People group profile · PG013042
The Bambara of Côte d’Ivoire
The Bambara of Côte d’Ivoire, numbering about 1,500,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Mandé-speaking people of Mali and neighboring West African countries who share a common language, cultural heritage, and historical identity rooted in the middle Niger River basin.
They are an indigenous people in the Malinke-Bambara people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Bambara.
Fast facts
- Country
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Population
- 1,500,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Malinke-Bambara
- Primary language
- Bambara (bam)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bambara are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Bambara
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
70% adherents
Primary language
Bambara · Mande family
100% speak Bambara
Gospel resources in Bambara
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Alliance Biblique au Mali 1987 · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Bambara
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- 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.
Bambara in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100925) is reported in 9 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bambara | Mali | 7,780,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| French-speaking West Africans | France | 133,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Bambara | Senegal | 102,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bambara | Niger | 60,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Bambara | Mauritania | 27,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bambara | Gambia | 26,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bambara | Burkina Faso | 7,900 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Bambara | Guinea | 6,200 | Unengaged and Unreached |
| Bambara | United States | 5,700 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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