Six microsatellite - or short tandem repeat (STR) - systems with uniform repetitive sequences (HumTH01, HumCD4, HumFES/FPS, HumF13B, HumTPO, HumLPL) and three compound repeat systems (HumVWA, HumFIBRA, D21S11) were used, including data from the literature, to determine genetic distances among eight populations worldwide. The TH01- and VWA homologous loci in nonhuman primates (chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, rhesus monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs) were compared and found to be shorter than in humans. Microsatellites of lower complexity were most efficient for the separation of major ethnic groups. The loci of higher complexity showed a leveling of the diversity differences among populations, which could be attributed to higher mutation rates.