Swahili

Swahili is a language spoken in East Africa, specifically in Tanzania and Kenya. It is also spoken in the Comoros Islands, and in some parts of Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. There are approximately 5 million native Swahili speakers, and a further 15 million who speak it as a second language. Swahili is a Bantu language, and as such is closely related to other Bantu languages such as Zulu, Xhosa and Shona. It is also closely related to the East African languages of Maasai and Somali. The closest language to Swahili is actually Comorian, which is spoken on the Comoros Islands. Swahili is written using the Latin alphabet, as well as its own unique script, known as the Swahili alphabet. The Swahili alphabet consists of 28 letters, and is used mainly for writing poetry and other literary works. Swahili is a rich and vibrant language, with a wide variety of dialects spoken across East Africa. It is a truly unique language, and is an important part of the cultural identity of the people who speak it.