Alternate Names: Chibemba, Chiwemba, Cibemba, Ichibemba, Icibemba, Wemba
Dialects: Chishinga, Kabende, Lembue, Lomotua (Lomotwa), Lunda (Luapula), Mukulu, Ngoma, Ng’umbo, Nwesi, Town Bemba, Twa of Bangweulu, Unga. Town Bemba has a Bemba base with heavy code mixing with English and neighboring Bantu languages.
Status Notes: De facto provincial language in North, Copperbelt, and Luapula provinces.Town Bemba is a widely used lingua franca in urban areas, with higher social status than other languages except English, and is used for educational and administrative purposes.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 3,810,000 in Zambia (2010 census), decreasing. 3,730,000 Bemba, 12,800 Chishinga, 37,900 Kabende, 15,000 Lunda, 1,680 Mukulu, 11,500 Unga (2010 census). Population total all countries: 4,110,000.
Language Use: All ages. Positive attitudes.
Language Development: Taught in primary schools. Newspapers. New media. Radio programs. Dictionary. Bible: 1956–2003.
Typology: SVO.
Writing System: Braille, Latin
Nation of Origin: Zambia
Other Comments: Traditional religion, Christian.