People at a Glance
- People have lived in the world for millions of years. Today, 6.3 billion people live on the earth.
- The world's population grows by 100 million each year. Some 950 million people in the world are malnourished.
- There are 106 boys born for every 100 girls.
- The average male adult is 5'9'' tall and weighs 155 pounds. The average female adult is 5'3'' tall and weighs 125 pounds.
People in Groups
Aristocracy: A society or group of people ruled by the upper class.Democracy: A form of government in which the people hold power. People can either exercise the power or elect officials to do so.Gerontocracy: A society or group of people in which older people are the most powerful.Matriarchy: A society or group of people in which women are the most powerful.Oligarchy: A society or group of people in which only a few people hold power.Patriarchy: A society or group of people in which men are the most powerful.People in Families
A nuclear family is made up of parents and their children.An extended family includes parents, children, grandparents, and/or aunts, uncles, and cousins in the same household.A blended family is formed when one single parent (divorced or widowed) marries another single parent. Generic People
A generic person is the name for a type of person, not a real one. These names are often used to describe different kinds of people.Famous Couples
Jane and John Doe
The Does have been around since the 1300s and are still going strong. British lawyers used the most common first names of the time—John and Jane—whenever a person's true identity was unknown, when a person wished to remain anonymous, or when the person could be almost anyone. You can find these names today on legal documents, death certificates, and hospital records.Mr. and Mrs. Buttinski
This couple is always minding other people's business. They interrupt conversation rudely and offer opinions whether or not they are wanted. Mr. and Mrs. Buttinski are not well liked.Mr. and Mrs. Jones
Whatever you have, the Joneses always have more. They are the envy of their neighbors, who compete with them but can never quite “keep up.”Mr. and Mrs. X
People like to gossip about this couple, although they are nothing special. In fact, like their neighbors the Does, they are the perfect example of an average couple. Compared to the other generic couples, Mr. and Mrs. X are rather plain.Just Joe
Joe is one of the many nicknames used when one man greets another. Mac, Jack, Bud, and Buster are others. However, Joe is the most popular, and he has many different personalities.The Average Joe
These Joes all represent your everyday man-in-the-street: Average Joe, Joe Blow, Joe Bunker, Joe Schmo.Special Joes
Some Joes aren't just ordinary guys.- Joe Bag: This Joe is stingy. He never leaves a tip (known as “bagging the tip” in hotels all over the world).
- Joe College: This American college man loves fraternities, football games, girls, and, of course, his studies.
- Joe Cool: This Joe thinks he's a big shot and has everybody else convinced as well. He wears the “right” clothes, goes to the “right” parties, and is usually seen hiding behind an expensive pair of sunglasses.
- Joe Soap: No one wants to be this Joe, a slow, stupid fellow who is often the object of ridicule.
- G.I. Joe: This Joe was a symbol of the U.S. Army during World War II. The soldiers relied completely on government issue (G.I.) goods, so they became known as G.I.'s.
Collecting People
People who collect things are called by many names. Some of their names are as unusual as the items they collect.Collector Collection Archtophilist Teddy Bears Bestiarist Medieval Books on Animals Bibliophilist Books Brandophilist Cigar Bands Conchologist Shells Copoclephilist Key Rings Deltiologist Postcards Dologist Bird's Eggs Lepidopterist Butterflies Numismatist Coins Philatelist Stamps Philographist Autographs Phonophile Phonograph Records Plangonologist Dolls Receptarist Recipes Vecturist Subway Tokens Vexillologist Banners or Flags People in the World
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do” is a famous saying about customs. But what exactly do the Romans and other people do that is so different? Where do women wear rings in their noses to show they are married, for example? Where do people greet each other with a bow rather than a handshake? Here are some other ways people behave and beautify themselves around the world.- In Rome, Italy, adults drink coffee standing up at a coffee bar.
- Throughout Europe, people eat with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right.
- In India, women wear rings in their noses to show they are married.
- In New Zealand, chewing gum in public is considered impolite.
- In Russia, powerful handshakes among men are often carried to extremes.
- In Brazil, kids do not have sleepovers.
- In most parts of Asia, it is taboo to touch people's heads, especially those of children.
- In Taiwan, belching after a meal is considered a compliment to the cook.
- In Australia, pancakes are served at dinner rather than breakfast.
- In Thailand, people do not step on their doorsills. It is believed that a spirit lives in the threshold of every home.
- In many North African countries, children ride to school on donkeys.
- In Ethiopia, both males and females of the Surma tribes shave their heads as a mark of beauty. The women wear lip plates; their lower lips are pierced and stretched as ever-larger plates are inserted over time. The larger the plate, the more appealing the woman.
- In Japanese homes, a hot bath is prepared for the whole family at once. Members take turns soaping, scrubbing, and rinsing off outside the tub before soaking in it.
- In France, children celebrate their name day (a saint's feast day) rather than their birthday.
- In Bangladesh, people use their right hand when they eat or hand things to other people. They consider their left hand unclean.
- In the Himalaya Mountains of Asia, the Apa Tanis tribal people wear black wooden nose plugs and tattoos on their chins.
- In Taiwan, eating or drinking in the streets is considered crude.
- In India, people do not wear shoes in the kitchen because some food is prepared on the floor.
- In Pakistan, a bridegroom wears garlands of money given to him by his relatives on his wedding day.
- On many Greek islands, women bake their food in a communal village oven.
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