Ethnicities around the world (beta)

This region of the world is home to hundreds of groups, each united by its own language — most belonging to the Austronesian language family. In the Philippines, the ancient Negrito people migrated from mainland Asia to settle on the islands around 90,000 years ago. Their heirs have become a great source of information for those studying pre-Hispanic culture in the area. Most Filipinos today are ethnically Malayo-Polynesian, and their language is in the Austronesian family. Other ethnic groups include the Ivatan, the Ilocano, Tagalog, and the Cebuano. Many of these peoples converted to Christianity, while in western Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago, some practice Islam. Indonesia is home to more than 300 ethnic groups. That large group breaks down into sub-groups including the Javanese, the Sundanese, Malay, and Madurese. Native Indonesians are called Pribumi (“sons of the land”). The ethnicities found in Malaysia include this same diversity. Modern-day Malaysians are connected through geographical proximity, shared history, and common culture. In recent history, people with Filipino, Indonesian, and Malay ethnic roots have migrated to Madagascar, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands and have left their genetic mark on these areas as well.