Tanzania is home to more than 120 ethnic groups. Most speak Bantu languages, with smaller groups speaking Nilotic, Cushitic and click languages. Unlike many countries, no single group dominates, and Tanzanians are known for a strong shared national identity.
Why Tanzania is so united
After independence in 1961, the first president, Julius Nyerere, promoted Swahili as the national language and built a sense of being Tanzanian first. Today almost everyone speaks Swahili alongside their own language, and people from different groups live, work and marry together.
Some of the main peoples
| People | Region | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Sukuma | South of Lake Victoria | The largest group; farming, cattle and dance |
| Chagga | Kilimanjaro | Farming, coffee and business. Read about the Chagga |
| Maasai | North | Cattle herding and dress. Read about the Maasai |
| Haya | Northwest, Kagera | Coffee and an ancient iron-smelting tradition |
| Hehe | Iringa | Resistance to German rule under Chief Mkwawa |
| Makonde | Southeast | Wood carving |
| Iraqw | Around Karatu and Mbulu | Cushitic language and terraced farming |
| Datoga | Lake Eyasi, Manyara | Pastoralists and blacksmiths |
| Hadzabe | Lake Eyasi | Hunter-gatherers. Read about the Hadzabe |
| Swahili | Coast and Zanzibar | Coastal trading culture and Islam |
Meeting local communities
Cultural visits are easy to add to a safari: a Maasai boma near Ngorongoro, the Hadzabe and Datoga at Lake Eyasi, Iraqw farms near Karatu or Chagga villages on Kilimanjaro. Read Tanzanian culture and etiquette.
Frequently asked questions
More than 120 ethnic groups.
The Sukuma, who live mainly south of Lake Victoria.
Swahili, the national language, spoken by almost everyone alongside their own language.
