The Distribution of Ethno-Lingustic Families in Viet Nam

 

There are striking similarities between the maps showing the distribution of the seven ethno-linguistic families, one of which is based on ethnological material, the other on statistical data. In the case of the Viet-Muong, the correlation is almost perfect between the map of ethnolinguistic families and that of the Viet population. The two maps also show the multi-ethnic composition and distribution of the population.

On the ethnolinguistic map, the territories occupied by the major families are indicated by colored shading and hatching to show areas of overlap between neighboring families. The map is based on statistics (excluding the Viet-Muong and Chinese) and shows the distribution of ethnic minorities by province. The concentration of the Tay and Thai in a larger number of mountainous provinces in the North stands out. This family includes 78% of the ethnic minorities while the Hmong-Dao have less than 21%. The latter are the only family represented in Quang Ninh; they are slightly outnumbered by the Tay-Thai in the three mountain provinces of the North where the proportion of Tibetan-Burmese is less than 5%.

The Mon Khmer (Austronesians) are the only minority group in the South-Central Region. The other Austronesians outnumber their Mon-Khmer counterparts in Gia Lai-Kon Tum and in Dac Lac (53%-77% compared to 23-47%). The Mon-Khmer, including the groups living in the Central Highlands, the Eastern Plains, and in Lam Dong, and the Khmers in the southern part of the Mekong Delta and the Western Plain, account from more than 85% of the ethnic minorities.

 

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