People group profile · PG011540
The Amhara of Ethiopia
The Amhara of Ethiopia, numbering about 36,150,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a major Semitic‑speaking ethnic group indigenous to the north‑central Ethiopian highlands. Speakers of Amharic—Ethiopia’s principal working language—they have historically been central to the Ethiopian state and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
They are an indigenous people in the Ethio-Semitic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Amharic.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 36,150,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Ethio-Semitic
- Primary language
- Amharic (amh)
- Primary religion
- Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Amhara region: north central; Addis Ababa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Amhara are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Amhara
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
83% adherents
Primary language
Amharic · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Amharic
Gospel resources in Amharic
- Bible available, published 2014
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Amharic)
- JESUS (Amharic)
- Magdalena (Amharic)
- The Savior (Amharic)
Bibles
- 1962 Bible Society of Ethiopia · text
- 1988 Common Version · audio
- New Amharic Standard Version (NASV) · video
- Orthodox-Septuagint Deuterocanonical Version · text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Amhara
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Amhara in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100293) is reported in 5 other countries.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.