Beijing boasts all of China's 56 ethnic groups in its permanent residents. The Han nationality takes up 96.5% of the total. The other 55 ethnic minorities account for a population of more than 300,000, most of them are from Manchu, Hui, and Mongolian ethnic minorities.

The Manchu group is known as the Jurchen tribe from the Tang Dynasty. They conquered the Great Wall in 1644 and overthrew the ruling Ming Dynasty, and established the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China until the establishment of the Republic in 1911.

The Hui group is the second largest ethnic minority in Beijing (the majority of the group lives in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region). This group is descended from the Arabic and Persian merchants who came to China during the 7th century. Most of the Hui people are Muslims.

The Mongolian (also called Mongols) ethnic minority can also be found in Beijing, although they have a much smaller population than both Manchu and Hui groups. This ethnic minority is known for its brave, open and uninhibited nature, and is sometimes called as “an ethnic minority on the horseback.”

In recent years, a sizable international community exists in Beijing. Many live in the Beijing urban area's densely populated northern, northeastern and eastern sections.