There is a division between edge blown flutes (end blown and side blown) and fipple flutes or whistles such as the recorder, penny whistle, native american flute and tonette.
Among edge blown flutes there is a division between side-blown (or transverse) flutes, such as the Western concert flute, piccolo, fife, dizi, and bansuri; and end-blown flutes, such as the ney, kaval, quena, shakuhachi and xiao.
In edge blown flutes, the player must form and direct the stream with his or her lips, which is called an embouchure. This allows the player a wide range of expressions in pitch, volume, and timbre, especially in comparison to fipple flutes. However, it also makes these flutes immensely more difficult for a beginner to get a full sound out of than fipple flutes such as the recorder. Transverse (side blown) flutes also take more air to play, which requires deeper breathing and makes circular breathing trickier, but still not impossible.
World flute survey at flutopedia.com
a list of flute types from Wikipedia:
Side-blown / transverse
Bansuri (India) Banshi (Bangladesh) Daegeum (Korea) Dizi (China)
Fue: Japan: (Kagurabue Komabue Minteki Nohkan Ryūteki Shinobue Yokobue)
Glass flute Irish flute Fife Five-key flute Simple system flute
Koudi Sáo Tambin Venu Xindi
Western Concert: Piccolo Treble Soprano Concert Flûte d'amour Alto BassContra-alto Contrabass Subcontrabass Double contrabass Hyperbass
End-blown
Anasazi flute Danso Floghera Frilka
Fue: Japan: (Hotchiku Shakuhachi)
Gudi Kaval Kōauau Ney Quena/Kena/Qina Quray Sodina Sopilka Šupelka Svirel Washint Xiao
Nose flute (Kalaleng Nambiquara Nose whistle)
Pan Kuvytsi Larchemi Nai Miskal Paixiao Siku/Antara/Sampoña Soinari Wot
Fipple / duct flute / whistle
Almpfeiferl Atenteben Dentsivka Diple Dvoyanka Flabiol Flageolet Frula Fujara Khloy Khlui Kuisi Native American flute
Organ pipe Pinkillu Salamuri Shvi Sjøfløyte Slide whistle Souravli Spilåpipa Stabule Tarka Tabor pipe Tin whistle/Low whistle Txistu Whistle Xirula Zuffolo
Recorders: Garklein Sopranino Soprano (descant) Alto (treble) Voice flute Tenor Bass Great bass Contrabass Sub-great bass Sub-contrabass
Overtone Fujara Kalyuka Koncovka Willow flute
Vessel Gemshorn Pifana Hun Molinukai Ocarina Tonette Xun Shepherd's whistle