Chris Rodriguez, age 13, of Kalispell, Mont. for his question:
HOW MANY RACES OF MANKIND ARE THERE?
At one time, many scholars divided human beings into three major
races: Caucasoid, Mongoloid and Negroid. Today, most anthropologists those scientists who study man distinguish between larger and smaller population units. They recognize nine geographical races and hundreds of local races.
Here are the nine geographical races of mankind:
(1) African, frequently called Negroid, is a collection o€ related
races in Africa south to the Sahara. American blacks are mostly of
African origin.
(2) American Indian is related to the Asian geographical race
but differs in various blood group frequencies.
(3) Asian, sometimes called Mongoloid, includes populations in
continental Asia and extends to Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines and
the major islands of Indonesia.
(4) Australian, also called Australian aborigine or Austraioid,
is a group of local races in Australia.
(5) European, sometimes called Caucasoid, includes populations
throughout Europe as well as the "whites" of Australia, New Zealand,
North and South America and South Africa.
(6) Indian includes populations in South Asia and extends from
the Himalayas to the Indian ocean.
(7) Melanesian includes the dark skinned peoples of New Britain,
New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
(8) Micronesian occupies a series of islands in the Pacific including
the Carolinas, Gilberts, Marianas, and Marshails.
(9) Polynesian consists of Pacific Island peoples living far apart,
ranging from Hawaii in the north to New Zealand in the south and from
Easter Island to the Ellice Islands.
Local races are smaller population units that are geographical races. They are subcategories of geographical races. Each geographical race consists of local populations that differ genetically, or according to their genes. However, the gene pools of local populations of the same geographical race are more alike than are the gene pools of different geographical races.
Some local races, such as the Northwest European, have millions of members. This group includes the "white" peoples of Scandinavia, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Great Britain and Ireland. It also includes peoples who emigrated or whose ancestors emigrated from these countries. Smaller local races include the Basques, who live on the slopes of the Pyrenees between France and Spain and the Lapps, who live in northern Finland and Sweden.
No two human beings, not even identical twins, are exactly alike. But members of the same geographical race tend to show certain physical resemblances, just as members of the same family resemble one another.