In which musical traditions are pentatonic scales especially common?

The pentatonic scale, a musical scale consisting of five distinct tones, is found in various forms across most of the world's music, suggesting it may represent an early stage of musical development.1

Pentatonic scales are especially common in the following traditions:

• East and Southeast Asia: These scales are a fundamental component of many East Asian musical traditions, where they often serve as the five-tone core of seven-note scales. An example is the five-tone slendro scale used in Javanese music.12
• Africa: Various pentatonic systems exist, including equi-pentatonic systems found in regions such as southern Uganda.13
• Native American Music: Pentatonicism is a recurring feature in the traditional music of Native American cultures.1
• European Folk Music: Many folk melodies across Europe utilize pentatonic scales.1

While the anhemitonic form (without semitones) is globally widespread, it is sometimes mistakenly associated exclusively with "Oriental" music. Additionally, 20th-century Western composers, such as Claude Debussy, have employed pentatonic scales in their experimental works.12