People of Tibet

Tibetans
Like almost all ethnic groups in China Tibetans belong to the Mongoloid group of peoples. They are probably descended from a variety of nomadic tribes who migrated from the north and settled into sedentary cultivation of Tibet’s river valleys. Within the Tibetan population there are a number of distinct groups.
Drokpa
The nomads who comprise approximately one quarter of Tibet’s population.
Khampa
The most visually distinct of Tibet’s peoples, the Khampa of eastern Tibet wear red or black tassels in their long hair and are usually a heavier build than other Tibetans.
Golok
The Golok are an independently minded nomadic people who have maintained their distinctive cultural traditions for centuries. Their homeland is the Golok Tibetan Autonomous Region of Qinghai Province centered on the holy mountain Amnye Machen.
Hui
Tibet’s original Muslims were largely traders (or butchers). Most recent immigrants are traders and restaurant owners from Gansu.