People Groups Lists Language:  Swahili

Language:  Swahili

Population of Groups Speaking

3,817,000

People Groups Speaking as Primary Language

39

Scripture Status

Complete Bible

Audio Bible

 Listen

Jesus Film

 Watch

Gospel Recordings

 Listen
Map Notes
Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Progress Scale: ●●●●●   
☀
 = Frontier peoples
Photo People Group ▲ Country Country
Population		 Global
Population		 Indigenous Primary Religion Progress
Scale		 % Christian
Adherent		 %
Evangelical		 Est. Workers
Needed *
Arab Tanzania 270,000 704,000 Islam ● 5.00 % 0.60 % 5
Arab, Kenyan Kenya 15,000 704,000 Islam ● 1.00 % 0.20 % 1
Bajuni Kenya 96,000 131,000 ● Islam ● 5.00 % 1.00 % 2
Bajuni Somalia 11,000 131,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Bajuni Tanzania 24,000 131,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Black African, general Canada 345,000 1,127,000 Christianity ● 74.00 % 25.00 % -
Black African, general Germany 249,000 1,127,000 Christianity ● 60.00 % 6.00 % -
Black African, general Italy 126,000 1,127,000 Christianity ● 70.00 % 7.00 % -
Jew, Swahili-speaking Tanzania 500 500 ● Ethnic Religions ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Shirazi Tanzania 662,000 662,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 13
Swahili United Arab Emirates 5,400 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Australia 12,000 1,809,000 Islam ● 3.00 % 0.60 % 1
Swahili Denmark 1,000 1,809,000 Islam ● 1.00 % 1.00 % 1
Swahili Burundi 13,000 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Congo, Democratic Republic of 55,000 1,809,000 ● Islam ● 4.00 % 0.70 % 1
Swahili Comoros 1,200 1,809,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Greece 5,700 1,809,000 Islam ● 5.00 % 0.30 % 1
Swahili New Zealand 1,600 1,809,000 Islam ● 1.00 % 0.80 % 1
Swahili Saudi Arabia 414,000 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 8
Swahili Sudan 25,000 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili United Kingdom 15,000 1,809,000 Islam ● 2.00 % 0.70 % 1
Swahili Libya 2,400 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Madagascar 5,700 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Mayotte 9,000 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Malawi 3,800 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Mozambique 23,000 1,809,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili United States 61,000 1,809,000 Islam ● 25.00 % 12.00 % -
Swahili Reunion 25,000 1,809,000 Islam ● 0.40 % 0.10 % 1
Swahili Rwanda 6,100 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili South Africa 2,500 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili Tanzania 781,000 1,809,000 ● Islam ● 1.00 % 0.80 % 16
Swahili Uganda 5,200 1,809,000 ● Islam ● 5.00 % 0.50 % 1
Swahili Zambia 47,000 1,809,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili, Barawani Somalia 272,000 1,809,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 5
Swahili, Coastal Kenya 16,000 1,809,000 ● Islam ● 0.50 % 0.40 % 1
Swahili, Pemba Tanzania 53,000 53,000 ● Islam ● 0.30 % 0.20 % 1
Swahili, Tumbatu Tanzania 87,000 87,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 2
Swahili, Zanzibari Oman 55,000 69,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Swahili, Zanzibari Tanzania 14,000 69,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
  Totals:  39           35 ●     79
Download Data Data Sources Definitions Prayer Cards
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Progress Scale: ●●●●●   
☀
 = Frontier peoples
Photo People Group ▲ Country Population Global
Population		 Indigenous Primary Religion Progress
Scale		 % Christian
Adherent		 %
Evangelical		 Est. Workers
Needed *
Dahalo Kenya 3,100 3,100 ● Ethnic Religions ● 7.00 % 6.60 % -
Dhaiso Tanzania 10,000 10,000 ● Islam ● 1.00 % 0.50 % 1
Mushunguli Somalia 34,000 34,000 ● Islam ● 1.00 % 0.20 % 1
Safwa Tanzania 452,000 452,000 ● Ethnic Religions ● 5.00 % 2.00 % 9
Segeju Kenya 600 21,000 Islam ☀ 0.00 % 0.00 % 1
Segeju Tanzania 20,000 21,000 ● Islam ☀ 0.03 % 0.02 % 1
Zaramo Tanzania 1,286,000 1,286,000 ● Islam ● 3.00 % 2.00 % 26
  Totals:  7           6 ●     39
Download Data Data Sources Definitions

Item Value
Status
Living
Ethnologue Code swh
Written Yes
Bible Translation Complete Bible
Progress Scale ●

Language Alternate Names
Af-Bajuun
Af-Chimwiini
al-Jaziira
Arab-Swahili
Bajun
Bajuni (Af-Bajuun)
Bajuni (Bajun)
Barawa
Barwaani
Bravanese
Chimbalazi
Chimwiini
Gunya
Hadimu
Kibajuni
Kimgao
Kimvita
Kishamba
Kisuaheli
Kisuahili
Kiswaheli
Kiswahili
Kiunguja
Malindi
Mbalazi
Miini
Mombasa
Mtang'ata
Mvita (Kimvita)
Mwiini
Mwini (Af-Chimwiini)
Ozi
Pemba (Hadimu)
Phemba
Shamba (Kishamba)
Siyu
Suahili
Swahili, Kenya
Swahili, Tanzania
Tambatu
Tikulu
Tikuu
T'ik'uu
Tukulu
Unguja (Kiunguja)
Zanzibar

Dialects
Amu
Bajuni
Baravenes
Changamwe
Chitundi
Faza
Fundi
Jomvu
Katwa
Kenya
Kilifi
Kilindini
Mambrui
Matondoni
Mgao
Mrima
Mtwapa
Mvita
Mwini
Ngare
Pate
Pemba
Shaka
Shamba
Siu
Tangana
Tanzania
Unguja
Vumba

Dialect Alternate Names
Af-bajuun
Af-chimwiini
Bajun
Baravanese
Barwaani
Bravanese
Chimbalazi
Chimwiini
Gunya
Hadimu
Kenya Swahili
Kibajuni
Kimvita
Kishamba
Kiswahili
Kiunguja
Mbalazi
Mombasa
Mwiini
Phemba
Siyu
Swahili
Swahili Pemba
Swahili Tanzania Mgao
Swahili Tanzania Mrima
Swahili, Baravenes
Swahili: Bajuni
Swahili: Kenya
Swahili: Mvita
Swahili: Shamba
Swahili: Tanzania
Swahili: Unguja
Tambatu
Tikulu
T'ik'uu
Tukulu
Unguja
Zanzibar

Translation Year / Status
Bible Portions 1868-1968
New Testament 1879-1989
Complete Bible 1890-2017

Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
World Bibles

Online / Mobile App Bibles
Bible.is (Faith Comes By Hearing)
Bible.com (YouVersion)
 
Resource Repositories
Language Archives
Linguist List
Scripture Earth
SIL Resources
Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Resource ▲ Link
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching (GRN)
Audio Recordings Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online New Testament - Interconfessional (FCBH)
Audio Recordings Online Scripture (Talking Bibles)
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project)
Film / Video God's Love Story
Film / Video God's Story Video
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Swahili
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels
Film / Video Magdalena (Jesus Film Project)
Film / Video My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime)
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project)
Film / Video The Hope Video
Film / Video Walk with Jesus (Africa, JF Project)
General Four Spiritual Laws
General Got Questions Ministry
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file from FCBH
Text / Printed Matter Bible Gateway Scripture
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version (SuperBible)
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Swahili Union Version
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Swahili, Common Language Bible
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Swahili, Common Language Bible with DCs
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book
Text / Printed Matter OneHope resources for children and youth
Text / Printed Matter Online Bible text (Scripture Earth)
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations
Text / Printed Matter World Missionary Press Booklets
Disclaimers:
  1. Joshua Project data is drawn from many sources and of varying accuracy depending on source and editorial decisions. Populations are scaled to the current year. Other data may have varying ages. We welcome suggested updates.
  2. A displayed zero can mean true zero, a very small rounded number or sometimes unknown. Blanks mean an unknown value.
  3. The data is sometimes not as precise as it appears. Values for %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical (which determine unreached status) are often informed estimates, some more accurate than others. We recommend against using %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical to calculate absolute numbers.
  4. Joshua Project makes every effort to ensure that the subject in an image is in fact from the specific people group. In rare instances a representative photo may be used.
  5. Joshua Project may be able to provide more information than what is published on this site. Please contact us.
  6. On-the-ground reality may vary from what is presented here. Before making travel plans based on data presented here, please confirm with other sources to the extent possible.
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