Ethnic composition of Taiwan society

Taiwan is a society of migrants who mostly came from the Chinese mainland over the past few centuries. Due to differences in ancestral origins and the timing of travel to the island, various ethnic groups have formed. Ethnic tensions — particularly those between people of different provincial origins — are intertwined with the conflict between reunification and "independence", becoming a key characteristic of Taiwan's social landscape.

As of 2023, Taiwan's total population stood at 23.42 million, mainly comprising four major ethnic groups: Minnan people, Hakka people, mainlanders and ethnic minorities.

The Minnan, Hakka and mainlanders are all primarily Han Chinese and together account for about 97.5 percent of the total population. The Minnan and Hakka mostly moved to Taiwan before 1945 and are collectively referred to as "native Taiwan people", or benshengren.