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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Africa > Democratic Republic of the Congo > Bembe

Bembe

A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3: bmb

Population  252,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo (1991 UBS).
Region  Sud-Kivu Province, Fizi Territory, west of Lake Tanganyika. Also in Tanzania.
Language map  Southern Democratic Republic of Congo
Alternate names   Beembe, Ebembe, Ibembe
Dialects  Lexical similarity: 76%–84% with Lega-Mwenga [lgm] dialects, 68% with Buyu [byi], 60% with Lega-Shabunda [lea], 55% with Zimba [zmb], 50% with Enya [gey], 45% with Nyanga [nyj], 40% with Tembo [tbt], 30% with Lengola [lej].
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, D, Bembe (D.50)
Language development  Bible: 1991.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  Bryan (1959) classifies it with the Lega group. Distinct from Beembe [beq] (Bembe) of Congo Brazzaville. Traditional religion, Christian, Muslim.

Also spoken in:

Tanzania

Language name   Bembe
Region  Kigoma region, Kigoma Vijinini District. Lake Tanganyika shore, from Kigoma town north to Gombe National Park.
Language map  Tanzania, reference number 24
Alternate names  Beembe, Ebembe, Ibembe, Kibembe
Language use  Some also use Swahili [swh].
Comments  Some are Tanzanian citizens, others are recent immigrants and citizens of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Different from Beembe (Bembe) of Congo. Fishermen. Traditional religion, Christian.