Tanzania’s population comprises more than 120 ethnic groups, with no single group forming a majority, contributing to a diverse cultural and linguistic landscape without 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.Ethnic groups of Tanzania
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.
Ethnic groupRegionDistrictEthnolinguistic groupNotesAlagwaDodoma RegionKondoa DistrictCushiteThe community is associated with the arts of rainmaking, despite being 99% Muslim.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.AkieManyara RegionSimanjiro DistrictKhoisanThe Akie, like all other hunter-gatherer persons in Tanzania and Kenya, are sometimes referred to as "Dorobo" or "Wandorobo", which is disparaging and false.BarabaigManyara RegionHanang DistrictNiloticAssaManyara RegionKiteto DistrictCushiteArushaArusha RegionArusha DistrictNiloticBembeKatavi RegionMpanda DistrictBantuBenaNjombe RegionNjombe DistrictBantuBendeKatavi RegionMpanda DistrictBantuBondeiTanga RegionPangani District & Muheza DistrictBantuBunguMbeya RegionChunya DistrictBantuBurungeDodoma RegionKondoa DistrictCushiteChaggaKilimanjaro RegionSiha District, Moshi District, Moshi Rural District, Rombo District & Hai DistrictBantuDatoogaArusha RegionKaratu DistrictNiloticDhaisoTanga RegionMuheza DistrictBantuDigoTanga RegionMkinga District & Tanga DistrictBantuDoePwani RegionChalinze DistrictBantuFipaRukwa RegionNkasi District & Sumbawanga DistrictBantuGogoDodoma RegionChamwino District, Chemba District, Bahi District, Kongwa District & Mpwapwa DistrictBantuGoma peopleKigoma RegionKigoma-Ujiji District & Kigoma DistrictBantuGorowaDodoma RegionKondoa DistrictCushiteHaKigoma RegionKasulu District & Kibondo DistrictBantuHadimuZanzibarKati District, Kaskazini A District , Kaskazini B District, Mjini District & Kusini DistrictBantuHadzaArusha RegionKaratu DistrictKhoisanHangazaKagera RegionNgara DistrictBantuHayaKagera RegionMuleba District, Bukoba Rural District, Bukoba District, & Missenyi DistrictBantuHeheIringa RegionIringa District, Kilolo District, Mufindi District & Iringa Urban DistrictBantuHoloholo peopleKigoma RegionUvinza DistrictBantuIkizu Mara RegionBunda District BantuIkomaMara RegionSerengeti District & Butiama DistrictBantuIraqwManyara RegionHanang District, Babati District & Mbulu DistrictCushiteIsanzuSingida RegionMkalama DistrictBantuJijiKigoma RegionKigoma-Ujiji DistrictBantuJitaMara RegionRorya DistrictBantuJoluoMara RegionButiama District, Musoma Urban, Rorya District & Tarime DistrictNiloticKaguruMorogoro RegionGairo District & Kilosa DistrictBantuKamiPwani RegionKisarawe DistrictBantuKaraMwanza RegionUkerewe DistrictBantuKereweMwanza RegionUkerewe DistrictBantuKimbuMbeya RegionChunya DistrictBantuKingaNjombe RegionMakete District BantuKisiNjombe RegionMakete District BantuKonongoKatavi RegionMpanda DistrictBantuKuriaMara RegionTarime District BantuKutuMorogoro RegionMorogoro Rural District BantuKw'adzaManyara RegionMbulu District CushiteKwayaMara RegionMusoma Rural District BantuLambyaSongwe RegionMomba DistrictBantuLuguruMorogoro RegionMvomero District & Morogoro Rural DistrictBantuLunguRukwa RegionKalambo District BantuMaasaiManyara Region & Arusha RegionNgorongoro District, Kiteto District, Simanjiro District, Longido District, Monduli District & Arusha DistrictNiloticMachingaLindi RegionLindi District & Kilwa DistrictBantuMagomaNjombe RegionMakete DistrictBantuMahanjiNjombe RegionMakete DistrictBantuMakondeMtwara Region & Lindi RegionMtwara-Mikindani District, Mtwara District, Ruangwa District, Nachingwea District, Masasi District, Lindi District, Tandahimba District & Newala DistrictBantuMakuaMtwara RegionNewala District & Tandahimba DistrictBantuMalilaSongwe RegionMomba DistrictBantuMambweRukwa RegionKalambo DistrictBantuManyemaKigoma RegionKigoma District BantuMandaNjombe RegionLudewa DistrictBantuMeru Arusha RegionMeru DistrictBantuMatengoRuvuma RegionMbinga DistrictBantuMatumbiLindi RegionKilwa DistrictBantuMavihaMtwara RegionMtwara DistrictBantuMbugweManyara RegionBabati District BantuMbungaIringa RegionKilolo District BantuMbugu peopleTanga RegionLushoto DistrictBantuMpotoRuvuma RegionMbinga DistrictBantuMweraLindi RegionKilwa DistrictBantuNdaliSongwe RegionMomba DistrictBantuNdambaIringa RegionKilolo DistrictBantuNdendeuleRuvuma RegionNamtumbo DistrictBantuNdengerekoPwani RegionMkuranga District, Kisarawe District & Rufiji DistrictBantuNdondeLindi RegionNachingwea District BantuNgasaKilimanjaro RegionRombo District BantuNgindoLindi RegionLiwale DistrictBantuNgoniRuvuma RegionSongea DistrictBantuNguluTanga RegionKilindi District BantuNgurimiMara RegionSerengeti District & Tarime DistrictBantuIrambaSingida Region & Shinyanga RegionIramba District & Kishapu DistrictBantuNindiRuvuma RegionSongea DistrictBantuNyakyusaMbeya RegionKyela District & Rungwe DistrictBantuKwereRukwa RegionNkasi District & Sumbawanga DistrictBantuNyamboKagera RegionKaragwe District BantuNyamwangaSongwe RegionMomba District BantuNyamweziTabora Region & Shinyanga RegionUrambo District, Kaliua District, Sikonge District, Nzega District, Kahama District, Shinyanga District, Uyui District & Igunga DistrictBantuNyanyembeTabora RegionUyui District BantuNyaturuSingida RegionIkungi District & Manyoni DistrictBantuNyihaMbeya RegionMbozi District BantuPangwaNjombe RegionLudewa District BantuPareKilimanjaro RegionMwanga District & Same DistrictBantuPimbweKatavi RegionMpimbwe District & Mlele DistrictBantuPogoloMorogoro RegionKilombero District BantuRangiDodoma RegionKondoa DistrictBantuRufijiPwani RegionRufiji District, Mafia District & Kibiti DistrictBantuRungwaKatavi RegionMpanda District BantuSafwaMbeya RegionMbeya District & Rungwe DistrictBantuSagaraMorogoro RegionKilosa District BantuSandaweDodoma RegionChemba District KhoisanSanguMbeya RegionChunya District BantuSegejuTanga RegionMkinga DistrictBantuShambaaTanga RegionKorogwe District, Bumbuli District & Lushoto DistrictBantuShiraziZanzibarKati District, Kaskazini A District , Kaskazini B District, Mjini District & Kusini DistrictBantuShubiKagera RegionNgara District BantuSubaMara RegionRorya DistrictBantuSukumaMwanza Region, Simiyu Region, Geita Region & Shinyanga RegionIlemela 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 DistrictBantuSumbwaGeita RegionBukombe DistrictBantuSwahiliAll regionsAll districtsBantuSonjoArusha RegionNgorongoro District BantuTongweKigoma RegionUvinza District BantuTumbukaRukwa RegionNkasi District & Sumbawanga DistrictBantuVidundaMorogoro RegionKilosa DistrictBantuVinzaKigoma RegionUvinza DistrictBantuWandaRukwa RegionSumbawanga DistrictBantuWanjiNjombe RegionMakete DistrictBantuWareMara RegionRorya DistrictBantuYaoRuvuma RegionTunduru District & Namtumbo DistrictBantuZanakiMara RegionButiama District & Bunda DistrictBantuZaramoDar es Salaam Region & Pwani RegionIlala District, Temeke District, Ubungo District , Kigamboni District, Kinondoni District, Bagamoyo District, Kibaha District , Chalinze District, Kisarawe District, Mkuranga District, Mafia District & Kibiti DistrictBantuZiguaTanga Region & Pwani RegionHandeni District, Muheza District, Chalinze District, Kilindi District, Korogwe District & Pangani DistrictBantuZinzaGeita Region & Mwanza RegionSengerema District, Geita District & Chato DistrictBantu
Other groups:
Ethnic groupRegionDistrictEthnolinguistic groupGujaratiDar es Salaam RegionIlala DistrictIndo-Aryan
References
Ndwewe; from morogoro, Tanzania. Malinyi, Ulanga and Kilombero Ethnologue Ethnic groups of Tanzania