What's the difference between ethnicity and nationality?

Have you ever wondered what the difference between ethnicity and nationalityis? They're sometimes used as if they have the same meaning, but they're actually different for the most part.

But this difference is sometimes complicated. Understanding the nuances between the two can help you use the correct terms to refer to others in a respectful, appropriate way.

Ethnicity refers to groups of people that share culture, language, and heritage, or customs that are passed down from generation to generation.

When referring to different groups of people, consider the following:

Racial groups can be very broad. They're not necessarily ethnicities, but many people might identify with a particular group.

• Examples: East Asian, Black, Native American, White, etc.

Because race is such a sensitive topic, it's important to only mention someone’s racial background if it's relevant, and to be as specific as possible.

Similarly, “[t]here are more than 5000 groups of Indigenous peoples, spread over 90 countries, according to the United Nations.” (Ashwell & Morone). Be mindful of Indigenous peoples’ preferred names for their specific groups.

• Examples: Inuit, Diné, Aboriginal (mainly used in Australia), etc.

It's common to refer to people by their religion, but religious groups aren't necessarily ethnic groups. “Religion refers to a specific system of beliefs and worship” rather than culture, language, or heritage. There is some overlap, though.

For example, Judaism and Hinduism are both examples of ethnic religions, since they consist of beliefs and rituals that are passed down from generation to generation within a single ethnic group.

In places where multiple languages are spoken, people who speak the same language can often be considered an ethnic group.

For example, in Spain, you may refer to Basque, Castilian, Catalan, or Galician people, which are all groups that share a common language and culture. Comparatively, Spanish is a nationality and not an ethnic group.

Nationalities refer to where someone is from according to a geographical location, mostly a specific country.

Nationalitycan sometimes be an example of an ethnicity — Japanese, for example, refers to both a nationality and an ethnicity. But most often, nationalities are made up of a variety of ethnic groups.

Some examples of nationalities are:

• American

• Brazilian

• Canadian

• German

• Japanese

• Moroccan

• Swedish

Ethnicity

• Definition: Refers to a group of people who share common cultural traits, such as language, religion, traditions, customs, and history.

• Components: Includes cultural heritage, ancestry, history, language, and sometimes shared physical traits.

• Examples: Hispanic, Han Chinese, Zulu, Arab, Kurdish.

• Not Bound by Geography: Ethnic groups can be spread across multiple countries and regions.

• Fluidity: Can encompass a wide range of cultural identities within a larger ethnic group.

• Self-Identification: Often based on how individuals identify with a group’s cultural and historical aspects.

Nationality

• Definition: Refers to the legal relationship between an individual and a specific nation-state.

• Components: Includes citizenship, legal rights, and duties within a country.

• Examples: American, French, Brazilian, Japanese, Nigerian.

• Bound by Geography: Tied to a specific country or nation-state.

• Legal Status: Determined by laws of a country, often requiring formal processes like birthright, naturalization, or descent.

• Governmental Recognition: Officially recognized by governments and can affect legal status, rights, and identity documents.

Ethnicity

• Hispanic: Refers to people with cultural ties to Spanish-speaking countries, primarily in Latin America and Spain, sharing linguistic and cultural traditions.

• Han Chinese: The largest ethnic group in China, sharing language, cultural practices, and historical heritage.

• Zulu: An ethnic group from South Africa, known for its distinct language (Zulu) and cultural traditions.

• Arab: Refers to people who speak Arabic and share cultural and historical connections to the Arab world, which spans across the Middle East and North Africa.

• Kurdish: An ethnic group primarily found in the Middle East, sharing a common language (Kurdish) and cultural traditions, though spread across several countries like Turkey, Iraq, and Iran.

Nationality

• American: Individuals who hold citizenship in the United States, which includes people of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

• French: People who are citizens of France, legally recognized by the French government.

• Brazilian: Refers to individuals who have citizenship in Brazil, with a diverse population comprising various ethnicities.

• Japanese: Citizens of Japan, recognized by the Japanese government, with a distinct cultural and historical background.

• Nigerian: Refers to individuals who are legally recognized as citizens of Nigeria, a country with a multitude of ethnic groups like Yoruba, Igbo, and Hausa.

Photo by Menú Acapulco on Unsplash

This woman is from Acapulco, Mexico.

She might consider her nationalityas Mexican. She might also ethnically identify as Hispanic (Spanish speaking) and/or Latina (from Latin America).

She might also identify as a member of an Indigenous ethnic group that lives in Mexico.

The next time you need to refer to a group of people's background, ask yourself: