How many people are estimated to speak Hmong-Mien languages worldwide?

At the beginning of the 21st century, the total number of people speaking Hmong-Mien languages worldwide was estimated to be approximately 10 million.1

However, this figure should be interpreted with caution. Because the majority of these speakers reside in China, estimates are often derived from government data regarding the Miao and Yao ethnic groups. Since these ethnic categories include individuals who may speak languages other than those in the Hmong-Mien family, the actual number of speakers may be somewhat smaller.1