The study looked at how the population changed in 25 border areas in Yunnan Province from 1990 to 2010. They found that the total population kept growing, with more people living in cities. The growth rate of minority groups was slightly lower than that of the Han population. People were unevenly spread out, with most living in cities or rural areas. The ethnic groups were mostly found in specific areas. This shows that where people live is related to how the economy is doing and the geography of the area.