From an ethnic point of view, a nation can be homogeneous or multi-ethnic and plural. It is homogeneous when the vast majority of its inhabitants share the same racial characteristics, the same language and traditions. A nation is multi-ethnic if there is racial and cultural diversity in the territory.
The category of multiethnic state is equivalent to another, multicultural state. Although it is not an official denomination, countries such as Ecuador, Colombia or Peru have incorporated the concept of a multiethnic state in their respective constitutional texts to recognize the cultural diversity of society. This recognition implies respect for the ethnic minorities of a nation.
Panama and Russia, two examples of multi-ethnic states
Panama is a Central American country with 4 million inhabitants according to the 2016 census. There is an indigenous population with more than 300,000 inhabitants (specifically, there are seven indigenous peoples and each of them has its own language and customs). On the other hand, the Panamanian population is made up of mulattoes, blacks and mestizos (70 of the inhabitants are mestizo, 10% are white, 8% are indigenous and 1% are of Asian origin, mostly from China).
Russia is the largest country in the world in size and with 150 million inhabitants. Ethnically, the Russian state presents great complexity. Russians make up the majority ethnic group, approximately 80% of the total population (the remaining 20% is made up of Ukrainians, Chechens, Bashkirs and Armenians). On the other hand, more than 100 different languages are spoken in Russia (some of them are officially recognized but most do not).
Japan as an example of a socially homogeneous state
Japanese society has an ingrained sense of national identity and ethnic diversity is minority and with little cultural relevance. From a linguistic point of view, Standard Japanese is used throughout the country and the dialects of Japanese are not officially recognized.
Despite the homogeneity of Japanese society, the inhabitants of the Ryukyu Islands (the Ryukyuan) and those of the island of Honshu (the Ainu) are an exception, since they have their own language and culture. Both ethnic minorities have little influence on the nation as a whole and are culturally on the brink of extinction.
Photo: Fotolia - lvnl
