In 2000, there were 1.159 million Dai people in China.
Dai minority is the largest ethnic group in Yunnan with a population of about 1.01 million.
Dai minority is reputed as the “Ethnic Group of Water” to indicate their deep love of water, which may be reasoned by their location in the subtropical and tropical monsoon rainforest climate zone ( Miao people are distributed in countries like China, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and other countries).
Most Dai people in China speaks Southwestern Tai languages. are an established branch of the Tai languages of Southeast Asia.