Tanzania has a total of 159 tribes (ethnic groups), but the national language is Kiswahili.More than 70 % of the tribes comprise of Bantu speaking communities.
The Sukuma is the largest ethnic group in Tanzania, with an estimated 5.5 million members representing about 16 percent of the country’s total population.
Below is a list of all tribes in Tanzania
- Alagwa
- Akiek
- Akie Northern Tanzania
- Arusha
- Assa
- Barabaig
- Balouch Coastal Tanzania
- Bembe
- Bena
- Bende
- Bondei
- Bungu
- Burunge
- Chaga
- Datooga
- Dhaiso
- Digo
- Doe
- Fipa
- Gogo
- Goa Coastal Tanzania
- Gorowa
- Gujirati Coastal Tanzania
- Gweno
- Ha
- Hutu Western Tanzania Kagera
- Hadza
- Hangaza
- Haya
- Hehe
- Holoholo people
- Ikizu
- Ikoma
- Iraqw
- Isanzu
- Jiji
- Jita
- Kabwa
- Kagura
- Kaguru
- Kahe
- Kami
- Kamba Northern Tanzania
- Kara (also called Regi)
- Kerewe
- Kikuyu
- Kimbu
- Kinga
- Kisankasa
- Kisi
- Konongo
- Kuria
- Kutu
- Kw’adza
- Kwavi
- Kwaya
- Kwere
- Kwifa
- Lambya
- Luguru
- Luo
- Maasai
- Machinga
- Magoma
- Mbulu (in Arusha)
- Makonde
- Makua
- Makwe
- Malila
- Mambwe
- Manyema
- Manda
- Mahara
- Mediak
- Matengo
- Matumbi
- Maviha
- Mbugwe
- Mbunga
- Mbugu
- Meru (Wameru of the slopes of Mt. Meru in Arumeru District)
- Mosiro
- Mpoto
- Msur Zanzibar
- Mwanga
- Mwera
- Ndali
- Ndamba
- Ndendeule
- Ndengereko
- Ndonde
- Nyanja people Southern Tanzania
- Ngas Northern Tanzania
- Ngasa
- Ngindo
- Ngoni
- Ngulu
- Ngazija (Zanzibar island)
- Ngurimi
- Ngwele
- Nilamba
- Nindi
- Nyakyusa
- Nyasa people in Mbeya
- Nyambo
- Nyamwanga
- Nyamwezi
- Nyanyembe
- Nyaturu
- Nyiha
- Nyiramba
- Omotik
- Okiek people
- Pangwa
- Pare
- Pimbwe
- Pogolo
- Rangi
- Rufiji
- Rungi
- Rungu
- Rungwa
- Rwa
- Safwa
- Sagara
- Sandawe
- Sangu
- Segeju
- Swengwear
- Shambaa
- Shirazi
- Shubi
- Sizaki
- Suba
- Sukuma
- Sumbwa
- Sungu Tanga
- Swahili
- Temi
- Tongwe
- Twa Western Tanzania
- Tutsi Western Tanzania
- Tumbuka
- Vidunda
- Vinza
- Wanda
- Washihiri Zanzibar
- Wamanga Zanzibar and Mafia island
- Wanji
- Wangarenaro Arusha
- Ware
- Yaaku people Northern Tanzania
- Yao
- Zanaki
- Zaramo
- Zigula
- Zinza
- Zyoba
- Zulu people Southern Tanzania
From the list above,we note that Tazania has the largest number of tribes in East Africa, followed by Uganda and Kenya respectively.
There are a total of 45 ethnic groups in Uganda and 43 tribes in Kenya. The three countries share some ethnic groups like the Maasai, which lives in Kenya and Tanzania.
In East Africa, the Bantu community is dominant, followed by the Nilotes.
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