The textbook introduces the reader to the historical and cultural regions of the world. The main goal is to acquaint students with the ethnocultural picture of the modern population of the Earth, to present all the diversity of racial and ethnic composition, religions and languages, features of interethnic interactions, including conflicts. An important feature is the fact that the textbook combines the religious basis of the historical and cultural region with the characteristics of the material and spiritual culture of the peoples inhabiting it, and introduces UNESCO cultural heritage centers. The materials presented in the textbook are at the intersection of several scientific disciplines: geography, ethnology, history, religious studies. The formation of knowledge about the historical and cultural regions of the modern world will allow us to form the foundations of interethnic tolerance, multicultural and interfaith cooperation in modern Russian society. The textbook is intended for university students and teachers; it can also be used to formulate the content of elective courses in high school.