Rwanda language

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Rwanda language

Also known as: Banyaruanda, Kinyarwanda, Ruanda language

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Feb 3, 2025 • Article History

Rwanda also spelled:: Ruanda

Also called:: Kinyarwanda

Related Topics:: Bantu languages

On the Web:: eScholarship - Language policy, multilingual education, and power in Rwanda (Feb. 03, 2025)

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Rwanda language, a Bantu language spoken by some 12 million people primarily in Rwanda and to a lesser extent in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania. The Bantu languages form a subgroup of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Rwanda is closely related to the Rundi language of Burundi.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy McKenna.