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

Koongo

A language of Democratic Republic of the Congo

ISO 639-3: kng

Population  3,000,000 in Democratic Republic of the Congo. Total population does not include upwards of 5,000,000 additional L2 speakers. Population total all countries: 5,000,000.
Region  Bas-Congo Province cataract, Mbanza Manteke area; Fioti north of Boma, and scattered along Congo River from Brazzaville to its mouth. Also in Angola, Congo.
Language maps  Northern Democratic Republic of Congo
Southern Democratic Republic of Congo
Alternate names   Congo, Kikongo, Kikoongo, Kongo
Dialects  South Congo, Cataract, Central Kongo, West Kongo (Fiote, Fioti), Bwende (Buende), East Kongo, Southeast Kongo, Nzamba (Dzamba). Other languages of the Kongo group are sometimes regarded as dialects of Kongo (see separate entries for Beembe [beq], Doondo [dde], Kunyi [njx], Vili [vif], Munukutuba [mkw], and Kituba [ktu]). In Angola Ndingi and Mboka dialects may be separate languages.
Classification  Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, H, Kongo (H.10)
A member of macrolanguage Kongo [kon] (Democratic Republic of the Congo).
Language use  National language.
Language development  Radio programs. TV. Dictionary. Bible: 1905–1933.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  Fioti is also spoken by the Buende and Vili peoples. SVO (for Dzamba). Christian.

Also spoken in:

Angola

Language name   Kikongo
Population  1,000,000 in Angola (2007 World Language Resources).
Region  North, along Congo River below Kinshasa; parts of Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, Congo Kinshasa.
Language map  Angola, reference number 6
Alternate names  Cabinda, Congo, Kikoongo, Kongo, Koongo
Dialects  South Kongo, South East Kongo, West Kongo (Fiote, Fioti), Ndingi, Mboka, Kisikongo, Kizombo, Kindibu, Kimanyanga, Kiwoyo (Cabinda), Kiyombe (Cabinda).
Language use  National language.
Comments  Christian, traditional religion.
 

Congo

Language name   Koongo
Population  1,000,000 in Congo (2007 WLR).
Region  Pool region, Boko area, west and northwest of Brazzaville.
Language map  Congo, reference number 17
Alternate names  Congo, Kikongo, Kikoongo, Kongo
Comments  A member of the Kongo subgroup. Christian, Muslim.