Around 859,100 people from 11 ethnic groups in Southwest China's Yunnan province have been lifted out of poverty, the provincial poverty relief office said on Nov 14.

Yunnan, which had the country's largest remaining poor population at the end of last year, has eradicated absolute poverty, officials said.

The 11 groups refer to ethnic groups with relatively small populations and those called Zhiguo. The term Zhiguo refers to ethnic groups who, before entering modernization, had lived in relative isolation and skipped the transition period associated with feudal monarchy.

With unremitting poverty-relief efforts, local industries are thriving and the living conditions for those mainly inhabiting border and mountain valley areas have been greatly improved as well.