Abstract: Objective To report the somatotype characteristic of urban and rural Han in Qionghai and Wanning，Hainan. Methods Eighty-six physical characteristics of 310 urban adults (160 males and 150 females) of Han were investigated in Qionghai of Hainan and 323 rural adults (174 males and 159 females) of Han were investigated in the town Longgun in Wanning. Thirty-three physical indices and the distributions of indices were calculated. The comparisons were made among the Han in Hainan and some other nationalities in China. The physical characteristics of Han in Hainan was analysed perliminarily. Results 1.The Han nationality in Hainan had main characteristics largely such as: the high percentage of eye fold of the upper eyelid; the low percentage of mongoloid fold; the opening height of eyeslits was narrow type; outside corner of eye was higher than inside corner; the nasal root height was medium type; the nasal profile was straight type; the nasal base was upwarptype; zygomatic projection was lower;the height of alae nasi ismedium type; the maximal diameter of nostrils was obliquity type; the breadth of alae nasi was higher than that was between inside corner of eye; the lobe types was round type; the upper lip skin height was medium type; the thickness of lips was between thin type and medium type, the thick type was rare; black hair color; brown eye color and yellow skin color. 2.Among the nationalities of China, the breadth of head and face was higher; the auricular height was high but the head length was low; the head type was round; the nose was tall and wide, the main characteristics of head and face were closer to nationalities of the North Asian type, while some characteristics were quite similar to nationalities of the South Asian type. 3.The stature of Hainan Han was close to the North Asian type; the breadth was between the North Asian type’s and the south Asian type’s, the breadth of female was closer to the South Asian type’s. The index of physical characteristics was between the North Asian type’s and the South Asian type’s, which was much closer to the South Asian type’s.4.Compare with the data of thirteen physical characteristics investigated by WU Ru-kang in 1987,head length,mouth breadth,interocularn breadth,breadth of shoulders were similar in both investigations, the other nine physical characteristics were higher than that of the investigation in 1987. Conclusion The physical characteristics of Han in Hainan was closer to nationalities of the North Asian type of China, while some indexes and indices were between the North Asian and the south Asian type’s or closer to nationalities of the South Asia

Key words: Hainan, Anthropometry, Somatoscopy, Han