Zulu people facts for kids
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| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 10,659,309 (2001 census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 South Africa |
|
| KwaZulu-Natal | 7.6 million |
| Gauteng | 1.9 million |
| Mpumalanga | 0.8 million |
| Free State | 0.14 million |
| Languages | |
| Zulu (many also speak English, Afrikaans, Portuguese, or other indigenous languages such as Xhosa) |
|
| Religion | |
| Christian, African traditional religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bantu · Nguni · Basotho · Xhosa · Swazi · Matabele · Khoisan · Afro-Iranians | |
| person | umZulu |
| people | amaZulu |
| language | isiZulu |
| country | kwaZulu |
The Zulu (Zulu: amaZulu) are the largest ethnic group in South Africa. There are 10-11 million Zulu living in South Africa, mostly in KwaZulu-Natal province. A small number of Zulu also live in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. The Zulu language, called isiZulu, is a Bantu language of the Nguni subgroup.
The Zulu Kingdom was very important in South African history during the 1800s and 1900s. During Apartheid, the Zulu people were third-class citizens and suffered from official discrimination. Today the Zulu people are the largest ethnic group in South Africa and have equal rights.
Beginning
The Zulu were originally a major clan in the area that is today Northern KwaZulu-Natal. The Zulu clan was started around the year 1709 by Zulu kaNtombhela. In the Nguni languages, the words iZulu, iliZulu, and liTulu mean heaven, or sky.
In the early 1700s, many large Nguni communities and clans lived in the area. These groups were called isizwe (nations) and isibongo (clans). These Nguni communities had migrated down the East coast of Africa over thousands of years. These movements of people were called the Bantu migrations. They probably arrived in what is today South Africa in the 800s.
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Related pages
Images for kids
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Zulu man performing traditional warrior dance
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Zulu mother and child
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Zulu village women in traditional clothing.
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Interior space of a traditional beehive hut, or iQhugwane
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Zulu worshippers at a United African Apostolic Church, near Oribi Gorge
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Traditional Zulu dance
