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People group profile · PG011648

The Tambaro of Ethiopia

The Tambaro of Ethiopia, numbering about 160,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Cushitic-speaking subgroup closely related to the Kambaata of southern Ethiopia, whose homeland once formed part of the historic Kambaata kingdom before its conquest by Emperor Menelik II in the late nineteenth century.

They are an indigenous people in the Sidama people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Kambaata.

Pray for the TambaroPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Tambaro people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Tambaro

Fast facts

Country
Ethiopia
Population
160,000
Affinity group
Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
People cluster
Sidama
Primary language
Kambaata (ktb)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
20% or Greater but Less than 30%
GSEC
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa
Location
Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: southwest Gurage, Kambaata, and Hadiyya zones; Durame is main town

Where they live

Gospel status

The Tambaro are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Tambaro

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Protestantism · Christianity

76% adherents

Primary language

Kambaata · Afro-Asiatic family

100% speak Kambaata

Gospel resources in Kambaata

  • Bible available, published 2023
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Tambaro

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

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