Abstract: Since the reform and opening up of China, the population mobility has become the new norm of social mobility, while the floating population of ethnic minorities is an important group of floating population. By reviewing the previous national census data and dynamic monitoring data, this paper analyzes and summarizes the basic development trend of ethnic minority floating population in China at the current stage. Analysis suggests that the transregional migration of ethnic minority population has a large space for growth; the most ethnic minority floating population flows to the Southeast coastal areas; ethnic minority floating population is expected to settle in cities; with the increase of ethnic minority floating population, the dispersion rate of ethnic minority population distribution will be further expanded.

Key words: reform and opening-up, ethnic minorities, population migration