reports of suicide bombers and serious terror attacks perpetrated by radicalised Uighur groups. The East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM) is an extremist group founded in Xinjiang.