Nomad

Etymology

Latin nomad-, nomas member of a wandering pastoral people, from Greek, from nemein

• Date: 1579

Defnitions

• 1 : a member of a people who have no fixed residence but move from place to place usually seasonally and within a well-defined territory
• 2 : an individual who roams about

Description

Nomadic people (Greek: νομάδες, nomádes, "those who let pasture herds") are communities of people who move from one place to another, rather than settling permanently in one location. There are an estimated 30-40 million nomads in the world. Many cultures have traditionally been nomadic, but traditional nomadic behavior is increasingly rare in industrialized countries. Nomadic cultures are discussed in three categories according to economic specialization: hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads, and "peripatetic nomads".

Nomadic hunting and gathering, following seasonally available wild plants and game, is by far the oldest human subsistence method.

Pastoralists raise herds, driving them or moving with them, in patterns that normally avoid depleting pastures beyond their ability to recover.

Peripatetic nomads, who offer the skills of a craft or trade to those they travel among, are most common in industrialized nations.[1]