Yao Language | Joshua Project

Home People Groups Lists Language: Yao

Language: Yao

Population of Groups Speaking

3,343,000

People Groups Speaking as Primary Language

Scripture Status

Complete Bible

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Map Notes

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Progress Scale: ●●●●●
☀
= Frontier peoples
People Group ▲	Country	Country Population	Global Population	Indigenous	Primary Religion	Progress Scale	% Christian Adherent	% Evangelical	Est. Workers Needed *
Yao, Christian	Malawi	320,000	528,000	●	Christianity	4 ●	98.00 %	4.00 %	-1 -
Yao, Christian	Mozambique	116,000	528,000	●	Christianity	4 ●	94.00 %	4.00 %	-1 -
Yao, Christian	Tanzania	92,000	528,000	●	Christianity	4 ●	94.00 %	4.00 %	-1 -
Yao, Muslim	Malawi	1,999,000	2,815,000	●	Islam	1 ●	1.00 %	0.50 %	40
Yao, Muslim	Mozambique	197,000	2,815,000	●	Islam	1 ●	1.40 %	1.00 %	4
Yao, Muslim	Tanzania	614,000	2,815,000	●	Islam	1 ●	2.00 %	1.20 %	12
Yao, Muslim	Zambia	5,000	2,815,000		Islam	1 ●	3.00 %	1.00 %	1
Totals: 7						4 ●			57

* An estimate of the number of pioneer workers needed for initial church planting among unreached people groups by country. Estimates are calculated only for unreached people groups and are based on ratio of 1 worker-unit (single person or married couple) per 50,000 living in an unreached people group by country, or for example one team of four worker-units per 200,000 people. Some workers may already be onsite. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.

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Progress Scale: ●●●●●
☀
= Frontier peoples
Photo	People Group ▲	Country	Population	Global Population	Indigenous	Primary Religion	Progress Scale	% Christian Adherent	% Evangelical	Est. Workers Needed *
	No reported people groups speaking this as secondary language
	Totals: 0						0 ●			0

Download Data Data Sources Definitions

Item	Value
Status	Living
Ethnologue Code	yao
Written	Yes
Bible Translation	Complete Bible
Progress Scale	●

Language Alternate Names
Achawa
Adsawa
Adsoa
Ajawa
Ayao
Ayawa
Ayo
Chichawa
Chikonono (Cikonono)
Chiyao
Chiyawo
Cikonono
Cimakale
Cimassaninga
Ciyaawo
Ciyao
Ciyawo
Djao
Haiao
Hajao
Hiao
Hyao
Jao
Kihiau
Kihyao
Kiyao
Machinga
Makale (Cimakale)
Mangochi
Massaninga (Cimassaninga)
Tunduru Yao
Veiao
Wajao
waYao
Yawo

Dialects
Chikonono
Makale
Malawi
Mangoche
Massaninga
Mozambique
Tanzania

Dialect Alternate Names
ChiYao: Malawi
ChiYao: Mozambique
ChiYao: Tanzania
ChiYawo: Malawi
ChiYawo: Mozambique
ChiYawo: Tanzania
Cimakale
Cimassaninga
Makale
Mozambican Yawo
Nyasa
Yao
Yao [Tanzania]
Yao Tanzania
Yao: Makale
Yao: Malawi
Yao: Massaninga
Yao: Mozambique
Yao: Nyasa
Yao: Tanzania
Yawo: Malawi
Yawo: Mozambique
Yawo: Tanzania

Translation	Year / Status
Bible Portions	1880-2008
New Testament	1898-1994
Complete Bible	2014

Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
World Bibles

Online / Mobile App Bibles
Bible.is (Faith Comes By Hearing)
Bible.com (YouVersion)


Resource Repositories
Language Archives
Linguist List
Scripture Earth
SIL Resources

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Resource ▲	Link
Audio Recordings	Audio Bible teaching (GRN)
Audio Recordings	Online New Testament (FCBH)
Film / Video	God's Story Video
Film / Video	Indigitube.tv Video / Animation
Film / Video	Jesus Film: view in Yao
Film / Video	King of Glory movie
Film / Video	Magdalena (Jesus Film Project)
Film / Video	Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project)
Text / Printed Matter	Bible: Yao
Text / Printed Matter	Online Bible text (Scripture Earth)
Text / Printed Matter	World Missionary Press Booklets

The Joshua Project Progress Scale is an estimate of the progress of church planting among a people group, people cluster, country or language. The Progress Scale is derived from people group values for percent Evangelical and percent Christian Adherent.

Level	Description	Criteria
1	Unreached - Few evangelicals and few who identify as Christians. Little, if any, history of Christianity.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians <= 5%
2	Minimally reached - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 5% and <= 50%
3	Superficially reached - Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 50%
4	Partially reached - Evangelicals have a modest presence.	Evangelicals > 2% and <= 10%
5	Significantly reached - Evangelicals have a significant presence.	Evangelicals > 10%

Disclaimers:

Joshua Project data is drawn from many sources and of varying accuracy depending on source and editorial decisions. Populations are scaled to the current year. Other data may have varying ages. We welcome suggested updates.
A displayed zero can mean true zero, a very small rounded number or sometimes unknown. Blanks mean an unknown value.
The data is sometimes not as precise as it appears. Values for %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical (which determine unreached status) are often informed estimates, some more accurate than others. We recommend against using %Christian Adherent and %Evangelical to calculate absolute numbers.
Joshua Project makes every effort to ensure that the subject in an image is in fact from the specific people group. In rare instances a representative photo may be used.
Joshua Project may be able to provide more information than what is published on this site. Please contact us.
On-the-ground reality may vary from what is presented here. Before making travel plans based on data presented here, please confirm with other sources to the extent possible.

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