Which European countries have the greatest and lowest range in phenotypes?

[arkas]

I have observed that some European ethnic groups tend to have a great diversity in phenotypes, whilst others can be quite distinct. Eg - Italians seem to me to have a much greater range than their fellow Southern Europeans to the East, Greeks.

[Berlko2]

IMO Italians can be more varied. Although there are significant regional variations within every country, the Italians seem to win the prize, from middle-eastern looking to nordic looking people and everything inbetween.

I’ve also noticed significant regional variations in some Eastern European and Balkan countries, especially in Romania (gypsies do not count), as well as in France.

The most uniforms IMO are Scandinavian countries, Iberia and the British Isles.

I think this is related to the geographical location of some countries that comprise a wide range of climates and topography, as well as their position between different civilizations and cultures that made this countries prone to invasions from different peoples.

[arkas]

IMO Italians can be more varied. Although there are significant regional variations within every country, the Italians seem to win the prize, from middle-eastern looking to nordic looking people and everything inbetween.

I’ve also noticed significant regional variations in some Eastern European and Balkan countries, especially in Romania (gypsies do not count), as well as in France.

The most uniforms IMO are Scandinavian countries, Iberia and the British Isles.

I have observed the same things, except for the British Isles being as uniform as the others mentioned. I totally agree with you on Italians, they have the absolute greatest range.

I think this is related to the geographical location of some countries that comprise a wide range of climates and topography, as well as their position between different civilizations and cultures that made this countries prone to invasions from different peoples.

I think that summed it up perfectly!

[Berlko2]

I have observed the same things, except for the British Isles being as uniform as the others mentioned. I totally agree with you on Italians, they have the absolute greatest range.



I think that summed it up perfectly!

Thanks! I put it this way: it’s easier to differenciate a Sicilian or Calabrian from a Tyrolese or Piedmontese, while it’s harder to differenciate an Andalucian or Valencian from a Basque or a Galician, or an Englishman from a Welsh or Scottish.

On the other hand, I think another factor that played a fundamental role regarding the diversity of phenotypes is the fact that countries like Spain or Britain unified and became nation-states long before Italy, which was dicided into serveral city-states until recently.

Spain for example saw heavy waves of internal migrations for a long time: Basques to Andalucia, Andalucians to Catalonia, etc. In Italy this happened as well but to a lesser extent, as there were some Lombard and Piedmontese settlements in the south and large waves of immigrants from the south to the industrial north.

[Columella]

I agree and disagree.

I agree that between an English and a Scottish or a Welsh there is overall little difference. While -some- Italians there can be an obvious broad difference.

However in my experience the British/Irish variation (especially in pigmentation) is far superior than most other countries I have visited (except perhaps Czech Rep).

Few other countries have such a broad combination in skin hair and eye colour.

[MysteriousWays]

Broadest range: France and Italy, followed by some grouping of Greece, Germany, Bulgaria and Romania. Maybe Hungary and Poland too.

Narrowest range: Finland, Baltic states.