Gnomes and Halflings no longer exist, apparently they were rare to begin with, and were driven into extinction. Perhaps they were eaten.
Elves and Dwarves are available classes, but would usually be considered rare and unusual. Half-elf, half-orc and human races are the most common.
The racial special abilities are being moved into the character building rules, and the ones that are available will be available to all races, so there is no particular advantage or disadvantage to being part of a particular race.
RACE AND LANGUAGES
All characters know how to speak Common. A dwarf, elf, half-elf or half-orc also speaks a racial language, as appropriate. A character who has an Intelligence bonus at 1st level speaks other languages as well, one extra language per point of Intelligence bonus as a starting character.
Literacy: Any character can read and write all the languages he or she speaks.
Abyssal, Celestial, Infernal, Sylvan and Draconic languages are available.
For no cost, any player of any race may chose to fall in the following category (Small):
SMALL CHARACTERS
A Small character gets a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks. A Small character’s carrying capacity is three-quarters of that of a Medium character.
A Small character generally moves about two-thirds as fast as a Medium character.
A Small character must use smaller weapons than a Medium character.
All races now start at the base land speed of 20 feet. However, they can move at this speed even when wearing medium or heavy armor or when carrying a medium or heavy load (unlike other creatures, whose speed is reduced in such situations). Increased foot speed may be purchased.
All races now start with normal (human) vision. They may chose to purchase low light vision, or dark vision
HUMANS
• Automatic Language: Common. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Speak Language skill.
DWARVES
• +2 Constitution, –2 Charisma.
• Weapon Familiarity: Dwarves may treat dwarven waraxes and dwarven urgroshes as martial weapons, rather than exotic weapons.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Dwarven. Bonus Languages: Giant, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, Terran, and Undercommon.
ELVES
• +2 Dexterity, –2 Constitution.
• Weapon Proficiency: Elves receive the Martial Weapon Proficiency feats for the longsword, rapier, longbow (including composite longbow), and shortbow (including composite shortbow) as bonus feats.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Gnoll, Gnome, Goblin, Orc, and Sylvan.
HALF-ELVES
• Elven Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-elf is considered an elf.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Elven. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic).
HALF-ORCS
• +2 Strength, –2 Intelligence, –2 Charisma.
A half-orc’s starting Intelligence score is always at least 3. If this adjustment would lower the character’s score to 1 or 2, his score is nevertheless 3.
• Orc Blood: For all effects related to race, a half-orc is considered an orc.
• Automatic Languages: Common and Orc. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Giant, Gnoll, Goblin, and Abyssal.