Kiswahili, a Bantu language, incorporates
both verbal and kinesthetic elements. Kiswahili
has been described as "one of the twelve languages of the world." It
is the only language in Africa that can be classified as a true "Lingua
Franca." It plays a vital role in the daily commercial, political, cultural,
and social life of the region at every level of society. Unlike most other African
languages, it is largely non-tribal. Rather, because the Bantu language family
dominates Africa, Kiswahili is more of an intra-national language of the Eastern,
Central and Southern Africa regions. The language spreads from Tanzania, Kenya,
Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, East and North of DR-Congo, Northern Malawi, Northern
Mozambique, and Northern Zambia, to as far as Somalia. To a lesser extent, some
people in the Congo, Southern Sudan, the Comoro Islands, Northern Malagasy Republic,
and the Persian Gulf states also use Kiswahili. It is the offical language for
Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and DR-Congo. It is currently estimated that between
100 and 150 million people use Kiswahili for communication.