European folk tradition has informed the Wetern notion of fairies, but different types of Little People are found all over the planet:

AFRICA
abatwa: Tiny, shy people who live peacefully with ants in southern Africa. Very elusive, they are only seen by children, pregnant women and magicians.
Tokolush: Small, baboon-like spirit  from South Africa who is covered by black hair. He lives near streams and frightens travelers.
yumboes, Bakhna Rakhna, the Good People: Small, silver-haired people of Senegal who dance in the moonlight.

AUSTRALIA
mimis: Tiny, long-limbed spirits who live in rock crevices. Yams and roots form their staple diet, but they sometimes eat humans.

CHINA
hu hsien (fox spirits): Powerful shape-shifting nature spirits who are harmful and can pass through solid matter. Their elements are air, water and earth.

DENMARK
Ellerkonge: The elf king.

EASTERN EUROPE
ieles: Malevolent cat fairies who attack humans at crossroads and drain their blood.

FINLAND
the Tomtra: Male brownie who plays the fiddle and will only live in a tidy human home.

FRANCE
Corrigan: Malevolent Breton nature spirit.
feés, sprites: Fairies.
gobelin, goblins: Ugly, mischevious spirits.
grimelin, gremlins: Mischevious little people.

GERMANY
dwarves: Old-looking Little People who live underground, where they mine for gems and precious metals.
Erlkonig: King of the elves.
kobolds: Mine fairies.
nixies: River spirits who ripple the water.
wichtlein: Goblins.
Weisse Frau: Water fairy who protects children

GREAT BRITAIN
bean-nighe: Scottish banshees, who wash bloodstained clothes.
bendith y mamau: Welsh fairies.
blue men of the Minch: Shipwreck-causing water fairies of the Scottish islands.
bodach: Scottish brownie
bogles: Goblins who only harm liars and murderers
brownies, silkies: Helpful household fairies.
bwca, bwbachod: Welsh brownie
coblynau koblernigh: Welsh mine fairies.
ellyllon: Welsh elves.
the fach: Scottish Highland fairies.
the Fendoree: A Manx brownie.
the ferrishyn: Manx fairy tribe.
fireesin, the harvesters: Solitary Manx fairies who help farmers.
Guillyn Veggey, the little boys: Manx fairies
Gwragedd Annwn: Beautiful Welsh water fairies who somtimes take human husbands.
gwyllion: Malevolent Welsh mountain fairies.
hillmen, hogmen: Manx fairies, who are greatly feared. They may be seen on November 11, when they move their homes.
hyter sprites: East Anglian fairies who shapeshift into birds.
knockers, buccas: Cornish mine fairies.
kelpie: Scottish water fairies who often take the shape of ponies.
people of the hills: English green mound fairies.
pechs, pehts: Scottish fairies who build castles.
pixies, piskies, pigseys, pigsies, urchins: Green hedgehog fairies from Cornwall and Devon whose bells are heard across the moors. They dance near stones and steal horses. Pixies are usually mischevious.
portunes: farm fairies
Redcap: Malicious Scottish fairy.
Seelie Court: The fairy aristocracy, who ride in Fairy Rades.
selkies: Scottish seal fairies. Female selkies sometimes marry humans. Male selkies create storms and overturn boats in revenge for seal-hunting.
Shellycoat: Scottish water bogey.
sluagh: Highland fairies who are associated with death.
trows: Shetland trolls.
tylwyth teg: Welsh fairies who bestow gifts, dance in fairy rings and kidnap children with long golden hair.
trooping fairies: Scottish elves who dance in groups.
Unseelie Court, sluagh, The Host: Malicious Scottish fairies who live in dark places and sometimes kidnap people.
urisks: Ugly, friendly fairies from Scotland.

GRECO-ROMAN:
    dryads: Tree nymphs.
    naiads; naiades: River and spring nymphs.
    nereids: Sea nymphs.
    nymphs: Female tree and water fairies.
    sylphs; sylphids: Air spirits, usually female; immature sylph.
    undines: Female water sprites.

ICELAND
illes: Hairy trolls who can yake beautiful human forms for short periods.

INDIA
devas (m), devis (f): Plant spirits who manifest as golden auras around healthy plants. They guide humans to medicinal plants.
nagas: Beautiful earth and water spirits who have magical powers and live in underground cities. They are shape-shifters who often take the hybrid form of snakes and humans, sometimes with many heads.

IRAN
peris: Tree fairies, the descendants of fallen angels.

IRELAND
ballybogs: Small fairies associated with bogs, who may be helpful or harmful.
banshees, bean si, bean sidhe (woman of the fairies): Wailing female death spirits with long, flowing hair; remnants of the Tuatha de Danann. Banshees live in sparkling fairy heavens beneath grassy hills, wear gray cloaks and green dresses. A banshee may attach herself to a particular family and wail eerily whenever one of them is about to die.
cluricauns: Drunken leprecauns who come out at night.
the daoine sidhe: Underground Fairy Court of the dispossessed Tuatha de Danann. Finvarra, their king, has never been beaten at chess by a human.
fir darrigs:  Fat, ugly  fairies who decended from the Fomorians.
the Gentry: Large, very noble fairies.
the Green Lady of Caerphilly: Ivy fairy.
leprechauns: Cunning Irish fairies who make shoes and own pots of gold. They are always seen alone.
Phooka: Shape-shifting goblin who takes the form of a pony to abduct travelers.
roane: Irish seal fairies.
sidhe: Beauty-loving fairies who detest cheapness and are attracted to luxurious places.

ICELAND
fylgiars: Guardian fairies of people born with cauls over their faces.
vardogls: Small fairies who dance when the moon is full.

ITALY
folletti, grandinilli: Nearly invisible weather fairies whose toes point backwards.

JAPAN
kappa: Harmful water spirits who capture swimmers in lakes and rivers.
tengu: Winged woodland fairies.

MEXICO and CENTRAL AMERICA
jimaninos, jimaninas: Winged, childlike fairies of the seasons.
zips: Shy, thin male fairies.

MIDDLE EAST
afreet (m), afreeta (f): Strong, cunning spirit that may be good or evil, a kind of djinn often found near ruins. They are made of smoke, have wings, can be very large and sometimes marry humans. Magick is the only weapon effective against them.
djinn (m), Djinna (f); jinn/jinna (genies): Invisible, shape-shifting elementals who predate humans and may be helpful or harmful. They are usually said to live underground, but Egyptian folklore insists it is impossible to enter a bathroom without stepping on them. Djinna sometimes take human husbands, who keep them locked away. There are three classes of djinn: afreet, si'la and ghul (ghouls). Air and fire are their elements. Their city, Irem of the Pillars (City of the Old Ones), is located in Rub al Khali (the Empty Quarter). You must achieve an altered state of consciousness to enter it.
ghul (m), ghulla (f): Desert spirits who are insatiable but only eat humans when they have to.
lilitu: Female wind spirits associated with Lilith, Adam's first wife.
mazikeen, shideem, shehireem: Winged Jewish fairies who were born of the union of Adam and Eve with spirits. They are shape-shifters with the powers of magic, divination and enchantment.
si'la: Harmful spirits, a kind of djinn who cannot change their shape.
uttuku: Assyrian banshees.

NETHERLANDS
alven: Nearly invisible fairies who come out ay night.

NORTH AMERICA
bokwus (Native American): Malevolent forest spirit who drowns fishermen. He has warpaint on his face and is often seen near rushing water.
Kul (Inuit): Arctic water spirit who helps fisherfolk.
manitou (Algonquin Indian): These fairy folk of eastern North America are tricksters with antlers or horns who make magic by drumming.
mekumwasuck (Passamaquoddy Indian): Little People of the woods with ugly, hairy faces. They dress outlandishly and bring sickness or death to anyone they look directly at.
nagumwasuck (Passamaquoddy Indian): Ugly, helpful spirits who look like small people. They dance at weddings, sing sadly when there is a death in the tribe, and bring good luck.
ohdows (Native American): Small tribal people with magical powers who live in deep underground caves. They prevent earthquakes, stop demons and dangerous earth spirits from reaching the surface.

NORWAY
fossegrim: Waterfall fairies who may be helpful or harmful to humans.
thussers: Small fjord fairies who emerge at night, especially when the moon is full.

PAPUA NEW GUINEA
dama dagenda: Jungle spirits who attack travelers.
kilyakai: Tiny, wizened forest demons who use poison arrows, steal babies and livestock.

RUSSIA
domovoi (m), domovikha (f): Helpful house fairies who live in the cellar.

SCANDINAVIA
tomte, nissen
elves: Little people with magical powers. Some are helpful, some mishevious.
trolls: Supernatural Little People who dwell in caves and hills.

SLAVIC countries
leshy: Malicious forest spirits who make people get lost.

SOUTH AMERICA
Cururipur: Powerful jungle spirit who protects tortoises.

SWEDEN
uldra: Little People of Lapland, who live undeground and eat reindeer.

UNITED STATES
menahume, menihuni (Hawaiian): Tiny, agile night spirits with black hair and pointy ears who do housework.
Tooth Fairy: A kindly woman who comes at night to exchange a child's lost tooth, left under the pillow, for money.