The Swahili are a mixed group of people speaking closely related forms of Bantu speech, living on islands and coastal areas of East Africa, from Kismayu to Kilwa, and the Comoro Islands. Shirazi is a name used by some to identify their heritage from the ancient capital province, Shiraz. Shirazi sometimes consider themselves a separate ethnic group from the Swahili, but Swahili is their mother tongue.

The Swahili developed as Arab and Persian traders, established business contacts and married local women. The resulting people are Islamic, Bantu speaking fishers and traders, living in city-states, varying from governorships to republics. There is a rich diversity among them in regard to the degree of Bantu, Arabic and European characteristics they have.