Santal people
ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲ ᱦᱚᱲ | |
|---|---|
Santals in traditional dress celebrating Baha parab | |
| Total population | |
| c. 7.5 million (2011) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| India • Bangladesh • Nepal | |
| India: Jharkhand | 2,754,723 |
| West Bengal | 2,512,331 |
| Odisha | 894,764 |
| Bihar | 406,076 |
| Assam | 213,139 |
| Tripura | 2,913 |
| Bangladesh | 129,049 (2021) |
| Nepal | 51,735 |
| Languages | |
| Santali | |
| Religion | |
| Majority Hinduism Minority Folk religions (Sari Dharam, Sarna Dharam) Christianity Islam, Buddhism, Others | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Mundas • Hos • Juangs • Kharias • Savaras • Korkus • Bhumijs | |
.svg){kind=link}
The Santal (or Santhal) are an Austroasiatic-speaking Munda ethnic group of the Indian subcontinent. Santals are the largest tribe in the Jharkhand and West Bengal in terms of population and are also found in the states of Odisha, Bihar, Assam and Tripura. They are the largest ethnic minority in northern Bangladesh's Rajshahi Division and Rangpur Division. They have a sizeable population in Nepal. The Santals speak Santali, the most widely spoken Munda languages of Austroasiatic language family.