Nyingchi is a multinational area with a population of 140,000. Besides the local Tibetan people, who compose the majority, the Menba, Luoba, Deng and Nu peoples have lived here for generations.

Tibetan People
The Tibetan population in this area is over 110,000, and accounts for over 90 percent of the total, dominating almost the whole area, except for Medog County. Their customs are similar to Tibetan people from other areas. Those from the Gongbo area (ranging from the Main La Mountain to the Segyi La Mountain), Gongbo Tagung and Gongbo Gyailha (at the foot of Mt.Namche Barwa) have a similar dialect with those from Lhasa, but have distinctive costumes. The men and women wear a long, sleeveless pullover, usually black or purple, known as goshiu, made of pulu for summer and fur and leather for winter. Nowadays, the people trim the collar, cuffs and lower half of the front of goshiu with cloth or satin.

A typical Gongbo hat is cylindrical, lined with green silk and trimmed with colorful satin, and is now worn only by the elderly. The young people prefer the sangling hat from Qoiling, Sang'ang in Shannan Prefecture, which is decorated with bright satin. The Gongbo boots are divided into two kinds, ngado and rijor, for both men and women. The former are worn daily, and the latter, elaborately made of high-quality material, are worn only during festivals.