What is the population of Tibetans?

What is the population of Tibetans?

Tibetans are one of the 56 ethnic groups in China and are mainly distributed in Tibet Autonomous Region, Qinghai Province, Sichuan Province, Gansu Province and Yunnan Province. As an important ethnic minority in China, the number and distribution of the Tibetan population have always been the focus of social attention. The following will provide a detailed analysis of the Tibetan population based on the latest data and hot topics.

1. Total Tibetan population

According to China’s latest census data (the Seventh National Census in 2020), the total number of Tibetan people is as follows:

2. Distribution characteristics of Tibetan population

1.geographical concentration: The Tibetan population is mainly distributed in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its surrounding areas. Among them, the Tibetan population in the Tibet Autonomous Region accounts for the highest proportion, reaching 86%. The Tibetan population in Qinghai, Sichuan, Gansu and Yunnan provinces together accounts for about 45% of the country's Tibetan population.

2.Urban and rural distribution: With the acceleration of urbanization, more and more Tibetan people are migrating to cities. Taking Lhasa as an example, the Tibetan population accounts for more than 70% of the city's total population, but the proportion of Tibetan people in the city is slightly lower than in rural areas.

3.age structure: The age structure of the Tibetan population is relatively young, with a high proportion of teenagers and children. This is related to the fertility policy and cultural traditions in Tibetan areas.

3. Tibetan population growth trend

In recent years, the Tibetan population has maintained steady growth. The following is a comparison of Tibetan population data from the last three national censuses:

As can be seen from the table, the Tibetan population has increased by approximately 1.65 million people in 20 years, with an average annual growth rate of approximately 1.3%, slightly higher than the national average.

4. Cultural and social development of the Tibetan population

The growth of the Tibetan population is not only reflected in numbers, but also in all aspects of cultural and social development:

1.Education level improvement: In recent years, investment in education in Tibetan areas has increased significantly, with the enrollment rate of school-age children reaching over 98%, and the gross enrollment rate of higher education also increasing significantly.

2.Healthcare improvement: The medical and health conditions in Tibetan areas have been greatly improved, and the average life expectancy has increased from 64 years in 2000 to 72 years in 2020.

3.Cultural protection and inheritance: Tibetan language, writing, religion and traditional festivals are effectively protected and passed on, and Tibetan language education is widely carried out in Tibetan inhabited areas.

5. Hot topics: Tibetan population and modernization

Recently, the topic of Tibetan population and modernization has triggered widespread discussion. On the one hand, the modernization process has brought economic development and improvement of living standards to Tibetan areas; on the other hand, how to balance modernization and the protection of traditional culture has become an important issue.

For example, the Tibet Autonomous Region has vigorously developed tourism in recent years, attracting a large number of tourists and promoting local economic growth. However, it has also brought certain challenges to Tibetan traditional culture and ecological environment. How to protect the uniqueness of Tibetan culture during development has become the focus of attention from all walks of life.

6. Summary

As an important part of China's ethnic minorities, the Tibetan population's quantity, distribution and development trends reflect the effectiveness of China's ethnic policies. In the future, with the continued support of national policies and the self-development of Tibetan areas, the Tibetan population will achieve higher quality development while steadily growing in quantity.