The goal of the International HapMap Project is to determine the common patterns 
of DNA sequence variation in the human genome and to make this information 
freely available in the public domain. An international consortium is developing 
a map of these patterns across the genome by determining the genotypes of one 
million or more sequence variants, their frequencies and the degree of 
association between them, in DNA samples from populations with ancestry from 
parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. The HapMap will allow the discovery of 
sequence variants that affect common disease, will facilitate development of 
diagnostic tools, and will enhance our ability to choose targets for therapeutic 
intervention.