Abstract: Exploring the spatial distribution characteristics of ethnic villages and revealing its influencing factors will help to protect and develop resources in ethnic areas and promote the economic and social development. In this paper, 65 ethnic villages in southwest Hubei were selected as the research objects. The spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors were analyzed by using GIS spatial analysis and geographical detector research methods. The results showed that: （1） the spatial differentiation of ethnic villages in southwest Hubei was remarkable, showing a "three areas-multiple scattered points" nuclear density distribution trend, forming a "V-shaped" high-density distribution belt composed of Enshi City, Xuanen County, Xianfeng County and Hefeng County. The number of villages in the region was obviously polarized between the west and the east, showing the spatial distribution trend of cold hotspots of "hot in the west and cold in the east, high in the northwest and high in the northeast"; （2）Dominated by natural factors, ethnic villages in southwest Hubei were mostly distributed in strips on the sunny slope of the mountain within 2km from the river, with small relief and an altitude of 600-900 m; （3）Restricted by socio-economic factors, there was a positive correlation between the ethnic population and the number of ethnic  villages, and a negative correlation between the distance from the central town and the level of economic development and the number of ethnic villages.