List of ethnic groups in Tanzania explained
See also: Demographics of Tanzania. 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 |
|---|
| AlagwaSeri | Dodoma RegionKilimanjaro Region | Kondoa DistrictRombo District | CushiteBantu | 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 | Nilotic |
| 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 |
| Mara Region | | 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 |
| Joluo | Mara Region | Butiama District, Musoma Urban, Rorya District & Tarime District | Nilotic |
| 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 | | Bantu |
| Kisi | Njombe Region | | Bantu |
| Konongo | Katavi Region | Mpanda District | Bantu |
| Kuria | Mara Region | | Bantu |
| Kutu | Morogoro Region | | Bantu |
| Kw'adza | Manyara Region | | Cushite |
| Kwaya | Mara Region | | Bantu |
| Lambya | Songwe Region | Momba District | Bantu |
| Luguru | Morogoro Region | Mvomero District & Morogoro Rural District | Bantu |
| Lungu | Rukwa Region | | 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 | | Bantu |
| Manda | Njombe Region | Ludewa District | Bantu |
| 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 | | Bantu |
| Mbunga | Iringa Region | | 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 | | Bantu |
| Ngasa | Kilimanjaro Region | | Bantu |
| Ngindo | Lindi Region | Liwale District | Bantu |
| Ngoni | Ruvuma Region | Songea District | Bantu |
| Ngulu | Tanga Region | | 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 | | Bantu |
| Nyamwanga | Songwe Region | | 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 | | Bantu |
| Nyaturu | Singida Region | Ikungi District & Manyoni District | Bantu |
| Nyiha | Mbeya Region | | Bantu |
| Pangwa | Njombe Region | | Bantu |
| Pare | Kilimanjaro Region | Mwanga District & Same District | Bantu |
| Pimbwe | Katavi Region | Mpimbwe District & Mlele District | Bantu |
| Pogolo | Morogoro Region | | Bantu |
| Rangi | Dodoma Region | Kondoa District | Bantu |
| Rufiji | Pwani Region | Rufiji District, Mafia District & Kibiti District | Bantu |
| Rungwa | Katavi Region | | Bantu |
| Safwa | Mbeya Region | Mbeya District & Rungwe District | Bantu |
| Sagara | Morogoro Region | | Bantu |
| Sandawe | Dodoma Region | | Bantu |
| Sangu | Mbeya Region | | 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 | | 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 | | Bantu |
| Tongwe | Kigoma Region | | 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:
References
Ndwewe; from morogoro, Tanzania. Malinyi, Ulanga and Kilombero
Notes and References
- https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/ethnic-groups-of-tanzania.html Ethnic groups of Tanzania
- Web site: Makabila ya Tanzania. https://web.archive.org/web/20060822104026/http://fizzylogic.com/wasukuma/makabila_tz.html. 2023-03-18. 2006-08-22.
- 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.
- Web site: Akie - A heavily endangered hunter‐gatherers' language in Central Tanzania. live. June 12, 2021. Documentation of Endangered Languages. https://web.archive.org/web/20210713035157/https://dobes.mpi.nl/posters/screen/africa-akie-screen.pdf . 2021-07-13 .
