List of Chinese ethnic groups: Definition and Links by Encyclopedian.com

The People's Republic of China officially recognizes 56 ethnic groups, or Mínzú (民族), sometimes translated as nationalities, within China: the Han being the majority (>92%), and the rest 55 ethnicities being the minorities. Chinese ethnic group theory is heavily influenced by that of the Soviet Union and officially China is considered a multi-ethnic (multinational) country. Official policy is against assimilation and maintains that each ethnic group should have the right to develop its own culture and language.

The degree of integration of minority ethnic groups with the national community varies widely from group to group. With some groups, such as the Tibetans and the Uighurs there is a great deal of resentment against the majority. Other groups such as the Zhuang, Hui Chinese, and ethnic Koreans are well integrated into the national community.

In order of population these are:

Han (汉族)
Zhuang (壮族)
Manchu (满族)
Hui (回族)
Miao (苗族)
Uighur (维吾尔族)
Yi[?] (彝族)
Tujia (土家族)
Mongol (蒙古族)
Tibetan (藏族)
Buyi[?] (布依族)
Dong (侗族)
Yao[?] (瑶族)
Korean (朝鲜族)
Bai[?] (白族)
Hani[?] (哈尼族)
Li (黎族)
Kazakh (哈萨克族)
Dai (傣族)
She[?] (畲族)
Lisu[?] (傈僳族)
Gelao[?] (仡佬族)
Lahu[?] (拉祜族)
Dongxiang[?] (东乡族)
Wa (佤族) (Va)
Shui[?] (水族)
Naxi (纳西族) (includes the Mosuo (摩梭))
Qiang[?] (羌族)
Du[?] (土族)
Xibe (锡伯族)
Mulam[?] (仫佬族)
Kirghiz (柯尔克孜族)
Daur[?] (达斡尔族)
Jingpo[?] (景颇族)
Salar[?] (撒拉族)
Blang[?] (布朗族 Bulang)
Maonan[?] (毛南族)
Tajik (塔吉克族)
Pumi[?] (普米族)
Achang[?] (阿昌族)
Nu (怒族)
Evenki (鄂温克族)
Gin (京族 Jing1)
Jino[?] (基诺族)
De'ang[?] (德昂族)
Uzbek (乌孜别克族)
Russian (俄罗斯族)
Yugur[?] (裕固族)
Bonan[?] (保安族)
Menba[?] (门巴族)
Oroqin[?] (鄂伦春族)
Drung[?] (独龙族)
Tatar (塔塔尔族)
Hezhen[?] (赫哲族)
Lhoba (珞巴族)
Gaoshan (高山族) (Taiwanese Aborigines)

Religions

Note that some of these ethnic groups hold belief systems that cannot be distinctly classified based upon the following system.

Islam: the Bonan, Dongxiang, Hui, Kazak, Kirgiz, Salar, Tajik, Tatar, Uygur and Uzbek.
Buddhism: the Dai, Mongolian, Naxi (including Mosuo), Tibetan and Yugun.
Shamanism: the Daurs, Ewenkis, and Oroqens.