The largest nations in the world: who are bigger? The smallest peoples of the world

No science has yet given an exact definition of such a concept as “people,” but everyone understands by this concept a large community of people living compactly in a certain territory.

The science of ethnography, which studies peoples and ethnic groups, including the most numerous nations, identifies today from 2.4 to 2.7 thousand nationalities living on earth. But in such a delicate matter, ethnographers can rely on statistical data, which put the figure at 5 and a half thousand peoples on Earth.

No less interesting is ethnogenesis, which studies the emergence and development of various ethnic groups. Let us present in a small overview the largest nations that emerged in ancient times, and their total number exceeds 100 million people.

Chinese (1,320 million)

Generalized concept " Chinese people"includes all residents of China, including people of other nationalities, as well as those who have Chinese citizenship but live abroad.

Nevertheless, the Chinese people are the largest, both in the concept of “nation” and in the concept of “nationality”. Today, there are 1 billion 320 million Chinese living in the world, which is 19% of the total population of the planet. So, the list is the most big nations the world, by all indicators, is rightfully led by the Chinese.

Although in fact, those whom we call “Chinese” are ethnically representatives of the Han people. China is a multinational country.

The very name of the people is “Han”, which means “ Milky Way”, and comes from the name of the country “Celestial Empire”. This is also the most ancient people A land whose roots go back to the distant past. The Han people in China make up the absolute majority, about 92% of the country's population.

Interesting Facts:

• The Chinese Zhuang people, who are a national minority in the country, number about 18 million people, which is comparable to the population of Kazakhstan and larger than the population of the Netherlands.
• Another Chinese people, Huizu, has a population of about 10.5 million, which is earlier than the population of countries such as Belgium, Tunisia, the Czech Republic or Portugal.

Arabs (330-340 million)

The Arabs, who occupy second place, are defined in ethnographic science as a group of nationalities, but from the point of view of ethnogenesis, they are one people of the Semitic language group.

The nation developed in the Middle Ages, when the Arabs settled in the Middle East and northern part Africa. They all have one thing in common Arabic and a unique writing system - Arabic script. The people have long gone beyond the boundaries of their historical homeland, and modern stage, due to various circumstances, settled in other regions of the globe.

Today the number of Arabs is estimated at 330-340 million people. They mostly adhere to Islam, but there are also Christians.

Did you know that:

• There are more Arabs living in Brazil than in the United Arab Emirates.
• Arabs consider the gesture to be a sexually suggestive insult.

Americans (317 million)

Here is a striking example when it is possible to accurately define a people, given the practically non-existent concept of “American nation”. In a narrow sense, this is a group of different nationalities that make up the population of the United States and have American citizenship.

Over a 200-year history, a single culture, mentality, and common language used in communication have developed, which makes it possible to unite the population of the United States into one people.

Today there are 317 million US Americans. For the indigenous population of America, Indians, the name Americans may be used, but in terms of ethnic identification this is a completely different ethnic group.

Hindustani (265 million)

On this moment Hindustanis settled compactly in three neighboring countries in the South-Eastern region of the planet - India, Nepal and Pakistan.

As for India, the largest number of them live in the northern part of the state. In total, ethnology numbers about 265 million Hindustanis, and their main language of communication is various dialects of the Hindi language.

I wonder what of related nationalities the closest to them are the Gypsies and Dravidians who inhabit the southern regions of India.

Bengalis (over 250 million)

Among the numerous peoples, the Bengalis, numbering more than 250 million, also occupy a leading position. They mostly live in Asian countries, but there are small diasporas in the USA and Great Britain, and they also exist in other European countries.

Over the centuries-old history, the Bengalis have preserved their national culture, identity and language, as well as their main activities. In the Asian region they live mainly in rural areas, since they have been engaged in agriculture since ancient times.

The Bengali language is one of the most complex on earth; it was formed as a result of the synthesis of the Indo-Aryan language and numerous local dialects.

Brazilians (197 million)

Group of different ethnic groups living in Latin America, developed into a single Brazilian people. There are currently about 197 million Brazilians, most of who live in Brazil itself.

The people passed difficult path ethnogenesis began to take shape as a result of the European conquest of the South American continent. Indian nationalities lived intermixed over vast territories, and with the arrival of Europeans, most of them were destroyed, the rest assimilated.

And so it happened that the religion of the Brazilians became Catholicism, and the language of communication became Portuguese.

Russians (about 150 million)

The name of the most numerous people of Russia occurred as a result of the transition of the adjective “Russian people”, “Russian people” into the generalizing noun “Russians”, in the concept of people.

Modern statistical studies indicate that there are about 150 million Russians on Earth, most of whom live in Russia. The largest people in Russia belong to the linguistic group of East Slavic languages, and today more than 180 million people consider Russian their native language.

Russians are practically homogeneous in anthropological terms, although they are spread over a large territory and are divided into several ethnographic groups. The ethnos emerged during the development of the Russian state from different ethnic groups of the Slavs.

Interesting fact: Largest quantity Russians abroad Russian Federation and countries of the former USSR are located in Germany (∼ 3.7 million) and in the USA (∼ 3 million).

Mexicans (148 million)

Mexicans, who number about 148 million people, are united by a common territory of residence, a single Spanish communication, as well as an amazing national culture that has developed on the basis of the heritage of the ancient civilizations of Central America.

This people is also a vivid example of duality, since those Mexicans who live in the United States can simultaneously be considered Americans.
The people are also unique in that they are Latin Americans by ethnicity, but their language of communication classifies them as a Romance group. It is also the fastest growing nation on our planet.

Japanese (132 million)

There are 132 million conservative Japanese on Earth, and they live mainly in their historical homeland. After World War II, some Japanese settled around the world, and now only 3 million people live outside Japan.

The Japanese people are distinguished by isolation, high diligence, a special attitude towards the historical past and national culture. Over many centuries, the Japanese have managed to preserve and, most importantly, increase their heritage, both spiritual and material and technical.

The Japanese treat foreigners in a special way, with some suspicion, and are reluctant to allow them into their lives.

Punjabis (130 million)

Another of the largest nations lives compactly in the territories of India and Pakistan. Of the 130 million Punjabis in the Asian regions, a small portion settled in Europe and Africa.

For many centuries, the hardworking people created an extensive irrigation system for irrigated fields, and their main occupation has always been agriculture.

It was the Punjabis who were one of the first peoples on earth to create a highly developed and cultural civilization in the valleys of Indian rivers. But, as a result of cruel colonial policy, much of the heritage of this people was lost.

Biharis (115 million)

The amazing Bihari people, living mainly in the Indian state of Bihar, today number about 115 million people. A small part settled in other Indian states and neighboring countries.

Modern representatives of the people are direct descendants of those. Who created the first agricultural civilizations on Earth in the Indus and Ganges valleys.

Today it is observed active process urbanization of the Biharis, and, leaving their main occupations and ancient crafts and trades, they moved en masse to the cities.

Javanese (105 million)

The last major nation on earth, numbering more than 100 million people. According to the latest data from ethnology and statistics, there are about 105 million Javanese people on the planet.

IN XIX century data on the origin were provided only by the Russian ethnographer and traveler Miklouho-Maclay, but today quite a lot is known about the ethnogenesis of the Javanese.

They settled mainly on the islands of Oceania, and are the indigenous population of the large island of Java and the state of Indonesia. Over many centuries they have created a unique and inimitable culture.

Thais (over 90 million)

Just by the name of the ethnic group, it is clear that the Thais are the indigenous population of the kingdom of Thailand, and today there are more than 90 million of them.

The etymology of the origin of the word “tai” is interesting, which in local dialects means “ free man" Ethnographers and archaeologists, studying the culture of the Thais, have determined that it was formed during the early Middle Ages.

Among other nations, this nation is distinguished by its sincere love, sometimes bordering on fanaticism, for theatrical art.

Koreans (83 million)

The people formed many centuries ago and at one time populated the Korean Peninsula of Asia. They managed to create a highly developed culture and carefully preserve national traditions.

The total number of people is 83 million, but the confrontation led to the formation of two states with one ethnic group, which is an unresolved tragedy for the Koreans today.

More than 65 million Koreans live in South Korea, the rest in North Korea, and also settled in other Asian and European countries.

Marathi (83 million)

India, among all its uniqueness, is also the record holder for the number of numerous nationalities living on its territory. For example, in the state of Maharashtra lives amazing people Marakhti.

A very talented people, people from whom occupy high positions in India, Indian cinema is filled with Marakhti.

In addition, the Marakhti are a very purposeful and united ethnic group, which in the 50s of the twentieth century achieved the creation of their own state, and today, numbering 83 million people, this is the main population of the Indian state.

European peoples

It is worth separately touching upon the largest peoples of Europe, among which the leaders are the descendants of the ancient Germans, the Germans, whose number, according to various sources, ranges from 80 to 95 million. Second place is firmly held by Italians, of whom there are 75 million on earth. But the French are firmly established in third place, with a population of about 65 million.

Large peoples living on globe, however, like the small ones, they have their own cultural and national traditions that have developed over a long historical process.

Today, the process of erasing ethnic and national boundaries is increasingly observed. There are practically no mono-national states left on Earth, it’s just that in each of them there is one dominant nation, and all the different national people are united under the general concept of “resident of the country.”

According to various estimates, about 5 thousand live all over the globe. various peoples. Most of them are not numerous. An ethnic group can be distinguished not only by the number of representatives, but also by language.

Population of Africa

Africa is home to a huge number of ethnic groups. Compared to the Dark Continent, the peoples of other countries of the world are not so diverse. For example, in Nigeria their number reaches 250. The most numerous Nigerian tribes are the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.

In total, about 50 different nationalities live in Africa. 24 of these peoples make up about 86% of the total population of the Dark Continent. Moreover, each of the nationalities speaks its own language. And only Arabic is an exception. Almost a fifth of Africans speak this language.

Colonial past

Africa is a continent that until recently was ruled by the peoples of other countries of the world. The colonial past is everywhere here. For many centuries, European colonialists plundered property local residents, exploited them for their own benefit. The collapse of this system began only in the post-World War II era. The total population of the Black Continent is about 250 million people. Compared to the peoples of other countries in the world, population growth is occurring very quickly here.

Classification of African peoples

It is customary to divide into categories according to language. A huge number can be united into large related groups - families. Such a language family will include those languages ​​that have common roots. In total, there are several large language groups on the Dark Continent. These are Bantu, Semitic-Hamitic, Mande, Nilotic. For example, in northern Africa there are peoples who communicate in Semitic-Hamitic languages. This category includes the Cushitic and Berber subgroups. Representatives of peoples who speak Bantu languages ​​live in the central part of the continent and in the south.

Only in the VII-XI centuries. Arabs appeared in Africa. The peoples who inhabited the territory of the Sahara and the Maghreb in ancient times were called Libyans by ancient historians. Before these territories were conquered by the Arabs, they spoke the languages ​​of the Berber group. The Arabs of the tribes called Hilal and Sulaim, who moved here in the 11th century, seriously influenced lifestyle local Berbers. The natives converted to Islam and began farming like the Arabs. The nomadic lifestyle became widespread. Rarely are the peoples of other countries of the world assimilated to the same extent as the Arabs and Berbers at the present time. Now it is almost impossible to draw a clear boundary between them. Moreover, the process of mixing these two ethnic groups has occurred most intensively in the last half century.

Comparative age of the Slavic ethnic group and other peoples

According to some reports, the state Kievan Rus arose in the 6th century AD. e. Other scholars believe that the Slavic state arose on the territory of an ancient trade route called “from the Varangians to the Greeks” in 862, when the principality of the famous Russian dynasty began. Many nations like to lengthen their history. However, there are also those whose “age” is beyond doubt - moreover, they are much older than the Slavic ethnic group. The ancient peoples of other countries of the world, except Russia, are Armenians, Jews, Assyrians, Basques, and Khoisans.

Armenians - the civilization of King Hayk

The Armenian ethnic group is considered the youngest among other ancient peoples. However, there is much that is unexplored in the history of the Armenians. Until the very late XIX centuries, historians believed that the Armenian ethnic group originates from King Hayk, whose personality is covered in legends. Hayk was the first to decide to outline the borders of the new state in the vicinity of Mount Ararat. It was believed that it was from the name of King Hayk that the self-name of the Armenians, “hai,” came from.

Currently, another version of the origin of the Armenians is accepted. Scientists believe that their ancestors - the Mushki and the Urumeans - settled local territories back in the 12th century BC. e., even before the Hittite state was formed. The peoples of other countries of the world with whom the Armenians lived next door were the Urartians and the Luwians. Some scholars believe that the origins of the Armenian people must be sought among the evidence of the Hurrian kingdom, which was called Arme-Shubia.

Jews

Jews are another people whose history goes back centuries. There are no fewer mysteries in the past of the Jews than in the history of the emergence of the Armenians. For a long time it was believed that the concept of this people is not ethnic, but rather religious. There were fierce debates between scientists about who they really were - one of the religious heresies, a separated social stratum, or, perhaps, an independent people. According to the main source of the Jewish religion - the Old Testament - Jews are descendants of Abraham, a native of the Mesopotamian city of Ur.

Together with his father, Abraham moved to the “promised land” - Canaan. Subsequently, he captured the lands of tribes living nearby, who, according to legend, were descendants of Noah. Scientists believe that the Jewish people originate from the 2nd millennium BC. e. - that’s when they formed in independent group from Semitic-speaking tribes. The closest “relatives” of the Jews in language are the tribes of the Amorites and Phoenicians.

Modern version of the origin of the Jews

Not so long ago, thanks to the development of science, new views on the origin of the Jewish people appeared. Scientists conducted a genetic analysis of three large groups Jewish people. Ashkenazim (living in America and Europe), Mizrahim (inhabitants of the Middle East and northern Africa), and Sephardim (living in the Iberian Peninsula) were studied. It turned out that all these ethnic groups have similar genetics. This confirms their origin from a common source. The conclusion that scientists made is that the ancestors of the Jews originally lived in Mesopotamia. The division occurred during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar.

And other countries in the world have many misconceptions about Jews. One of the most common is that the main religious book of the Jews is Old Testament. In fact, the holy book for them is the Talmud. The Jewish religion has many branches - it is Orthodox, Reformed, and Conservative. However, all believers use the Talmud as their main book.

Jewish origins are attributed to Christopher Columbus. Several documents testify to this. The navigator himself also repeatedly mentioned that he belongs to the Jewish people. So that the people of other countries of the world and descendants could learn about his voyages, Columbus kept a diary of his voyages. It is noteworthy that in the first lines he mentions the history of the expulsion of Jews from Spain. Also, some scholars believe that the signature in Columbus’s will was made in Hebrew.

Assyrian people

What other ancient peoples existed in other countries of the world? The list continues with the Assyrians: this people is perhaps even more ancient than the Jews. They presumably arose in the 4th-2nd millennium BC. Jews were descended from Western Semitic peoples. The Assyrians were representatives of the northern Semites. Modern representatives of the Assyrian ethnic group consider themselves descendants ancient civilization. Some scientists agree with this point of view. Others believe that the ancestors of modern Assyrians are the Arameans.

Chinese

There are also peoples of other countries of the world, except Russia, who differ in both age and the number of their representatives. One such ethnic group is the Chinese. They call themselves "Han people". The Chinese make up about 19% of the total world population. The beginning of the Han civilization is considered to be the 5th-3rd millennium BC. The first settlements were built in the valley. The formation of the Chinese ethnic group was significantly influenced by the peoples of other countries of the world. Their list mainly consists of representatives of the Mongoloid race: these are Tibetans, Indonesians, Thais. They are all quite different in their culture. However, today the Chinese are the direct descendants of the great Han civilization.

Basque

The Basques are an example of peoples from other countries of the world who do not belong to the Indo-European linguistic environment. The great settlement of peoples began in the 4th millennium BC. Currently, the languages ​​of the Indo-European group are the means of communication for almost all Europeans. The exception is the Basques - their origin does not coincide with the peoples of other countries of the world. List, except Russia and European countries, with which scientists compared such a people as the Basques, is enormous. However, the researchers came to the conclusion: the Basques are an ancient people whose language is not related to any language of the Indo-European group. Presumably they became a separate ethnic group about 16 thousand years ago, during the Paleolithic.

Khoisan people

But the Basques are not the last ancient people of other countries of the world. The list, in addition to Russia (or, more precisely, Slavic tribes), Jews, Assyrians, Chinese and Basques can be supplemented by Khoisan peoples. Scientists estimate that the Khoisan people appeared about 100 thousand years ago. This large ethnic group belongs to African peoples speaking unusual “clicking” languages. The Khoisan people include the Bushmen and the Hottentots.

The researchers concluded that the Khoisans first separated from the common tree of peoples about 100 thousand years ago. In other words, this happened even before people settled from the Dark Continent throughout the globe. 43 thousand years ago, the Khoisan people underwent another change - they were divided into northern and southern tribes. Some of the Khoisan tribes have retained their origins. Others mixed with neighboring Bantu tribes. Genetic DNA analysis of the Khoisan people shows that they are significantly different from other peoples. They were found to have genes that are responsible for high physical endurance and vulnerability to sunlight.

For me, as for many, it is no secret that the largest number of people live in China. However, I got to thinking: are the Chinese the largest people? Perhaps the country is multinational, and the share of Chinese is modest and inferior to neighboring Hindustani?

Largest nations of the world

Large nations are those that number more than 1 million people. Today there are just over 300 known such peoples. If you put them together, you get about 96% of the total population of the planet. I won’t talk about everything, but I’ll name the top five by number:

1. Chinese (1,294 million, concentrated in East Asia).
2. Hindustani (1,041 million, concentrated in South Asia).
3. Bengalis (288 million, concentrated in South Asia).
4. Americans (USA) (217 million, concentrated in Anglo-America (USA)).
5. Brazilians (175 million, concentrated in Latin America).

Chinese (Han)

It is worth clarifying that we are talking about the Han people. By “Chinese” we most often mean all the peoples of China. So it is the Han who are the leaders in numbers in the world. In fact, almost every fifth person on the planet is a member of the Han people. In their native China they account for 92%. This ethnic group also dominates in the Republic of China (98%), Hong Kong (95%), Macau (92%), Singapore (76.8%), and Taiwan (98%). In general, 81% of Huaqiao live in Asia. The remaining representatives of the nationality are located in North America (14.51%), in Europe (2.6%), in Oceania (1.5%) and even in Africa, specifically in South Africa (0.3%).

Hindustani

The Chinese are from China, and where are the Hindustanis from? From Hindustan? I have not heard of such a country. In fact, this nationality is Hindi-speaking Indians. This is the largest population of India. The people settled in Asia quite compactly: India, Pakistan, Nepal.

Bengalis

The same question with the Bengalis as with the Hindustanis: where are they from? The people make up the main population of Indian states such as Tripura and West Bengal, in the Ganges delta, as well as Bangladesh. Representatives of Bengalis live in Nepal, Myanmar, Bhutan, Singapore, Pakistan, USA, UK and other countries.

Earth is a truly unique planet, where many different people with different ethnicity, appearance, nationality, religion and perception of the world. Continents share territory, but not the population living on them. Nations that have existed side by side for centuries, in most cases peacefully divide the territory, taking over useful knowledge from each other and forming a common cultural heritage.

Each nation is unique in its own way, is the custodian of its culture, passing it on from generation to generation. national customs and traditions, brings its own into creation general culture of all humanity.

Europe

The modern states of Europe were formed on the site of the former Roman Empire, then its possessions included vast lands, starting from the west, where Germanic tribes ruled, to the cities of North Africa. The formation of the ethnic group was also influenced by the wars that took place, when the population of Europe migrated, the borders of countries were again modified due to martial law.

The largest ethno-linguistic community in Europe is the Slavs. The Slavs include: Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Russians, Belarusians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Serbs, Croats and nine other peoples.

The most numerous peoples living in Europe are Russians (more than 130 million people), Germans (more than 80 million), French (more than 65 million), Italians (more than 59 million), British (58 million), Spaniards (46 million), Ukrainians (more than 45 million) and Poles (more than 44 million). There are also more than two million Jews living in Europe, belonging to several groups. Present and nomadic peoples- Gypsies, numbering over four million people.

The main religious movements common among the peoples of Europe are Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism and Islam.

The cultural component of Europe stands on three “pillars”: personal culture, universalism and freedom of creative expression. This forms the basis of Christian norms; even in those countries where other forms of religion predominate, Christian roots can be traced. Here, the basis for the existence of society is freedom (of self-expression, creativity, worldview) and tolerance towards others, the acceptance of another personality with certain characteristics and views on current reality.

A characteristic feature of the European population was mass culture, implying both mass production and mass consumption. It received full coverage of all areas of activity, from art, music and cinematography to youth subcultural movements.

Asia

Asia is the largest part of the world, forming together with Europe the continent of Eurasia. The majority of Asia's population is made up of the peoples of China and India (about 40% of the total population); the list of the largest countries also includes: Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan and the Philippines. Each of these states has more than 100 million inhabitants.

If you take it apart cultural centers, then Asia can be divided into four conventional parts:

1. Southeast Asia. There is a Buddhist worldview here.
2. Near East. The birthplace of Islamic culture.
3. East Asia. The epicenter of the Confucian worldview is China, which has a huge influence on Japan and Korea.
4. South Asia. India and Hindu culture dominate here.

However, despite such fragmentation, all the peoples of Asia have similar features that can distinguish them from others.

One of these features is a respectful attitude towards traditions and culture; in most countries, they have been holding the same holidays for years, observing established rules of behavior and communication in society, adhering to strict upbringing and respecting their elders. The last one came from tribal communities, where the chief elder was held in high esteem, many Asian countries still observe this law.

Most of the ethnic group believes in the need for a centralized state. Many countries in Asia are states with significantly limited democracy, led by a charismatic and strong leader, or are even authoritarian monarchies.

Of the large nationalities, a special place is occupied by:

Africa

If we put together a picture in Europe and Asia ethnic composition and it is quite easy to identify large nations, then with Africa things are different. There are up to 8,000 different peoples here, most of them have two to three thousand people and are located in a small area. According to some estimates, more than 3,000 tribes live in Africa, speaking a thousand languages, some of which are poorly understood.

The largest ethnic groups found in Africa are: Arabs, Hausa, Yoruba, Algerian and Moroccan Arabs, Igbo, Fulani, Aromo, Amhara.

The culture of local peoples is significantly different from European ones. North Africa characterized as a more developed civilization, the Southern and Tropical parts took a different path of development, which is why they are so original. Here, the vast majority of residents still live in tribes, where strict rules have been established for family life, work and general society. For example, circumcision is a necessity dictated strict rules, and women in most tribes do not have the same rights as men.

Most of the peoples of Africa believe in the existence of magical influences; they make amulets against the evil eye, conduct traditional rituals, and create totems to protect against various natural Disasters and the wrath of the gods, there is even a sacrifice to obtain a rich harvest, fertile soil, and stable rains.

North America

In North America, the indigenous population was divided into three large groups, each of them lived on its own territory and had special traditions and customs that have survived to this day with some changes. Central part North America The Indians occupied the coasts and islands, the Aleuts inhabited them, and the northern regions went to the Eskimos.

If the Eskimos managed to preserve their people, the Aleuts almost completely disappeared - their numbers decreased three times. After colonization, the Spaniards, Portuguese, British and French came to America. Most settled on this continent, mixing with the Americans and the indigenous population. This is how the Americans appeared English origin, and French-Canadians, and Barbadians (descendants of slaves brought from Africa).

The culture of North America is characterized by enviable patriotism, and it is observed both among the indigenous people and among visitors during the colonization of the United States. Modern culture The local ethnic group is a combination of the values ​​of the original population and the innovative reforms of the colonialists. Here, totemic buildings still coexist with great skyscrapers, and in remote corners of the country you can see yurts, bizarre drawings of disappeared tribes, and the homes of indigenous settlers.

Population of North America:

South America

The modern population of South America is diverse - there are Americans, immigrants from Europe, descendants of slaves brought from Africa, and mixed groups (mestizo, mulatto, Sambo). The indigenous settlers are groups of Indian peoples, most of whom still live in South America, for example, the Arawaks, Wayu, Wapishana, the smaller ones have not survived to this day, for example, the Charruas. Some peoples have practically disappeared from America; their number today does not exceed 10 thousand people. At the ethnic level in South America, three main classes can be distinguished: Indians, representatives Negroid race and representatives of the Caucasian race.

The culture of South America is very colorful and original. South American countries have a rich musical heritage; genres such as cumbia and samba originate here. South America became the birthplace of the creation of new musical styles, the world-famous Argentine tango dance appeared here.

South America is an example of successful borrowing of knowledge and skills among peoples, which generalizes various ethnic groups into a single system. The bulk of the population cannot even accurately infect this or that custom; they do not know where it originates and whose people were the original source. Here traditions are passed on from generation to generation.

Population of South America:

Australia

The indigenous people of Australia are considered Australian aborigines, they live separately from other peoples of the world and have their own language group. There are currently more than 55 thousand speakers in Australia. Australian languages, the most widely spoken of these is the Western Desert language, spoken by about 7,000 people.

Australian aborigines are prominent representatives of the ancient inhabitants of the earth; peoples have a similar way of life with the peoples who existed at the stage of the emergence of world culture. Indigenous people prefer to stay in the deserts, engage in hunting and farming, and live in unity with nature.

Since the arrival of the settlers, the ethnic groups on this continent have undergone significant changes. Now the largest group is Anglo-Australians (Australians of English descent), with Afghans, Hungarians, Indians, and Chinese also present.

Although the majority of Australia's population is English-speaking, this country stands out from the rest English speaking countries. First distinctive feature is egalitarianism, which presupposes the equality of all members of society. All peoples of Australia, without exception, have the same legal, economic and political opportunities. The value of equality for men, women and children is fundamental to Australia.

Another feature includes friendliness and good relationships; on the territory of this continent, the aborigines coexist peacefully with the visiting colonialists. Indigenous people even received back the territories it had owned before the arrival of Europeans.