List of ethnic groups in Ethiopia explained

This is a list of ethnic groups in Ethiopia that are officially recognized by the government. It is a list taken from the 2007 Ethiopian National Census:[1] [2] Population size and percentage of Ethiopia's total population according to the 1994 and 2007 censuses follows each entry.

Ethiopia's population is highly diverse, containing over 80 different ethnic groups. Most people in Ethiopia speak Afro-Asiatic languages, mainly of the Cushitic and Semitic branches. The former includes the Oromo and Somali, and the latter includes the Amhara and Tigray. Together these four groups make up three-quarters of the population.

The country also has Omotic ethnic groups who speak Afro-Asiatic languages of the Omotic branch. They inhabit the southern regions of the country, particularly the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region. Among these are the Welayta and Gamo.

Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nilotic ethnic groups also inhabit the southwestern regions of the country, particularly in the Gambela Region. Among these are the Nuer and Anuak who are also found in South Sudan which borders the Gambela Region.

Officially recognized ethnic groups in Ethiopia

Ethnic
group
Language
family
Census
1994[3]
Census
2007[4]
Number%Number%
AariAfro-Asiatic155,0020.29290,4530.39
AfarAfro-Asiatic979,3671.841,276,3741.73
Agaw-AwiAfro-Asiatic397,4910.75631,5650.85
Agaw-HamyraAfro-Asiatic158,2310.30267,8510.36
AlabaAfro-Asiatic125,9000.24233,2990.32
AmharaAfro-Asiatic16,007,93330.1319,870,65126.89
AnuakNilotic45,6650.0985,9090.12
ArboreAfro-Asiatic6,5590.016,8400.01
ArgobbaAfro-Asiatic62,8310.12140,1340.19
BachaNilo-Saharan2,632< 0.01
BasketoAfro-Asiatic51,0970.1078,2840.11
BenchAfro-Asiatic173,1230.33353,5260.48
BertaNilo-Saharan183,2590.25
BodiNilo-Saharan4,6860.016,9940.01
Brayle5,0020.01
BurjiAfro-Asiatic46,5650.0971,8710.10
BenaNiger-Congo27,0220.04
Beta IsraelAfro-Asiatic2,321<0.01
CharaAfro-Asiatic6,9840.0113,2100.02
DaasanachAfro-Asiatic32,0990.0648,0670.07
DawroAfro-Asiatic331,4830.62543,1480.74
Debase/ GawwadaAfro-Asiatic33,9710.0668,6000.09
DirasheAfro-Asiatic30,0810.04
DimeAfro-Asiatic6,1970.01891<0.01
DiziAfro-Asiatic21,8940.0436,3800.05
DongaNilo-Saharan35,1660.05
Fedashe7,3230.013,448< 0.01
GamoOmotic719,8471.351,107,1631.50
Gebato75<0.011,502< 0.01
GedeoAfro-Asiatic639,9051.20986,9771.34
Gedicho5,4830.01
GidoleAfro-Asiatic54,3540.1041,1000.06
GoffaAfro-Asiatic241,5300.45363,0090.49
GumuzNilo-Saharan121,4870.23159,4180.22
GurageAfro-Asiatic4,290,2744.311,867,3772.53
Silt'eAfro-Asiatic940,7661.27
HadiyaAfro-Asiatic927,9331.751,284,3731.74
HamarAfro-Asiatic42,4660.0846,5320.06
HarariAfro-Asiatic21,7570.0431,8690.04
IrobAfro-Asiatic33,3720.05
KaffichoAfro-Asiatic599,1881.13870,2131.18
KambaataAfro-Asiatic499,8250.94630,2360.85
kebenaAfro-Asiatic[5] 35,0720.0752,7120.07
KontaAfro-Asiatic83,6070.11
KomoNilo-Saharan1,526<0.017,7950.01
KonsoAfro-Asiatic153,4190.29250,4300.34
KooreAfro-Asiatic107,5950.20 156,9830.21
Kontoma Afro-Asiatic0.4 48,5430.05
KunamaNilo-Saharan2,007<0.014,8600.01
KaroAfro-Asiatic1,464< 0.01
Kusumie7,4700.01
KweguNilo-Saharan4,4070.01
MaleAfro-Asiatic46,4580.0998,1140.13
MaoAfro-Asiatic16,2360.0343,5350.06
MareqoAfro-Asiatic[6] 38,0960.0764,3810.09
MasholaAfro-Asiatic10,4580.01
Mere people14,2980.02
Me'enNilo-Saharan52,8150.10151,4890.20
Messengo15,3410.0310,9640.01
MajangirNilo-Saharan21,9590.03
MossiyeAfro-Asiatic9,2070.0219,6980.03
MurleNilo-Saharan1,469< 0.01
MursiNilo-Saharan3,2580.017,5000.01
NaoAfro-Asiatic4,0050.019,8290.01
NuerNilotic64,5340.12147,6720.20
NyangatomNilotic14,2010.0325,2520.03
OromoAfro-Asiatic17,080,31831.1524,489,02433.49
OydaAfro-Asiatic14,0750.0345,1490.06
Qechem2,7400.012,585< 0.01
Qewama141<0.01298< 0.01
SheAfro-Asiatic13,2900.03320< 0.01
ShekechoAfro-Asiatic53,8970.1077,6780.11
ShekoAfro-Asiatic23,7850.0437,5730.05
ShinashaAfro-Asiatic32,6980.0652,6370.07
Shita/UpoNilo-Saharan307<0.011,602< 0.01
SidamaAfro-Asiatic1,842,3143.472,966,4744.01
SomaliAfro-Asiatic4,185,2666.56,581,7948.21
SurmaNilo-Saharan19,6320.0427,8860.04
Tigrayans[7] [8] Afro-Asiatic3,284,5686.184,483,8926.07
TembaroAfro-Asiatic86,5100.16480,5730.13
TsamaiAfro-Asiatic9,7020.0220,0460.03
WelaytaAfro-Asiatic1,269,2162.391,707,0792.31
WerjiAfro-Asiatic20,5360.0413,2320.02
YemAfro-Asiatic165,1840.31160,4470.22
ZeyeseAfro-Asiatic10,8420.0217,8840.02
ZelmamNilo-Saharan2,704< 0.01
178,799
200,227
10,333
9,736
737
733
15,550
Total53,132,27673,750,932

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.csa.gov.et/pdf/Cen2007_firstdraft.pdf 2007 Ethiopian census, first draft
  2. Web site: 2007 . Population and Housing Census 2007 – National Statistical . 3 June 2022 . Ethiopian Statistics Agency.
  3. United nations Demographic Yearbook Special Census Topics. Volume 2b Table 4 http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/dyb/dybcens.htm
  4. Web site: 2007 . Ethiopian Census First Draft . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090305231227/http://www.csa.gov.et/pdf/Cen2007_firstdraft.pdf . 5 March 2009 . 3 June 2022 . Central Statistics Agency.
  5. Ulrich Braukamper 2012: 165
  6. Ulrich Braukamper 2012: 189
  7. http://www.ethiopia.gov.et/people?p_p_id=56_INSTANCE_DHi7gbj1uz53&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=normal&p_p_mode=view&p_p_col_id=column-1&p_p_col_count=1&_56_INSTANCE_DHi7gbj1uz53_page=2
  8. https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/ethiopia/