The county is inhabited by several ethnic minorities, including the Miao, Yi, Gelao, and Zhuang. Ethnic minorities account for a majority of the county's population. The county is considered an impoverished area; in 1993 the county-wide income was only 28.09 million yuan (US$3.6 million), with the net income for farmers on average being only 368 yuan (US$48) per person.[1] The economy centers primarily on agricultural production, including tung oil.[2]
Each year, at the beginning of the lunar new year, a festival in the village of De'e, featuring the music and dance of the various ethnic groups who live in the area, is held.[3]
