how many ethnic groups exist
As a result, the United Nations has opted to drop the term race and replace it with ethnic groups instead. According to a 1998 study published in the Scientific American, there are more than 5,000 ethnic groups in the world.
Ethnic Relations. The largest single ethnic group is the Wolof (43 percent of the population), followed by the Pular (also called Peulh or Fulani, nearly 25 percent, and the Serer (more than 15 percent). Smaller groups include the Diola, Mandink, and Soninke.