Ethnic groups in Africa

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Further information: Demographics of Africa and Languages of Africa
Ethnic groups in Africa
1996 map of the major ethnolinguistic groups of Africa, by the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division (substantially based on G.P. Murdock, Africa, its peoples and their cultural history, 1959). Color-coded are major 15 ethnolinguistic super-groups, as follows:
Afro-Asiatic
      Hamitic (Berber, Cushitic) + Semitic (Ethiopian, Arabic)
     Hausa (Chadic)
Niger Congo
     Bantu
     "Guinean" (Volta-Niger, Kru)
     "Western Bantoid" (Senegambian, Bak)
     "Central Bantoid" (Gur)
     "Eastern Bantoid" (Southern Bantoid)
     Mande
Nilo-Saharan (unity doubtful)
     Nilotic
     Central Sudanic+Eastern Sudanic
     Kanuri
     Songhai
other
     Khoi-San (unity doubtful; Khoikhoi, Bushmen, Sandawe, Hadza)
     Malayo-Polynesian (Malagasy)
     Indo-European (Afrikaaner)


Ethnic groups in Africa number in the hundreds, each generally having its own language (or dialect of a language) and culture.

Many ethnic groups and nations of Sub-Saharan Africa qualify, although some groups are of a size larger than a tribal society. These mostly originate with the Sahelian kingdoms of the medieval period, such as that of the Akan, deriving from Bonoman (11th century) then the Kingdom of Ashanti (17th century).[1]

Contents

Overview [edit]

For more details on this topic, see Demographics of Africa.

The official population count of the various ethnic groups in Africa has in some instances been controversial because certain groups believe populations are fixed to give other ethnicities numerical superiority (as in the case of Nigeria's Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo people).[2][3][4] The following ethnic groups number 10 million people or more:

Northern Africa [edit]

Western Africa [edit]

Horn of Africa [edit]

Central Africa [edit]

Eastern Africa [edit]

Southern Africa [edit]

List of African peoples [edit]

North Africa [edit]

Name Phylum Language Region Country Population (million) Notes
Egyptians Afro-Asiatic, Semitic Egyptian Arabic (Masri) Nile Valley Egypt 83
Berbers Afro-Asiatic, Berber Berber, Arabic languages Maghreb Morocco, Algeria, Libya 75
Dinka Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic Dinka language Nile Valley South Sudan 5
Nubians Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic Nobiin Nile Valley Sudan, Egypt 0.5
Nuer Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic Nuer language Nile Valley, Horn of Africa South Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia 5
Shilluk Nilo-Saharan, Eastern Sudanic Shilluk language Nile Valley South Sudan 1.5

West Africa [edit]

Name Phylum Language Region Country Population (million) Notes
Akan Niger–Congo, Kwa Akan West South Ghana, Ivory Coast 25 a group of related sub-ethnicities. The largest subgroups are the Ashanti and the Fante (both themselves consisting of numerous subgroups)
Aku (Creole) Aku West Gambia 0.01
Baka Ubangi Baka West/Central Southeastern Cameroon, Northern Congo, Northern Gabon 0.3-0.4 The Baka are also known as Bebayaka, Bebayaga, or Bibaya, or (along with the other Mbenga peoples) the derogatory Babinga.
Bambara Niger–Congo, Mande Bambara West Mali 3
Basaa Niger–Congo, Bantu Basaa West Cameroon 0.2
Bassa Niger–Congo, Kru Bassa West Liberia 0.3
Biafada Niger–Congo Biafada West Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau
Dendi Niger–Congo Dendi West Benin
Edo (also called Bini or Benin) Niger–Congo, Edo Edo West Nigeria
Efik Niger–Congo, Cross River Ibibio-Efik West Nigeria, Cameroon, Southern Cameroons
Eket Niger–Congo, Cross River Eket (Ibibio dialect) West Africa Nigeria, Cameroon, Southern Cameroons
Ewe Niger–Congo, Gbe Ewe West Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Volta Region 6
Beti-Pahuin Niger–Congo, Bantu Ewondo, Fang, Bulu West Cameroon, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, São Tomé and Príncipe 3.3 group of 20 sub-ethnicities
Biafada Niger–Congo Biafada West Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau
Fon Niger–Congo Fon West Benin, Nigeria
Fulani Niger–Congo, Senegambian Fula West Guinea, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Chad, Mauritania, Sudan, Togo, Ivory Coast 27
Ga Niger–Congo, Kwa Ga, Ga-Adangme West Togo, Greater Accra 2
Gwari West Nigeria
Hausa Afro-Asiatic, Chadic Hausa West/Northern Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Sudan 30-35
Igbo (Ibo) Niger–Congo, Volta–Niger Igbo West Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea 15-30[5] Includes various subgroups.
Esan Niger–Congo, Kwa Esan West Nigeria
Ijaw Niger–Congo, Ijoid Ijaw West Nigeria 14 [6] Sub-groups include Andoni, Ibani, Kalabari, Nembe, Ogbia and Okrika.
Jola Niger–Congo, Senegambian Jola, Kriol West Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau .5
Mandinka Niger–Congo, Mande Mandingo West/Central The Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Liberia, Guinea Bissau, Niger, Mauritania, Chad 13
Marka Niger–Congo, Mande Marka West/Northern Mali
Meta also Metta Widikum, Bantu, Semi-Bantu, Bantoid Meta West, Central Cameroon, Southern Cameroons
Mende Niger–Congo, Mande Mende West Sierra-Leone 2
Papel Niger–Congo Papel West Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau
Serer Niger–Congo, Senegambian Serer, Cangin West Found mostly in Senegal and The Gambia. Small number Mauritania. Also found in the West. 1.9[7][8][9] The Serer people include: Serer-Sine, Serer-Safene, Serer-Ndut, Serer-Palor, Serer-Niominka, Serer-Laalaa, Serer-Noon. Apart from the Serer-Sine, they speak Cangin languages rather than Serer.
Songhai Nilo-Saharan Songhai West Mali 1.5
Tiv Niger–Congo, Bantu Tiv West Nigeria, Cameroon 2
Urhobo Niger–Congo, Volta–Niger Urhobo West Nigeria 1-1.5
Wolof Niger–Congo, Senegambian Wolof West Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania 4
Yoruba Niger–Congo, Volta–Niger Yoruba West Nigeria, Benin, Togo 38

Horn of Africa [edit]

Name Phylum Language Region Country Population (million) Notes
Afar Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Af Afar Horn of Africa Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea 1.5
Agaw Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Agaw Horn of Africa Ethiopia, Eritrea 1
Amhara Afro-Asiatic, Semitic Amharic Horn of Africa Ethiopia 20
Beja Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Beja Horn of Africa Sudan, Eritrea 2
Bilen Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Bilen Horn of Africa Eritrea 0,2
Gurage Afro-Asiatic, Semitic Gurage Horn of Africa Ethiopia 1.9
Oromo Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Afan Oromo Horn of Africa Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Kenya 30
Saho Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Saho Horn of Africa Eritrea, Ethiopia 0.2
Sidama Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Af Sidama Horn of Africa Ethiopia 3
Somali Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic Somali Horn of Africa Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya 20
Tigray Afro-Asiatic, Semitic Tigrinya Horn of Africa Ethiopia, Eritrea 6.7
Tigre Afro-Asiatic, Semitic Tigre Horn of Africa Sudan, Eritrea 1.5

Central Africa [edit]

Name Carlo Language Region Country Population (million) Notes
Aka Nilo-Saharan, Pygmy Aka Central/Northern Western Central African Republic, Northwest Congo The Aka are one of three groups of pygmies, collectively called BaMbuti, of the Ituri Rainforest
Baka Pygmy Baka Central/Northern Western Equatoria in South Sudan 0.25 There is also another ethnic group called Baka living across West Africa.
Chewa Niger–Congo, Bantu Chichewa Central/Southern Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe 9
Chokwe Niger–Congo, Bantu Chokwe Central Angola, Congo (Kinshasa), Zambia 1.1
Efé Nilo-Saharan, Pygmy Efe Central/Northern Ituri Rainforest of Congo The Efe are one of three groups of pygmies, collectively called BaMbuti, of the Ituri Rainforest
Kongo Niger–Congo, Bantu Kongo Central Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Republic of the Congo 10
Lingala Niger–Congo, Bantu Lingala Central Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Angola, Central African Republic
Luba Niger–Congo, Bantu Luba-Kasai, Luba-Katanga Central Democratic Republic of the Congo 13
Mbundu Niger–Congo, Bantu Kimbundu Central Angola 2.4
Mongo Niger–Congo, Bantu Mongo Central Democratic Republic of the Congo 12
Ovimbundu Niger–Congo, Bantu Umbundu Central Angola 4.6
Sua Nilo-Saharan, Pygmy Sua Central/Northern Ituri Rainforest of Congo The Sua are one of three groups of pygmies, collectively called BaMbuti, of the Ituri Rainforest
Zande Niger–Congo, Ubangian Zande Central/Northern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Central African Republic 1-4

East Africa [edit]

Name Phylum Language Region Country Population (million) Notes
Alur Nilotic, Luo Alur East/Central Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Ganda Niger–Congo, Bantu Ganda East, Great Lakes Uganda 3
Hutu Niger–Congo, Bantu Rwanda-Rundi East, Great Lakes Rwanda, Burundi, DR Congo 16
Jabiyan Unknown Jabiyan East, Great Lakes Rwanda, DR Congo, Uganda 0.1
Kamba Niger–Congo, Bantu Kamba East Kenya
Kalenjin Highland Nilotes Kalenjin East Kenya 3
Kikuyu Niger–Congo, Bantu Gikuyu East Kenya 5.3
Kwama Nilo-Saharan Kwama East/Northern Ethiopia, Sudan
Luo River-Lake Nilotes Luo East Kenya
Luhya Niger–Congo, Bantu Luhya East Kenya 5.4
Maasai Plains Nilotes Maasai East Kenya, Tanzania 0.9
Makonde Niger–Congo, Bantu Makonde East/Southern Tanzania, Mozambique 1.3
Ameru Niger–Congo, Bantu Meru East Kenya
Samburu Plains Nilotes Samburu North/Central Kenya 0.1
Swahili Niger-Congo, Bantu Swahili East Tanzania, Kenya, Mozambique 0.1
Tutsi Niger–Congo, Bantu Rwanda-Rundi East Africa, Great Lakes Rwanda, Burundi, Congo 3
Great Lakes Twa (Batwa) Pygmy Rundi, Kiga Great Lakes Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Eastern Congo 0.8

Southern Africa [edit]

Name Phylum Language Region Country Population (million) Notes
Afrikaner Indo-European Afrikaans South South Africa, Namibia 3.0
San (Bushmen) Khoisan Khoisan South South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, Angola 0.09
Ambo (Ovambo, Owambo) Niger–Congo, Bantu Ovambo South Namibia 0.9
Bemba Niger–Congo, Bantu Bemba language South Zambia 0.2
Herero Niger–Congo, Bantu Herero South Namibia, Botswana, Angola 0.2
Wayeyi Niger–Congo, Bantu Shiyeyi South Namibia, Botswana, Angola 0.3
Himba Niger–Congo, Bantu Otjihimbo (Herero dialect) South Namibia 0.05
Khoikhoi Khoisan Khoekhoegowab South -
Makua Niger–Congo, Bantu Makua South/East Mozambique, Tanzania 1.1
North Ndebele Bantu, Nguni Sindebele South Zimbabwe 1.5
South Ndebele Niger–Congo, Bantu Southern Ndebele South South Africa .7
Shona Niger–Congo, Bantu Shona South/East Mozambique, Zimbabwe 10.6
Swazi Bantu, Nguni Swazi South Swaziland, South Africa, Mozambique 3.5
Tsonga Bantu, Nguni Swazi South Swaziland, South Africa, Mozambique 5.5
Venda Niger–Congo, Bantu Venda South South Africa, Zimbabwe 1
Xhosa Bantu, Nguni Xhosa South South Africa 7.9
Zulu Bantu, Nguni Zulu South South Africa 10.6

See also [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ethnic groups in Africa
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Maps of ethnic groups in Africa
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Africans

References [edit]

  1. ^ Cohen, Robin (1995). The Cambridge Survey of World Migration. Cambridge University Press. p. 197. ISBN 052-1-4440-55.  Wickens, Gerald E; Lowe, Pat (2008). The Baobabs: Pachycauls of Africa, Madagascar and Australia. Springer Science+Business Media. 2008. p. 360. ISBN 978-1-4020-6431-9. 
  2. ^ Onuah, Felix (29 December 2006). "Nigeria gives census result, avoids risky details". Reuters. Retrieved 2008-11-23. 
  3. ^ Lewis, Peter (2007). Growing Apart: Oil, Politics, and Economic Change in Indonesia and Nigeria. University of Michigan Press. p. 132. ISBN 0-472-06980-2. Retrieved 2008-11-23. 
  4. ^ Suberu, Rotimi T. (2001). Federalism and Ethnic Conflict in Nigeria. US Institute of Peace Press. p. 154. ISBN 1-929223-28-5. Retrieved 2008-12-18. 
  5. ^ Sources vary widely about the population. Mushanga, p. 166, says "over 20 million"; Nzewi (quoted in Agawu), p. 31, says "about 15 million"; Okafor, p. 86, says "about twenty-five million"; Okpala, p. 21, says "around 30 million"; and Smith, p. 508, says "approximately 20 million".
  6. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publcations/the-world-factbook/geos/ni.html
  7. ^ Agence Nationale de la Statistique et de la Démographie. In Senegal alone, estimated figure for 2007 is 1,840,712.1
  8. ^ Gambia keep poor records of its ethnic minorities. Estimated Gambian figure is 31,900 (2006) Ethnologue.com
  9. ^ Mauritania (2006 estimate) 3500. Joshua Project
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