Regional ethnic autonomy
China is a multiethnic country, a nation of 56 ethnic groups that have been recognized andconfirmed by the central government. The Han ethnic group has the largest population, while the other 55 are minority ethnic groups with smaller populations. Compared with various different approaches to ethnic issues in other countries with multiethnic makeup, China's approach focuses on regional ethnic autonomy. Under the leadership of the central government, self-governance is exercised in regions with large ethnic minority populations, where local affairs are administered by local autonomous governing bodies. Regional ethnic autonomy is a basic component of China's political system.
The policies of the CPC and the central government on regional ethnic autonomy were later codified into law and promulgated on May 1, 1984 as the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy. The law was revised on February 28, 2001, in response to new developments associated with China's socialist market economy. The revised law further affirms regional ethnic autonomy as a basic component of China's political system. There are currently 155 ethnic autonomous areas in China designated in accordance with the Constitution and laws, including five autonomous regions, 30 autonomous prefectures, and 120 autonomous counties. There are also more than 1,100 ethnic townships. These autonomous regions, prefectures and counties enjoy extensive autonomy, as prescribed in the Constitution and the Law on Regional Ethnic Autonomy.
民族區域自治制度
中國是一個統一的多民族國家，迄今為止，通過識別并由中央政府確認的民族有56個。其中，漢族人口最多，其他55個民族人口較少，習慣上被稱為少數民族。世界上的多民族國家在處理民族問題方面有不同的制度模式，中國采用的是民族區域自治。民族區域自治是在國家統一領導下，各少數民族聚居的地方設立自治機關，行使自治權，實行區域自治。民族區域自治制度是中國的一項基本政治制度。
1984年5月1日，中國頒布了《民族區域自治法》，把黨和國家的民族區域自治政策法律化。2001年2月28日，又根據社會主義市場經濟條件下出現的新情況，對這一法律進行修改，進一步確立了民族區域自治是中國一項基本政治制度的法律地位。目前，依據憲法和法律，中國共建立了155個民族自治地方，包括5個自治區、30個自治州、120個自治縣（旗）。此外，還建立了1100多個民族鄉。根據憲法和民族區域自治法的規定，民族自治地方擁有廣泛的自治權。