Fula

The Fula, also known as Fulani or Fulbe, are a large and widely dispersed ethnic group of West Africa and adjacent regions. They speak the Fula language, also called Fulfulde, Pulaar, or Pular, depending on dialect and region. The Fula form one of the largest language clusters of the Niger-Congo family and have historically been both pastoralists and traders, with a tradition of cattle herding and nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles.

Geographic distribution: Population centers in Nigeria, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Gambia, Cameroon, Mauritania, Sierra Leone, Benin, Chad, Ghana and beyond. There are sizable urban and rural communities; cross-border ties are common; diaspora communities exist in many countries. The Fula are often concentrated in the Sahel and West Africa’s savanna belt.

Language: Fulfulde (Fulani language) has many dialects; in different regions it is called Pulaar (Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia) or Pular (Guinea, parts of Mali). It belongs to the Atlantic branch of Niger-Congo; writing systems include Latin script and Ajami Arabic scripts.

Culture and society: Islam is central to Fula identities, with prominent Sufi orders such as Tijaniyya and Qadiriyya. Social organization varies, including herding, trading, and farming communities. The Fulani have been influential in the history of West Africa, notably in the 18th and 19th centuries with jihad states like the Sokoto Caliphate.

Contemporary issues: Many Fulani engage in farming or pastoralism within multiethnic polities; modernization, climate change, and land-use pressures have led to intercommunal tensions in some regions.