The paper explores the significance of livestock genetic diversity in the dry rangelands of the Near East, Central Asia, and selected countries in East and South Asia, South and Central America and Africa. The selection of range-land versus non-rangeland countries is based on the production system maps developed by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). The analysis includes cattle, sheep, goats, camelids, horses and asses. Data on breed distribution and risk status are obtained from the global database of the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS), which contains information on 37 species of domestic animals used in food and agriculture from 180 countries.