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Kongo language

FamilycolorNiger-Congo
NameKongo
NativenameKikongo
StatesAngola
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
RegionCentral Africa
Speakers7 million
Fam2Atlantic � Congo
Fam3Benue � Congo
Fam4Bantoid
Fam5Bantu (Zone H)
Fam6Kikongo (H.10)
NationAngola
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Republic of the Congo
Iso1kg|iso2=kon|iso3=kon
Lc1kng|ld1=Koongo|ll1=none
Lc2ldi|ld2=Laari|ll2=none
Lc3kwy|ld3=San Salvador Kongo|ll3=none

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The Kongo language, or 'Kikongo', is the Bantu language spoken by the Bakongo and Bandundu people living in the tropical forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo and Angola. It is a tonal language and formed the base for Kituba, a Bantu creole and lingua franca throughout much of west central Africa. It was spoken by many of those who were taken from the region and sold as slaves in the Americas. For this reason, while Kongo still is spoken in the above-mentioned countries, creolized forms of the language are found in ritual speech of African-derived religions in Brazil, Jamaica, Cuba and especially in Haiti. It is also one of the sources of the Gullah people's language and the Palenquero creole in Colombia. The vast majority of present-day speakers live in Africa. There are roughly seven million native speakers of Kongo, with perhaps two million more who use it as a second language.It is also the base for a creole used throughout the region: Kituba also called Kikongo de L'état or Kikongo ya Leta ("Kongo of the state" in French or Kongo), Kituba and Monokituba (also Munukituba). The constitution of the Republic of the Congo uses the name Kitubà, and the one of the Democratic Republic of the Congo uses the term Kikongo, even if Kituba is used in the administration.


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