Languages of Equatorial Guinea
See language map.[See also SIL publications on the languages of Equatorial Guinea.]
Republic of Equatorial Guinea. República de Guinea Ecuatorial. Formerly Spanish Guinea. 523,051. National or official languages: Spanish, French. Literacy rate: 55% to 72%. Also includes people from Nigeria, Europe, India. Information mainly from A. Jacquot 1978; J. Holm 1989; J. Bendor-Samuel 1989; A. Iyanga Pendi 1991; SIL 1987–2003. Blind population: 800 (1982 WCE). The number of languages listed for Equatorial Guinea is 14. Of those, all are living languages.
Living languages
Batanga | [bnm] 9,000 in Equatorial Guinea (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk). Population total all countries: 15,000. Also spoken in Cameroon. Alternate names: Banoho, Bano'o, Noho, Nohu, Noku, Banoo. Dialects: Bapuku (Puku, Naka, Bapuu). The Puku are one of the Ndowe coastal peoples. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30) |
Benga | [bng] 3,000 in Equatorial Guinea (1995). Population includes 400 on Corisco Island. Rio Muni. Corisco Island. 80% have moved to Libreville, Gabon to Bata in EG. Also spoken in Gabon. Dialects: Related to Batanga. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30) |
Bube | [bvb] 40,000 (1995 UBS). Fernando Po, Biombo Island. Alternate names: Boombe, Bobe, Bubi, Ediya, Adija, Adeeyah, Boobe, Fernandian. Dialects: North Bobe, Southwest Bobe, Southeast Bobe. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30) |
Fa D'ambu | [fab] 2,500 in Equatorial Guinea (1999 SIL). Population total all countries: 3,100. Annobón Island, isolated from the mainland by 360 km of ocean (2,000), and in a community from Annobón living in Malabo on Bioko Island (500), a few on continental Equatorial Guinea. Also spoken in Spain. Alternate names: Annobonés, Annobonese, Annobonense. Dialects: Different from Fernando Po Krio and Crioulo of Guinea-Bissau and Kabuverdianu. Little variation between Annobonese in Annobón and Malabo. Lexical similarity 62.5% with São Tomense. 10% of the lexicon comes from Spanish. Classification: Creole, Portuguese based |
Fang | [fan] 258,722 in Equatorial Guinea (2000 WCD). Population total all countries: 450,586. Interior. Also spoken in Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, São Tomé e Príncipe. Alternate names: Pamue, Pahoun. Dialects: Make, Ntum (Ntumu). Intelligible with Bulu and Ewondo as part of the Beti language cluster. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Yaunde-Fang (A.70) |
Fernando Po Creole English | [fpe] 5,000 (1998 SIL). North central Bioko Island (Fernando Po), 6 communities in or near Malabo: Musola, Las Palmas, Sampaca, Basupu, Fiston, Balveri de Cristo Rey. Alternate names: Pidginglis, Fernandino, Fernando Po Krio, Criollo. Dialects: Pidginglis may be a separate language from Krio. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Krio |
French | [fra] Known more in the cities. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French |
Gyele | [gyi] 29 in Equatorial Guinea (1998 govt.). Near the coast, northwest corner of Equatorial Guinea. Alternate names: Giele, Gieli, Gyeli, Bagyele, Bagiele, Bajeli, Bajele, Bogyeli, Bogyel, Bondjiel, Bako, Bekoe, Bakola, Bakuele, Likoya, Babinga. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Makaa-Njem (A.80) |
Molengue | [bxc] 1,000 (2002 SIL). Southern, just inland from coast, about half of the way up, between the southern tip of the country and the Rio Benito. Alternate names: Molendji, Balengue. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, B, Unclassified |
Ngumba | [nmg] 8,500 in Equatorial Guinea (1982 SIL). Rio Muni. Alternate names: Mvumbo, Ngoumba, Mgoumba, Mabi, Mabea, Bujeba. Dialects: Kwasio (Bisio, Bissio, Bisiwo). Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Makaa-Njem (A.80) |
Ngumbi | [nui] 4,000 (1995). Rio Muni coast, including Ecuco village. Alternate names: Combe, Kombe. Dialects: Asonga, Bomudi, Moganda. In Yasa (Bongwe) cluster. May be a dialect of Yasa. One of the Ndowe coastal peoples. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30), Yasa |
Seki | [syi] 11,000 in Equatorial Guinea (2001 Johnstone and Mandryk). Population total all countries: 14,690. Coastal. Also spoken in Gabon. Alternate names: Sekyani, Sekiani, Sekiyani, Sekiana, Shekiyana, Sheke, Seke, Beseki, Bulu. Dialects: Different from Bulu of Cameroon. One of 3 groups known as 'semi-playeros' because they function well on the coast and in the jungle. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, B, Kele (B.20) |
Spanish | [spa] 11,500 in Equatorial Guinea (1993 Johnstone). Mainly on Biombo Island. Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Ibero-Romance, West Iberian, Castilian |
Yasa | [yko] 913 in Equatorial Guinea (2000 WCD). Rio Muni. Yasa dialect is in Cameroon and 1 village (Rio Ntem). Alternate names: Yassa, Lyassa, Maasa, Bongwe. Dialects: Iyasa, Bweko, Vendo, Bodele, Marry, One, Asonga, Bomui, Mogana, Mooma, Mapanga. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Northwest, A, Bube-Benga (A.30), Yasa |