The distribution of Chinese minority populations and its change based on the study of the Hu Huanyong line

The “Hu Line” and its demographic implications have attracted world-wide attention since the line was developed 80 years. Using GIS, this paper conducts a statistical analysis and systematic investigation on the stability and spatial of China’s minority population growth on both sides of “Hu Line” by constructing the spatial database of China’s census data from 1953 to 2010 and initiating a new method for identifying the spatial patterns of population growth. Major findings are as follows: (1) Spatial distribution of the minority population in China is not balanced, showing a significant spatial clustering; (2) The minority population is widely distributed across China, spreading to East China and all over the country; (3) The distribution pattern of China’s minority population is characterized by extraordinary stability, with the ratio of south-east half to north-west half standing roughly at 75:25 from 1953 to 2010. We can thus say that the “Hu Line” is also a mutant line of China’s minority population.