They have a lot of stamina, they can carry heavy loads, and they share a similar physique and physical abilities. Among the 320,000 aborigines on the island, the Bunung are the fourth largest group, with a population of more than 30,000. That the Bunung of Tungpu, who occupy only a small fraction of Bunung lands, have earned their reputation as the sherpas of Taiwan is due partly to geographical advantages.
從人口數來比較，總共卅二萬的土著中，布農為第四大族，約有三萬多人；東埔的布農族人又僅佔所有布農的一小部分，他們在先天條件相似的情況下，能博取「喜馬拉雅的雪巴」之美譽，部分得歸功於地利因素。