to sparsely populated areas, tropical rainforests, tundras and deserts. With the spread of the modern nation-state around the globe there are few true band societies left. Some historical examples include the Shoshone of the Great Basin in the United States, the San people of Southern Africa, the Mbuti of the Ituri Rainforest in Central Africa, and many groups of indigenous Australians, such as the Pitjantjatjara from Central Australia and the Palawa from Tasmania. See also Chiefdom, hierarchical political organizations in non-industrial societies. Tribe, a term with various meanings, including a band, a collection of related bands, or a more hierarchical chiefdom. Lineage-bonded societies, acephalous societies predicated on claims of a common ancestor. Band governments, in Canada, the basic unit of government for those peoples subject to the Indian Act Notes Citations Sources Hunter-gatherers Anthropological categories of peoples Ethnology Political anthropology