People group profile · PG047650
The Bambara of the United States
The Bambara of the United States, numbering about 5,700 people, are Engaged yet 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 a diaspora people in the Malinke-Bambara people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Bambara.

Fast facts
- Country
- United States
- Population
- 5,700
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Malinke-Bambara
- Primary language
- Bambara (bam)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Northern America, Americas
Where they live
Gospel status
The Bambara 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 Bambara
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
93% adherents
Primary language
Bambara · Mande family
100% speak Bambara
Gospel resources in Bambara
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not 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 |
| Bambara | Cote d’Ivoire | 1,500,000 | No Longer 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 |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.