Swahili+Regions

=__Political System__= In Swahili it is hard to say if they have a political system because they follow their neighboring countries political system. The neighbors of Swahili are: Mijikenda, Zigua, Doë, Kwere, Zaramo, and Makonde. Mostly Islam powers are mostly in the hands of elder male members. Swahili traders act like [|middlemen] between the people and the government.

=__Economic__=

For 2,000 years Swahili merchants act like middlemen between east and central Africa. They played an important role in the trade of ivory and enslaved people, which [|climaxed] in the 19th century. The trading routes went across Tanzania into modern day Zaire, and goods were sold to Arabs, Indian, and Portuguese traders. Many slaves were sold in Zanzibar but some of the slaves ended up being in Brazil, which was a Portuguese colony. Swahili fisherman still relies on the oceans because then they can supply fishes. Fish are sold to the [|inland] neighbors and is exchanged with [|interior] products.

= = =__Linguistic__=

The Swahili language is called Kiswahili (Bantu) used in East Africa for businesses and communication. The Swahili language borrowed some words from the language Arabic.

The Swahili language came from Arab and the Persians who moved to the East African Coast. The Swahili language is an old language; it started in East coast of Africa during 2nd century A.D. Some words came from the Portuguese, and they also borrowed words from the English and the German.

Now the language Kiswahili is now spoken in many countries of East Africa. The Swahili language is spoken, estimated 50 million speak the language and it’s the most spoken language in Africa. Almost all Tanzanians speak Kiswahili, in Kenya it’s the national language there. In Uganda there national language is English but some people speak Kiswahili. During Iddi Amin’s rule Swahili was the national language for Uganda, how ever it was never accepted by the government who took over Iddi Amin.

http://www.waswahilitrust.plus.com/images/kuinama.jpg //This is a picture of an arabic script. Kiswahili borrowed words from Arabic language.// = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

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