The following table, which classifies the world's ethnic groups according to their linguistic family, cannot be considered as ideal, as our present knowledge of such groups varies considerably from one population to another.
As far as white races are concerned, obviously the best known, the classification of some Iranian nations and Aryan groups remains difficult. Amongst Asiatic populations, the classification of Tibeto-Burmese, Indonesian and Melanesian nations is also rather hard to define. The distribution of American Indians into Northern, Central and Southern zones, is of a purely geographical order and exists solely for the sake of convenience.
Amongst the black races, the classification of African families is highly controversial, and that of the Sudanese, Nilotic, Koysanian and Oceanic populations is somewhat vague.
Lastly, we have not taken into account the North Asian, Oceanic and above all, American Indian populations, due to the fact that they are not linguistically classified, their numbers are very small, and their extinction in the near future is highly probable.
This table of the world's nations includes a first division into General Groups: White, Yellow, Black) which exists for the sake of convenience rather than being a scientific criterion. The General Groups are split up into Groups, whose scientific reality is established in most cases, and these Groups are then subdivided into Families, whose coherence has actually been proved. The Families are made up of Nations or Ethnic Groups, which constitute the fundamental human community.
The name of each nation is shown in block capitals. If this nation is known by any other name or names, these are shown in italics in brackets. Finally, some of the regional or tribal populations belonging to a particular ethnic group are listed in italics (without brackets) - this list is not, however, exhaustive.
| SAMÉS | (Lapons). |
| FINNOIS | Suomis, Estoniens, Caréliens, Ingriens, Lives, Vepses. |
| PERMIENS | Komis, Zyriènes, Oudmourtes, Votiaks. |
| MARIS | (Tchérémisses) |
| MORDVES | |
| HONGROIS | (Magyars), Sicules |
| KHANDIMANSIS | Ostiaks, Vogoules |
| NENETSIS | (Samoyèdes) |
| TURCS | Osmanlis, Tatars, Bachkirs, Azéris, Kazaks, Kirghiz, Turkmenes, Oïrotes, Ouzbeks, Ouigours. |
| TCHOUVACHES | |
| YAKOUTES |
| ISLANDAIS | Feroiens |
| NORVEGIENS | Shetlandais, Orcadiens, Jamtlandais |
| SUÉDOIS | |
| DANOIS | Scaniens |
| ANGLAIS | (Anglo-saxons). |
| FRISONS | |
| NEERLANDAIS | Flamands, Bas-Allemands, Boers |
| ALLEMANDS | Autrichiens, Suisses-Alémaniques, Sudètes, Luxembourgeois, Bas-Silésiens, Sud-Tiroliens, Alsaciens. |
| IRLANDAIS | ||
| ECOSSAIS | (Albannaich, Erses), Manxois | |
| GALLOIS | (Cymry) | |
| BRETONS | Corniques |
| PORTUGAIS | Galiciens, Luso-Brésiliens. |
| ESPAGNOLS | Hispano-americains, Canariens, Andalous, Aragonais. |
| CATALANS | Costa-ricains, Andorrans, Valenciens |
| OCCITANS | Provençaux, Auvergnats, Gascons. |
| FRANÇAIS | Wallons, Romands, Quebécois, Valdotains |
| RETES | Romanches, Ladins, Frioulans |
| ITALIENS | Corses, "cismontani", Siciliens, Piémontais, Istriens, Italo-brésiliens |
| SARDES | Corses "oltramontani" |
| ROUMAINS | Moldaves, Koutzo-Valaques. |
| ALBANAIS | (Shki petars) |
| GRECS | (Hellènes). |
| LETTONS |
| LITUANIENS |
| RUSSES | Grands-Russiens) |
| UKRAINIENS | (Petits-Russiens, Ruthenes) |
| KHRIVITCHES | (Biélo-russiens) |
| POLONAIS | Kachoubes, Mazures, Haut-Silésiens |
| TCHECOSLOVAQUES | Hanaques |
| LUZACIENS | (Sorabes, Wendes) |
| BULGARES | Macédoniens |
| SERBOCROATES | Bosniaques, Montenégrins |
| SLOVENES | Zagoriaks |
| ARMENIENS | (Haïks) |
| OSSETTES | |
| KURDES | Yézidis |
| PERSANS | Louris, Caspiens, Tadjiks, Hazaras. |
| BELOUTCHIS | |
| AFGANS | (Pathans, Pouchtous) |
| PAMIRIENS |
| CACHMIRIENS | Dardis, Tsiganes |
| SINDHIS | Lahndas, Koutchis |
| GOUDJERATIS | Radjastanis, Bhils |
| MARATHES | Konkanis |
| HINDIS | Bhojpouris, Paharis, Pendjabis, Népalais, Malwis. |
| BENGALIS | Assamais, Oriyas, Maithilis, Magadhis |
| CINGALAIS | Maldiviens, Veddas. |
| BASQUES | (Euskariens) |
| GEORGIENS | (Kartvéliens), Svanes, Adjars. |
| LAZOMINGRÉLIENS |
| CIRCASSIENS | (Tcherkesses), Adyghée, Kabardis, Oubykhs |
| ABKHAZ | |
| TCHETCHENES | Ingouches |
| LESGHIENS | Avars, Kuris, Oudis |
| BOUROUCHOS | Hounzas |
| AiNOUS |
| ARABES | Maltais, Libanais, Palestiniens, Maures, Druzes |
| HEBREUX | (Israéliens, Juifs), Samaritains |
| ARAMEENS | Assyriens, Chaldéens, Syriaques, Sabéens, Mandéens |
| HIMYARITES | (Sud-Arabiques, Hadaras) |
| TIGREENS | |
| AMHARAS | Gouraghes, Hararis. |
| ÉGYPTlENS | (Coptes) |
| BERBERES | (Imazighen), Kabyles, Mozabites, Rifains,Chleuhs, Touaregs. |
| BEDJAS | |
| AFARS | (Danakils), Sahos |
| SOMALIS | Issas |
| OROMOS | (Gallas) |
| SIDAMAS | Kaffas |
| AGAWS | Bilins, Falachas. |
| IRAKOUS |
| MONGOLS | Bouriates, Dzoungares, Kalmouks. |
| MANDJOUS | Goldis. |
| EVENKIS | Evens, Orotchones. |
| COREENS | |
| JAPONAIS |
| TCHOUKTCHIS | Koriaks, Kamtchadals. |
| ESKIMOS | (Inouit), Aleoutiens. |
| CHINOIS | (Hans), Houeïs, Dounganes |
| WOUS | Changhaïens. |
| MINS | Formosans |
| HAKKAS | |
| YUéS | Cantonnais |
| TIBéTAINS | Baltis, Ladakhis, Newaris, Boutanais. |
| NAGAS | Bodos, Manipouris, Tripouras, Mizos, Kouki-Chins, Lobas, Katchins. |
| BIRMANS | |
| KARENS | Kayas. |
| LOLOS | (Yis), Hanis, Lissous, Mosos, Lahous, Bays. |
| MIAO-YAOS | Méos, Mans Chés. |
| KIRANTIS | (Himalayens). |
| THAYS | Siamois, Laos, Chans, Thos, Tchouangs. |
| VIETNAMIENS | Muongs. |
| LAYS |
| KHERWARIS | Santalis, Moundaris, Hos. | ||
| SAVARAS | Kharias, Gabadas. | ||
| KORKOUS |
| MONS | Niicobarais. |
| KMERS | (Cambodgiens), Mnongs, Sedangs. |
| WAS | Palaungs, Khmous. |
| KHASIS | Jaintias. |
| SAKAYS | Semangs, Senoys. |
| MALGACHES | ||
| MALAIS | Sumatranais, Dayaks, Tchams. | |
| JAVANAIS | Bandjaris, Boughis, Madourais, Balinais. | |
| PHILIPPINS | Tagals, Bisayas, llokis, Soulous, Minahasas, Chamorros Kaochans. | |
| MOLUQUAIS | Gorontalos, Toradjas, Timoriens. | |
| MAORIS | (Polynésiens), Fidjiéns, Hawalens. |
| MÉLANÉSlENS | Micronésiens, Néo Hébridais. |
| CANAQUES |
| NADéNéS | Navajos, Apaches, Tlinghits, Haïdas. |
| ALGONKINS | Cris, Chippewas, Lénapés, Pieds-Noirs, Cheyennes. |
| SéLICHES | Wakaches, Kouténés. |
| PÉNOUTIAS | Chinouks, Sahaptines, Tsimchians. |
| IROQUOIS | Hurons, Chérokis, Caddos. |
| MOUSKOGHIS | Choctos, Criks, Séminoles. |
| SIOUX | Dakotas, Osages, Corbeaux. |
| HOKAS | Youmas, Séris, Tiapaneks, Tékistlateks, Kérés. |
| ASTEKS | Chochones, Youtes, Hopis, Kiowas, Sougnis, Pimas, Tanos, Tarahoumares, Wichols, Nawas, Pipils. |
| OTOMIS | Pamés, Masawas. |
| MISTEKS | Masateks, Chorotegas. |
| SAPOTEKS | Chinanteks. |
| TARASKS | |
| TOTONAKS | |
| SOKES | Mixés, Sincas. |
| MAYAS | Wasteks, Chols, Mams, Kitchés. |
| LENCAS | |
| MISKITOS |
| TCHIBTCHAS | Counas, Cofanes, Paéz, Guaymis. |
| ARAWAKS | Goajiros, Carifs. |
| CARIBS | Bakairis, Araras, Makiritares, Galibis, Motilones, Pebas. |
| KITCHOUAS | |
| PANOS | |
| AYMARAS | |
| GUAYCOUROUS | |
| GUARANIS | (Toupis), Tchiriguanos. |
| GéS | |
| ARAUCANS | (Mapoutchés) |
| SÉNÉGALAlS | Wolofs, Peuls, Dyolas, Balantes, Temnés, Kissis, Afro-américains. | |
| MANDÉS | Soninkés, Bambaras, Vays, Dans, Soussous. | |
| KROUS | ||
| LAGUNAIRES | ||
| KWAS | Baoulés, Akans, Ewes, Yoroubas, Binis, Ibos, Noupés. Antillais, Guyanais. | |
| IDJOS | ||
| GOURS | Sénoufos, Dogons, Mossis, Gourmas, Tems, Baribas. | |
| SONGAYS | ||
| HAOUSSAS | Angas, Batas, Kotokos, Moubis. | |
| TIV-ÉFIKS | Bamilekes, Djoukouns, Katabs, Kambaris. | |
| ADAMAWAS | Tchambas, Woutes, Mboums. | |
| KANOURIS | Tibbous. | |
| OUBANGHIENS | Bayas, Bandas, Azandés. | |
| SARA-MANGBÉTOUS | Baghirmis, Bongos, Sérés, Madis, Efés. | |
| KORDOFANIENS | Tagoys, Kadouglis. |
| FORIENS | Mabas, Dadjos, Tamas, Roungas. |
| NUBIENS | Noubas, Foundjis, Midobs, Birghids. |
| BERIAS | Komas, Mourlés, Kounamas. |
| LWOS | Dinkas, Nouers. |
| BARI-MASSAYS | Tourkanas, Nandis, Tatogas, Toutsis. |
| BACONG0S | Boubis, Boulous, Fangs, Bangalas, Ovambos, Heréros Tongas, Afro-Brésillens. |
| MONGOS | Koutous. |
| NGWINDAS | Babwas. |
| SWAHÉLIS | Regas, Houtous, Bagandas, Nyamwezis, Kikouyous, Comoriens, Réunionnais. |
| BALOUBAS | Loundas, Bembas, Yaos, Makouas, Mashonas. |
| ZOULOUS | Xosas, Basoutos, Betswanas, Swazis, Tsongas. |
| KOYSANS | Hottentots, Bochimans, Damaras. |
| SANDAWéS |
| BRAHOUIS | |
| KANNADIGAS | Toulous, Badagas, Todas. |
| MALAYALIS | |
| TAMOULS | |
| TéLOUGOUS | (Andhras). |
| GONDS | KouisKonds, Kolams. |
| ORAONS | (Kouroukhs), Maltos. |
| PAPOUS | Halmahériens. |
| AUSTRALIENS |