List of ethnic groups in Tanzania

Summary

There are more than 100 distinct ethnic groups and tribes in Tanzania, not including ethnic groups that reside in Tanzania as refugees from conflicts in nearby countries. These ethnic groups are of Bantu origin, with large Nilotic-speaking, moderate indigenous, and small non-African minorities. The country lacks a clear dominant ethnic majority: the largest ethnic group in Tanzania, the Sukuma people, comprises about 16 percent of the country's total population, followed by the Wanyakyusa and the Chagga. Unlike its neighbouring countries, Tanzania has not experienced large-scale ethnic conflicts, a fact attributed to the unifying influence of the Swahili language.[1]

The ethnic groups mentioned here are mostly differentiated based on ethnolinguistic lines. They may sometimes be referred to together with noun class prefixes appropriate for ethnonyms: this can be either a prefix from the ethnic group's native language (if Bantu), or the Swahili prefix wa.

[2]

Ethnic Group Region District Ethnolinguistic Group Notes
Alagwa

Seri

Dodoma Region

Kilimanjaro Region

Kondoa District

Rombo District

Cushite

Bantu

The community is associated with the arts of rainmaking, despite being 99% Muslim.

[3] The community associated with Agriculture and livestock keeping.

Akie Manyara Region Simanjiro District Khoisan The Akie, like all other hunter-gatherer persons in Tanzania and Kenya, are sometimes referred to as "Dorobo" or "Wandorobo", which is disparaging and false.[4]
Barabaig Manyara Region Hanang District Nilotic
Assa Manyara Region Kiteto District Cushite
Arusha Arusha Region Arusha District Nilotic
Bembe Katavi Region Mpanda District Bantu
Bena Njombe Region Njombe District Bantu
Bende Katavi Region Mpanda District Bantu
Bondei Tanga Region Pangani District & Muheza District Bantu
Bungu Mbeya Region Chunya District Bantu
Burunge Dodoma Region Kondoa District Cushite
Chagga,Seri Kilimanjaro Region Siha District, Moshi District, Moshi Rural District, Rombo District & Hai District Bantu
Datooga Arusha Region Karatu District Cushite
Dhaiso Tanga Region Muheza District Bantu
Digo Tanga Region Mkinga District & Tanga District Bantu
Doe Pwani Region Chalinze District Bantu
Fipa Rukwa Region Nkasi District & Sumbawanga District Bantu
Gogo Dodoma Region Chamwino District, Chemba District, Bahi District, Kongwa District & Mpwapwa District Bantu
Goma people Kigoma Region Kigoma-Ujiji District & Kigoma District Bantu
Gorowa Dodoma Region Kondoa District Cushite
Ha Kigoma Region Kasulu District & Kibondo District Bantu
Hadimu Zanzibar Kati District, Kaskazini A District , Kaskazini B District, Mjini District & Kusini District Bantu
Hadza Arusha Region Karatu District Khoisan
Hangaza Kagera Region Ngara District Bantu
Haya Kagera Region Muleba District, Bukoba Rural District, Bukoba District, & Missenyi District Bantu
Hehe Iringa Region Iringa District, Kilolo District, Mufindi District & Iringa Urban District Bantu
Holoholo people Kigoma Region Uvinza District Bantu
Ikizu Mara Region Bunda District Bantu
Ikoma Mara Region Serengeti District & Butiama District Bantu
Iraqw Manyara Region Hanang District, Babati District & Mbulu District Cushite
Isanzu Singida Region Mkalama District Bantu
Jiji Kigoma Region Kigoma-Ujiji District Bantu
Jita Mara Region Rorya District Bantu
Kaguru Morogoro Region Gairo District & Kilosa District Bantu
Kami Pwani Region Kisarawe District Bantu
Kara Mwanza Region Ukerewe District Bantu
Kerewe Mwanza Region Ukerewe District Bantu
Kimbu Mbeya Region Chunya District Bantu
Kinga Njombe Region Makete District Bantu
Kisi Njombe Region Makete District Bantu
Konongo Katavi Region Mpanda District Bantu
Kuria Mara Region Tarime District Bantu
Kutu Morogoro Region Morogoro Rural District Bantu
Kw'adza Manyara Region Mbulu District Cushite
Kwaya Mara Region Musoma Rural District Bantu
Lambya Songwe Region Momba District Bantu
Luguru Morogoro Region Mvomero District & Morogoro Rural District Bantu
Lungu Rukwa Region Kalambo District Bantu
Maasai Manyara Region & Arusha Region Ngorongoro District, Kiteto District, Simanjiro District, Longido District, Monduli District & Arusha District Nilotic
Machinga Lindi Region Lindi District & Kilwa District Bantu
Magoma Njombe Region Makete District Bantu
Mahanji Njombe Region Makete District Bantu
Makonde Mtwara Region & Lindi Region Mtwara-Mikindani District, Mtwara District, Ruangwa District, Nachingwea District, Masasi District, Lindi District, Tandahimba District & Newala District Bantu
Makua Mtwara Region Newala District & Tandahimba District Bantu
Malila Songwe Region Momba District Bantu
Mambwe Rukwa Region Kalambo District Bantu
Manyema Kigoma Region Kigoma District Bantu
Manda Njombe Region Ludewa District Bantu
Meru Arusha Region Meru District Bantu
Matengo Ruvuma Region Mbinga District Bantu
Matumbi Lindi Region Kilwa District Bantu
Maviha Mtwara Region Mtwara District Bantu
Mbugwe Manyara Region Babati District Bantu
Mbunga Iringa Region Kilolo District Bantu
Mbugu people Tanga Region Lushoto District Bantu
Mpoto Ruvuma Region Mbinga District Bantu
Mwera Lindi Region Kilwa District Bantu
Ndali Songwe Region Momba District Bantu
Ndamba Iringa Region Kilolo District Bantu
Ndendeule Ruvuma Region Namtumbo District Bantu
Ndengereko Pwani Region Mkuranga District, Kisarawe District & Rufiji District Bantu
Ndonde Lindi Region Nachingwea District Bantu
Ngasa Kilimanjaro Region Rombo District Bantu
Ngindo Lindi Region Liwale District Bantu
Ngoni Ruvuma Region Songea District Bantu
Ngulu Tanga Region Kilindi District Bantu
Ngurimi Mara Region Serengeti District & Tarime District Bantu
Iramba Singida Region & Shinyanga Region Iramba District & Kishapu District Bantu
Nindi Ruvuma Region Songea District Bantu
Nyakyusa Mbeya Region Kyela District & Rungwe District Bantu
Kwere Rukwa Region Nkasi District & Sumbawanga District Bantu
Nyambo Kagera Region Karagwe District Bantu
Nyamwanga Songwe Region Momba District Bantu
Nyamwezi Tabora Region & Shinyanga Region Urambo District, Kaliua District, Sikonge District, Nzega District, Kahama District, Shinyanga District, Uyui District & Igunga District Bantu
Nyanyembe Tabora Region Uyui District Bantu
Nyaturu Singida Region Ikungi District & Manyoni District Bantu
Nyiha Mbeya Region Mbozi District Bantu
Pangwa Njombe Region Ludewa District Bantu
Pare Kilimanjaro Region Mwanga District & Same District Bantu
Pimbwe Katavi Region Mpimbwe District & Mlele District Bantu
Pogolo Morogoro Region Kilombero District Bantu
Rangi Dodoma Region Kondoa District Bantu
Rufiji Pwani Region Rufiji District, Mafia District & Kibiti District Bantu
Rungwa Katavi Region Mpanda District Bantu
Safwa Mbeya Region Mbeya District & Rungwe District Bantu
Sagara Morogoro Region Kilosa District Bantu
Sandawe Dodoma Region Chemba District Bantu
Sangu Mbeya Region Chunya District Bantu
Segeju Tanga Region Mkinga District Bantu
Shambaa Tanga Region Korogwe District, Bumbuli District & Lushoto District Bantu
Shirazi Zanzibar Kati District, Kaskazini A District , Kaskazini B District, Mjini District & Kusini District Bantu
Shubi Kagera Region Ngara District Bantu
Suba Mara Region Rorya District Bantu
Sukuma Mwanza Region, Simiyu Region, Geita Region & Shinyanga Region Ilemela District, Kwimba District , Magu District, Misungwi District, Nyamagana District, Sengerema District , Geita District, Nyang'hwale District, Bariadi District, Busega District , Itilima District, Maswa District, Meatu District Shinyanga District, Kahama District , Kishapu District, Msalala District, Ushetu District & Mbogwe District Bantu
Sumbwa Geita Region Bukombe District Bantu
Swahili All Regions All Districts Bantu
Sonjo Arusha Region Ngorongoro District Bantu
Tongwe Kigoma Region Uvinza District Bantu
Tumbuka Rukwa Region Nkasi District & Sumbawanga District Bantu
Vidunda Morogoro Region Kilosa District Bantu
Vinza Kigoma Region Uvinza District Bantu
Wanda Rukwa Region Sumbawanga District Bantu
Wanji Njombe Region Makete District Bantu
Ware Mara Region Rorya District Bantu
Yao Ruvuma Region Tunduru District & Namtumbo District Bantu
Zanaki Mara Region Butiama District & Bunda District Bantu
Zaramo Dar es Salaam Region & Pwani Region Ilala District, Temeke District, Ubungo District , Kigamboni District, Kinondoni District, Bagamoyo District, Kibaha District , Chalinze District, Kisarawe District, Mkuranga District, Mafia District & Kibiti District Bantu
Zigua Tanga Region & Pwani Region Handeni District, Muheza District, Chalinze District, Kilindi District, Korogwe District & Pangani District Bantu
Zinza Geita Region & Mwanza Region Sengerema District, Geita District & Chato District Bantu

Other groups:

Name of Ethnic Group Region District Ethnolinguistic Group
Gujarati Dar es Salaam Region Ilala District Indo-Aryan

References edit

  1. ^ Ethnic groups of Tanzania
  2. ^ "Makabila ya Tanzania". Archived from the original on 2006-08-22. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
  3. ^ Raa, Eric Ten. “The Moon as a Symbol of Life and Fertility in Sandawe Thought.” Africa: Journal of the International African Institute, vol. 39, no. 1, 1969, pp. 24–53. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1157948. Accessed 18 Mar. 2023.
  4. ^ "Akie - A heavily endangered hunter‐gatherers' language in Central Tanzania" (PDF). Documentation of Endangered Languages. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-07-13. Retrieved June 12, 2021.

Ndwewe; from morogoro, Tanzania. Malinyi, Ulanga and Kilombero edit

  • Ethnologue
  • Ethnic groups of Tanzania