The following is a
list of contemporary ethnic groups. There has been constant debate over the classification of ethnic groups. Membership of an ethnic group tends to be associated with shared
cultural heritage,
ancestry,
history,
homeland,
language or dialect, the term
culture specifically including aspects such as
religion,
mythology and
ritual,
cuisine,
dressing style, etc. By the nature of the concept, ethnic groups tend to be divided into
ethnic subgroups, which may themselves be or not be identified as independent ethnic groups depending on the source consulted.