Demographics of Ethiopia - Ethnic Groups

Ethnic Groups

The country's population is highly diverse, containing over 80 different ethnic groups. Most people in Ethiopia speak Afro-Asiatic languages, mainly of the Semitic or Cushitic branches. The latter include the Oromo, Amhara, Tigray and Somali, which together make up three-quarters of the population.

Nilo-Saharan-speaking Nilotic ethnic minorities also inhabit the southern regions of the country, particularly in areas bordering South Sudan. Among these are the Mursi and Anuak.

The following is a list of most of the ethnic groups of Ethiopia, taken from the 2007 Ethiopian National Census: (Population size and percentage of Ethiopia's total population follows each entry.)

Population of Ethiopia according to ethnic group 1994-2007
Ethnic
group		 Language
family		 census
11-10-1994 		census
2007
Number % Number %
Aari Omotic 155,002 0.29 290,453 0.29
Afar Afro-Asiatic 979,367 1.84 1,276,374 1.73
Agaw-Awi Afro-Asiatic 397,491 0.75 631,565 0.85
Agaw-Hamyra Afro-Asiatic 158,231 0.30 267,851 0.36
Alaba Afro-Asiatic 125,900 0.24 233,299 0.32
Amhara Afro-Asiatic 16,007,933 30.13 19,870,651 26.89
Anuak Nilotic 45,665 0.09 85,909 0.12
Arbore Afro-Asiatic 6,559 0.01 6,840 0.01
Argobba Afro-Asiatic 62,831 0.12 140,134 0.19
Bacha Nilo-Saharan 2,632 < 0.01
Basketo Omotic 51,097 0.10 78,284 0.11
Bench Omotic 173,123 0.33 353,526 0.48
Berta Nilo-Saharan 183,259 0.25
Bodi Nilo-Saharan 4,686 0.01 6,994 0.01
Brayle ???? 5,002 0.01
Burji Afro-Asiatic 46,565 0.09 71,871 0.10
Bena ???? 27,022 0.04
Chara Omotic 6,984 0.01 13,210 0.02
Daasanach Afro-Asiatic 32,099 0.06 48,067 0.07
Dawro Omotic 331,483 0.62 543,148 0.74
Debase/ Gawwada Afro-Asiatic 33,971 0.06 68,600 0.09
Dirashe Afro-Asiatic 30,081 0.04
Dime Omotic 6,197 0.01 891 <0.01
Dizi Omotic 21,894 0.04 36,380 0.05
Donga Afro-Asiatic 35,166 0.05
Fedashe ???? 7,323, 0.01 3,448 < 0.01
Felasha Afro-Asiatic 2,321 <0.01
Gamo Omotic 719,847 1.35 1,107,163 1.50
Gebato ???? 75 <0.01 1,502 < 0.01
Gedeo Afro-Asiatic 639,905 1.20 986,977 1.34
Gedicho ???? 5,483 0.01
Gidole Afro-Asiatic 54,354 0.10 41,100 0.06
Goffa Omotic 241,530 0.45 363,009 0.49
Gumuz Nilo-Saharan 121,487 0.23 159,418 0.22
Gurage Afro-Asiatic 2,290,274 4.31 1,867,377 2.53
Silt'e Semitic 940,766 1.27
Hadiya Afro-Asiatic 927,933 1.75 1,284,373 1.74
Hamer Omotic 42,466 0.08 46,532 0.06
Harari Afro-Asiatic 21,757 0.04 31,869 0.04
Irob Afro-Asiatic 33,372 0.05
Kafficho Omotic 599,188 1.13 870,213 1.18
Kambaata Afro-Asiatic 499,825 0.94 630,236 0.85
Konta Omotic 83,607 0.11
Komo Nilo-Saharan 1,526 <0.01 7,795 0.01
Konso Afro-Asiatic 153,419 0.29 250,430 0.34
Koore Omotic 107,595 0.20 156,983 0.21
Koyego ???? 1,974 < 0.01
Kunama Nilo-Saharan 2,007 <0.01 4,860 0.01
Karo Omotic 1,464 < 0.01
Kusumie ???? 7,470 0.01
Kwegu Nilo-Saharan 4,407 0.01
Male Omotic 46,458 0.09 98,114 0.13
Mao Omotic 16,236 0.03 43,535 0.06
Mareqo ???? 38,096 0.07 64,381 0.09
Mashola Afro-Asiatic 10,458 0.01
Mere ???? 14,298 0.02
Me'en Nilo-Saharan 52,815 0.10 151,489 0.20
Messengo ???? 15,341 0.03 10,964 0.01
Majangir Nilo-Saharan 21,959 0.03
Mossiye ???? 9,207 0.02 19,698 0.03
Murle Nilo-Saharan 1,469 < 0.01
Mursi Nilo-Saharan 3,258 0.01 7,500 0.01
Nao Omotic 4,005 0.01 9,829 0.01
Nuer Nilotic 64,534 0.12 147,672 0.20
Nyangatom Nilotic 14,201 0.03 25,252 0.03
Oromo Afro-Asiatic 17,080,318 32.15 25,489,024 34.49
Oyda Omotic 14,075 0.03 45,149 0.06
Qebena ???? 35,072 0.07 52,712 0.07
Qechem ???? 2,740 0.01 2,585 < 0.01
Qewama ???? 141 <0.01 298 < 0.01
She Omotic 13,290 0.03 320 < 0.01
Shekecho Omotic 53,897 0.10 77,678 0.11
Sheko Omotic 23,785 0.04 37,573 0.05
Shinasha Omotic 32,698 0.06 52,637 0.07
Shita/Upo Nilo-Saharan 307 <0.01 1,602 < 0.01
Sidama Afro-Asiatic 1,842,314 3.47 2,966,474 4.01
Somali Afro-Asiatic 3,185,266 6.18 4,581,794 6.20
Surma Nilo-Saharan 19,632 0.04 27,886 0.04
Tigray Afro-Asiatic 3.284,568 6.18 4,483,892 6.07
Tembaro ???? 86,510 0.16 98,621 0.13
Tsamai Afro-Asiatic 9,702 0.02 20,046 0.03
Welayta Omotic 1,269,216 2.39 1,707,079 2.31
Werji Afro-Asiatic 20,536 0.04 13,232 0.02
Yem Omotic 165,184 0.31 160,447 0.22
Zeyese Omotic 10,842 0.02 17,884 0.02
Zelmam Nilo-Saharan 2,704 < 0.01
other/unknown 155,972 0.29 178,799 0.24
Eritrean 61,857 0.12 9,736 0.01
Djiboutian 367 <0.01 733 <0.01
Somalian 20,227 0.03
Sudanese 2,035 <0.01 10,333 0.01
Kenyan 134 <0.01 737 <0.01
other foreigners 15,550 0.02
Total 53,132,276 73,750,932

Read more about this topic:  Demographics Of Ethiopia

Famous quotes containing the words ethnic and/or groups:

    “Caprice, independence and rebellion, which are opposed to the social order, are essential to the good health of an ethnic group. We shall measure the good health of this group by the number of its delinquents. Nothing is more immobilizing than the spirit of deference.”
    —Jean Dubuffet (1901–1985)

    “Trees appeared in groups and singly, revolving coolly and blandly, displaying the latest fashions. The blue dampness of a ravine. A memory of love, disguised as a meadow. Wispy clouds—the greyhounds of heaven.”
    —Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)