Luhya languageLuhya (; also Luyia, Oluluyia, Luhia or Luhiya) is a Bantu language of western Kenya.Nande languageNande (Yira) is a Bantu language spoken in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the territories of Beni and Lubero. The Yira constitute more than 60% of the population of the province of North Kivu. The language is also spoken in Uganda by the Konjo (see Konjo language).
Fuliiru languageThe Fuliiru language (autonym: Kifuliiru; also spelled Fuliru) is a Great Lakes Bantu language spoken by the Fuliru people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in areas north and west of Uvira Territory in the South Kivu province. It belongs to the Niger–Congo language family, within the Bantu branch, and is classified among the Shi–Havu subgroup of the Great Lakes Bantu languages.Nyindu languageNyindu is an endangered Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is used as a first language by all adults in the Banyindu community, but not by all young people. It is not taught in schools. Many Nyindu consider their language to be a variety of Lega-Mwenga, but Lega- and Shi-speakers consider the language to be Shi. Otterloo classifies it as closest to Fuliiru.
Lega languageLega is a Bantu language, or dialect cluster, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega, Mwenga Lega. Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand. Variant spellings of 'Lega' are Rega, Leka, Ileka, Kilega, Kirega. Shabunda is also known as Igonzabale, and Mwenga as Shile or Ishile. Gengele is reported to be a Shabunda-based creole.
Shi languageShi, or Mashi, is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
RwandaFlag EmblemMotto: Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu(Kinyarwanda)Unity, Work, Patriotism(English)Unité, Travail, Patriotisme(French)Umoja, Kazi, Uzalendo(Swahili)Anthem: "Rwanda nziza"(English: "Beautiful Rwanda")Show globeShow map of AfricaCapitaland largest cityKigali1°56′38″S30°3′34″E / 1.94389°S 30.05944°E / -1.94389; 30.05944Official languagesKinyarwandaEnglishFrenchSwahiliNational languageKinyarwandaWorking languageEnglishEthnic groups (1994)100% Banyarwanda85% Hutu14% Tutsi1% TwaReligion 93.8% Christianity3.0% no religion2.2% Islam1.0% otherDemonymsRwandanRwandeseGovernmentUnitary semi-presidential republic under an authoritariandictatorship• PresidentPaul Kagame• Prime MinisterJustin Nsengiyumva• Speaker of the Chamber of DeputiesGertrude KazarwaLegislatureParliament• Upper houseSenate• Lower houseChamber of DeputiesFormation• Kingdom of Rwanda15th century• Part of German East Africa1897–1916• Part of Ruanda-Urundi1916–1962• Rwandan Revolution1959–1961• Republic declared28 January 1961• Independence from Belgium1 July 1962• Admitted to the UN18 September 1962• Current constitution26 May 2003Area • Total26,338 km (10,169 sq mi) (144th)• Water (%)6.3Population• 2026 estimate 14,418,145 (76th)• 2022 census13,206,731• Density578/km (1,497.0/sq mi) (21st)GDP(PPP)2026 estimate• Total$65.461 billion (129th)• Per capita$4,523 (159th)GDP(nominal)2026 estimate• Total$17.336 billion (137th)• Per capita$1,198 (174th)Gini(2023) 39.4medium inequalityHDI(2023) 0.578medium (159th)CurrencyRwandan franc (RWF)Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)Date formatdd/mm/yyyy (AD)Calling code+250ISO 3166 codeRWInternet TLD.rwWebsitewww.gov.rwRwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in East Africa.
KirundiKirundi (), officially known as Ikirundi (also known as Rundi), is a Bantu language and the national language of Burundi. It is mutually intelligible with Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda, and the two form parts of the Rwanda-Rundi dialect continuum spoken in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Kenya.
KinyarwandaKinyarwanda, officially known as Ikinyarwanda, is a Bantu language and the national language of Rwanda. It is a dialect of the Rwanda-Rundi language that is also spoken in Uganda, where the dialect is known as Ikinyakore, Rufumbira, or Urufumbira. Kinyarwanda is universal among the native population of Rwanda and is mutually intelligible with Kirundi, the national language of neighbouring Burundi.
HonorificAn honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. It is also often conflated with systems of honorific speech in linguistics, which are grammatical or morphological ways of encoding the relative social status of speakers. Honorifics can be used as prefixes or suffixes depending on the appropriate occasion and presentation in accordance with style and customs.
East AfricaRegions of the African Union: Northern Western Southern Eastern CentralEast Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the region is recognized in the United Nations Statistics Divisionscheme as encompassing 18 sovereign states and 4 territories.
Central AfricaCentral Africa (French: Afrique centrale; Spanish: África central; Portuguese: África Central) is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions.
Reconstruction:Proto-Bantu/mʊ̀jámíRelated word or term.
Fuliiru languageThe Fuliiru language (autonym: Kifuliiru; also spelled Fuliru) is a Great Lakes Bantu language spoken by the Fuliru people in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly in areas north and west of Uvira Territory in the South Kivu province. It belongs to the Niger–Congo language family, within the Bantu branch, and is classified among the Shi–Havu subgroup of the Great Lakes Bantu languages.Nyindu languageNyindu is an endangered Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is used as a first language by all adults in the Banyindu community, but not by all young people. It is not taught in schools. Many Nyindu consider their language to be a variety of Lega-Mwenga, but Lega- and Shi-speakers consider the language to be Shi. Otterloo classifies it as closest to Fuliiru.Lega languageLega is a Bantu language, or dialect cluster, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are two major varieties, Shabunda Lega, Mwenga Lega. Mwenga Lega, with about 10% of speakers, finds Shabunda difficult to understand. Variant spellings of 'Lega' are Rega, Leka, Ileka, Kilega, Kirega. Shabunda is also known as Igonzabale, and Mwenga as Shile or Ishile. Gengele is reported to be a Shabunda-based creole.Shi languageShi, or Mashi, is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.RwandaFlag EmblemMotto: Ubumwe, Umurimo, Gukunda Igihugu(Kinyarwanda)Unity, Work, Patriotism(English)Unité, Travail, Patriotisme(French)Umoja, Kazi, Uzalendo(Swahili)Anthem: "Rwanda nziza"(English: "Beautiful Rwanda")Show globeShow map of AfricaCapitaland largest cityKigali1°56′38″S30°3′34″E / 1.94389°S 30.05944°E / -1.94389; 30.05944Official languagesKinyarwandaEnglishFrenchSwahiliNational languageKinyarwandaWorking languageEnglishEthnic groups (1994)100% Banyarwanda85% Hutu14% Tutsi1% TwaReligion 93.8% Christianity3.0% no religion2.2% Islam1.0% otherDemonymsRwandanRwandeseGovernmentUnitary semi-presidential republic under an authoritariandictatorship• PresidentPaul Kagame• Prime MinisterJustin Nsengiyumva• Speaker of the Chamber of DeputiesGertrude KazarwaLegislatureParliament• Upper houseSenate• Lower houseChamber of DeputiesFormation• Kingdom of Rwanda15th century• Part of German East Africa1897–1916• Part of Ruanda-Urundi1916–1962• Rwandan Revolution1959–1961• Republic declared28 January 1961• Independence from Belgium1 July 1962• Admitted to the UN18 September 1962• Current constitution26 May 2003Area • Total26,338 km (10,169 sq mi) (144th)• Water (%)6.3Population• 2026 estimate 14,418,145 (76th)• 2022 census13,206,731• Density578/km (1,497.0/sq mi) (21st)GDP(PPP)2026 estimate• Total$65.461 billion (129th)• Per capita$4,523 (159th)GDP(nominal)2026 estimate• Total$17.336 billion (137th)• Per capita$1,198 (174th)Gini(2023) 39.4medium inequalityHDI(2023) 0.578medium (159th)CurrencyRwandan franc (RWF)Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)Date formatdd/mm/yyyy (AD)Calling code+250ISO 3166 codeRWInternet TLD.rwWebsitewww.gov.rwRwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in East Africa.KirundiKirundi (), officially known as Ikirundi (also known as Rundi), is a Bantu language and the national language of Burundi. It is mutually intelligible with Kinyarwanda, the national language of Rwanda, and the two form parts of the Rwanda-Rundi dialect continuum spoken in Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Kenya.KinyarwandaKinyarwanda, officially known as Ikinyarwanda, is a Bantu language and the national language of Rwanda. It is a dialect of the Rwanda-Rundi language that is also spoken in Uganda, where the dialect is known as Ikinyakore, Rufumbira, or Urufumbira. Kinyarwanda is universal among the native population of Rwanda and is mutually intelligible with Kirundi, the national language of neighbouring Burundi.HonorificAn honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. It is also often conflated with systems of honorific speech in linguistics, which are grammatical or morphological ways of encoding the relative social status of speakers. Honorifics can be used as prefixes or suffixes depending on the appropriate occasion and presentation in accordance with style and customs.East AfricaRegions of the African Union: Northern Western Southern Eastern CentralEast Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the region is recognized in the United Nations Statistics Divisionscheme as encompassing 18 sovereign states and 4 territories.Central AfricaCentral Africa (French: Afrique centrale; Spanish: África central; Portuguese: África Central) is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions.Reconstruction:Proto-Bantu/mʊ̀jámíRelated word or term.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.