Expert at documenting the peoples of the world, National Geographic has drawn together a notable international team of anthropologists to compile this first-of-its-kind, illustrated volume of the traditions and ways of life of ethnic groups around the globe. Now, as never before, cultures are faced with extinction as globalization overtakes them. But Peoples of the World offers compelling essays and stunning photographs that capture the astounding array of cultures still surviving on Earth and shows how the people in these cultures define themselves and their worlds through their customs, religions, livelihoods, even their food, clothes, and shelter. The book will feature chapters on eight world regions: North and South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and the Arctic. Each region will begin with an insightful general essay on the cultural mix of the region as a whole and will be followed by smaller essays on individual ethnic groups within the region. Several topical essays by well-known anthropologists will also cover ethnicity and its impact on history and people's lives; immigration and how it reinvents ethnic identities, and cultural survival of marginal ethnic groups now threatened with extinction. Extensive, specially commissioned maps will show the topography of small areas of the world and how the lay of the land has impacted cultures. A comprehensive list of the hundreds of ethnic groups in the world and where they are found will be part of the front matter.