497,000 (1995). Republic of Equatorial Guinea. República de Guinea Ecuatorial. Formerly Spanish Guinea. Literacy rate 55% to 72%; 38% (1977 C. M. Brann). Also includes people from Nigeria, Europe, India. Information mainly from Voegelin and Voegelin 1977, Ruhlen 1987. Data accuracy estimate: C. Christian, traditional religion, secular. Blind population 800 (1982 WCE). The number of languages listed for Equatorial Guinea is 12.
BALENQUE [BQV] Unclassified. Survey needed.
BATANGA (BANOHO, BANO'O, NOHO, NOHU, NOKU, BANOO) [BNM] 6,600 Puku in Equatorial Guinea (1993 Johnstone); 6,000 in Cameroon (1982 SIL); 12,600 in all countries. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30). Dialect: BAPUKU (PUKU, NAKA, BAPUU). Different from Batanga of South West Province in Cameroon (Balundu-Bima), and the Batanga dialect of Caka. Bible portions 1953. Survey needed.
BENGA [BEN] 3,000 in Equatorial Guinea, including 400 on Corisco Island (1995). Rio Muni. Corisco Island. Also in Gabon. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30). Related to Batanga. Coastal. Christian. Bible 1898. NT 1871-1893. Bible portions 1858-1929.
BUBE (BOOMBE, BOBE, BUBI, EDIYA, ADIJA, ADEEYAH, BOOBE, FERNANDIAN) [BVB] 40,000 or more (1995 UBS). Fernando Po, Biombo Island. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30). Dialects: NORTH BOBE, SOUTHWEST BOBE, SOUTHEAST BOBE. Bible portions 1849. Work in progress.
CRIOULO, GULF OF GUINEA [CRI] 8,950 in Equatorial Guinea, 1.8% of the population (1993 Johnstone); 103,200 in São Tomé e Príncipe (1989 J. Holm); 112,150 in all countries. Annobón, Biombo, Pagalu islands. Creole, Portuguese based. Dialect: ANNOBONESE (FA D'AMBU, PAGALU). Distinct from Fernando Po Krio and Crioulo of Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde. 82% lexical similarity with São Tomense. About 10% of the lexicon comes from Spanish. Also influenced by the Creole English of Bioko. Non-creolized Portuguese used as liturgical language by local Catholics. Fishermen, agricultural laborers.
FANG (PAMUE, PAHOUIN, PANGWE) [FNG] 350,000 or more in Equatorial Guinea, 75% of the population (1995); 427,000 in Gabon (1993 Johnstone); 67,800 in Cameroon; a few in Congo; 12,900 in São Tomé (1993); 858,000 in all countries. Interior. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Yaunde-Fang (A.70). Dialects: MAKE, NTUM (NTUMU). Ethnic groups are Okak, Ntumu. Christian, traditional religion. Bible 1951. NT 1927. Bible portions 1894-1938.
KRIO [KRI] 480,000 or more in all countries; 472,600 in Sierra Leone (1993); 6,600 in Gambia (1991); 4,000,000 second language speakers. Fernando Po. Also in Senegal and Guinea. Creole, English based, Atlantic, Krio. Dialect: FERNANDO PO KRIO (FERNANDINO). Speakers came from Sierra Leone. NT 1986-1992.
NGUMBA (MVUMBO, NGOUMBA, MGOUMBA, MABI, MABEA) [NMG] 8,900 in Equatorial Guinea (1993 Johnstone), or 2% of the population; 17,500 in all countries (1982 SIL). Rio Muni. Also in Cameroon (primarily). Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Makaa-Njem (A.80). Dialect: KWASIO (BISIO, BISSIO, BISIWO). Bible portions 1957. Work in progress.
NGUMBI (COMBE, KOMBE) [NUI] 4,000 (1995). Rio Muni coast, including Ecuco village. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30), Yasa. In Yasa (Bongwe) cluster. May be a dialect of Yasa. Coastal. Christian. NT 1940. Bible portions 1958.
SEKI (SEKYANI, SEKIANI, SEKIYANI, SEKIANA, SHEKIYANA, SHEKE, SEKE, BESEKI, BULU) [SYI] 11,000 in Equatorial Guinea (1993 Johnstone); 1,000 to 4,000 in Gabon (1991 CMA); 12,000 to 15,000 in all countries. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, B, Kele (B.20). Different from Bulu of Cameroon. Survey needed.
SPANISH [SPN] 11,500 in Equatorial Guinea (1993 Johnstone); 266,000,000 in all countries (1987 Time). Mainly on Biombo Island. Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Ibero-Romance, North, Central. National language. Bible 1553-1979. NT 1543-1986. Bible portions 1514-1985.
YASA (YASSA, LYAASA, MAASA, BONGWE) [YKO] 1,500 in all countries. Rio Muni. Also Cameroon. Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30), Yasa. Dialects: IYASA, BWEKO, VENDO, BODELE, MARRY, ONE, ASONGA, BOMUI, MOGANA, MOOMA, MAPANGA. A cluster of dialects. Survey needed.
Part of the Ethnologue, 13th Edition, Barbara F. Grimes, Editor.
Copyright © 1996, Summer Institute of Linguistics, Inc. All rights reserved.
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