Political and cultural changes throughout the world in recent years - caused by the breakdown of empires, new alliances, and demands for independence or autonomy - have created a need for reliable information on the many and diverse peoples and ethnic groups involved. Never before has the study of peoples and cultures been as popular as it is today. And never before have the names of so many "unknown" groups of peoples been discussed in the media.

The Encyclopedia of the Peoples of the World allows us to examine the ethnic infrastructure underlying economic, social, and political change. It is essential for assessing the news intelligently and becoming more aware of the cultures that surround us.

Edited and written by a distinguished team of international scholars, the encyclopedia contains more than 2,000 alphabetical entries on all peoples and ethnic groups of the world. Each entry includes the common, indigenous, or self-designated name of the group; geographical location; population; language; religion; and history when relevant or known.

The concise and clearly written entries are supplemented with 250 black-and-white maps and 48 pages of color illustrations. Many of the maps pinpoint little-known peoples and groups located in areas that do not correspond to official state boundaries. The maps are an invaluable tool for comparing neighboring ethnic groups and locating peoples who have been made famous by the evening news.

The color illustrations and photographs represent culture, costume, environment, art, architecture, and people, and are spread throughout the book.