The Tambaro of Ethiopia

The Tambaro of Ethiopia, numbering approximately 160,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Cushitic-speaking subgroup closely related to the Kambaata of southern Ethiopia, whose homeland once formed part of the historic Kambaata kingdom before its conquest by Emperor Menelik II in the late nineteenth century. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Kambaata is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Tambaro

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Horn of Africa Peoples
Country: Ethiopia
People Cluster: Sidama
Primary Language(s): Kambaata (ktb)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 160,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 10% or Greater Evangelical
People Group ID: PG011648
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Tambaro of Ethiopia

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

76%
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Kambaata
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%
%
Kambaata Speakers

Media Resources in Kambaata:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film
JESUSView Film

2 films

Bible Resources in Kambaata:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Bible Society of Ethiopia✓✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Kambaata bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Tambaro are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Tambaro:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Tambaro of Ethiopia

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
readPsalm 20:7

Pray for those who trust in anything other than the Lord to be convicted of their sin and learn about what Jesus did for them so that they can choose to trust in Him.

There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
readPsalm 19:3

Pray that God will lead them to His Word, and where it is not available, ask that He will raise up those who will produce gospel media in their heart language.

Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
readPsalm 51:9

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will have confidence that God has turned His face from their sins and forgiven their iniquities.

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, "Your God reigns”
readIsaiah 52:7

Pray that God will provide open doors for believers who cross cultures to share the good news of salvation with those who need it. Pray that He will give them joy as they see Him move.

Timbaro Across Countries (ROP3 - 115963) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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