Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Yerwa Kanuri
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QUICK FACTS:
People groups: 25
Population: 14,783,550
Unreached people groups: 25
UPG population: 14,783,550
Unengaged UPGs: 10
UUPG population: 1,943,050
Number of countries: 7
Affinity Bloc: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Overview: The Kanuri people are an African ethnic group centered in the area of the former Bornu Empire, an African state of Nigeria from 1380 to 1893. Today this area spans northeastern Nigeria, southeast Niger, western Chad and northern Cameroon. Kanuri and related languages are classified as Saharan. The Kanuri-Saharan people cluster encompasses a number of ethnic and linguistic groups with historic ties to the Bornu Empire.
Peoples within this cluster: Arabized Birgid; Berti; Bideyat; Bulgeda; Daza (Dazaga); Kanembu; Kanuri, Manga; Kanuri, Yerwa; Kreda; Tubu, Teda; Zaghawa
Countries where they are found: Cameroon; Chad; Libya; Niger; Nigeria; Sudan; United States
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