Tiv people
Flag of the Tiv people. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Approx. 5 million and still steadily growing | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Nigeria, Cameroon | |
| Languages | |
| Tiv, Tivoid languages, English, French | |
| Religion | |
| Predominantly Christian, Tiv Traditional religion | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Utanga, Bitare, Mesaka, Iceve, Evant, Eman, Ipulo, Caka, Other Tivoid peoples |
Tiv (or Tiiv) are a Bantu ethnic group. They constitute approximately 2.4% of Nigeria's total population, and number over 5 million individuals throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. The Tiv language is spoken by over 5 million people in Nigeria, with a few speakers in Cameroon. Most of the language's Nigerian speakers are found in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The language is a branch of Benue–Congo and ultimately of the Niger–Congo phylum. In pre-colonial times, the Fulani ethnic group referred to the Tiv as "Munchi" (also sometimes written Munshi e.g. Duggan, E. de C. 1932), a term not accepted by the Tiv people.