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People group profile · PG015630

The Shona of Zambia

The Shona of Zambia, numbering about 34,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, primarily living in Zimbabwe where they form the majority of the population.

They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Shona people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is African Traditional Religion, and they primarily speak Shona.

Pray for the ShonaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Zambia
Population
34,500
Affinity group
Sub-Saharan African Peoples
People cluster
Bantu, Shona
Primary language
Shona (sna)
Primary religion
African Traditional Religion
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
Minimally Reached People Group
Region
Eastern Africa, Africa

Where they live

Gospel status

The Shona 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 Shona

  • 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

African Traditional Religion · Ethnoreligion

60% adherents

Primary language

Shona · Atlantic-Congo family

100% speak Shona

Gospel resources in Shona

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not 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 Shona

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

Download a prayer guide

Shona in other countries

The same people (ROP3 108959) is reported in 4 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
ShonaZimbabwe8,735,000No Longer Unreached
ShonaSouth Africa436,000No Longer Unreached
ShonaBotswana61,000Engaged yet Unreached
ShonaCanada3,000No Longer Unreached

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