The average charged particle multiplicity and the multiplicity distribution are among the basic observables characterizing hadronic final states. They have been extensively studied both theoretically and experimentally, and many predictions exist for their evolution with energy and their different behaviour according to the nature of the particle starting the hadronization (gluon or quark of different flavours). Recent data from LEP and SLD on multiplicity and multiplicity distributions in e(+)e(-) annihilations are reviewed.