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Who Are the Fulani People and Where Do They Live?

Published June 26th, 2019 - 06:38 GMT

The Fulani people are one of the largest ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region, numbering between 38 and 40 million people in total.

Around 12 to 13 million Fulani people are pastoralists, and their ethnic group has the largest nomadic pastoral community in the world.

On the other hand, the Fulani are leaders in many West African countries, such as the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari; the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, and the President of Gambia, Adama Barrow.

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8-year-old Fulani boy Suleiman Yusuf drinks milk from a cow belonging to his father cattle near his family's house at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 16, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

8-year-old Fulani boy Suleiman Yusuf drinks milk from a cow belonging to his father cattle near his family's house at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 16, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A group of men carry a heavy cow in a truck at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP

A group of men carry a heavy cow in a truck at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP

A Fulani man selling cows wait for buyers at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP

A Fulani man selling cows wait for buyers at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP

A group of Fulani students queue at the school grounds before the beginning of the day's lessons at Wuro Fulbe Nomadic School in Kacha Grazing Reserve for Fulani people, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 19, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A group of Fulani students queue at the school grounds before the beginning of the day's lessons at Wuro Fulbe Nomadic School in Kacha Grazing Reserve for Fulani people, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 19, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A Hausa Fulani farmer works at a farm in the outskirts of Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria on April 22, 2019. Massive expansion of farming in Nigeria has cut access to grazing land for nomadic herders and fuelled persistent violence. Luis TATO / AFP

A Hausa Fulani farmer works at a farm in the outskirts of Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria on April 22, 2019. Massive expansion of farming in Nigeria has cut access to grazing land for nomadic herders and fuelled persistent violence. Luis TATO / AFP

A Fulani girl stands poses for a portrait while attending to the market at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 18, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A Fulani girl stands poses for a portrait while attending to the market at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 18, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A Hausa-Fulani man rides a camel at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP

A Hausa-Fulani man rides a camel at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP

The ongoing strife between Muslim herders and Christian farmers, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 2018 and displaced hundreds of thousands of others, is a divisive issue for Nigeria and some other countries in West Africa. Luis TATO / AFP

The ongoing strife between Muslim herders and Christian farmers, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 2018 and displaced hundreds of thousands of others, is a divisive issue for Nigeria and some other countries in West Africa. Luis TATO / AFP

Mohammed Abubakar Bambado, the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, sits on his throne while presiding over an assembly with Fulani people looking for his advice in his Palace at the district of Surulere in Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

Mohammed Abubakar Bambado, the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, sits on his throne while presiding over an assembly with Fulani people looking for his advice in his Palace at the district of Surulere in Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A herdsman prepares cows for his costumer after cattle transactions at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

A herdsman prepares cows for his costumer after cattle transactions at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

8-year-old Fulani boy Suleiman Yusuf drinks milk from a cow belonging to his father cattle near his family's house at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 16, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A group of men carry a heavy cow in a truck at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A Fulani man selling cows wait for buyers at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A group of Fulani students queue at the school grounds before the beginning of the day's lessons at Wuro Fulbe Nomadic School in Kacha Grazing Reserve for Fulani people, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 19, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A Hausa Fulani farmer works at a farm in the outskirts of Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria on April 22, 2019. Massive expansion of farming in Nigeria has cut access to grazing land for nomadic herders and fuelled persistent violence. Luis TATO / AFP
A Fulani girl stands poses for a portrait while attending to the market at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 18, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A Hausa-Fulani man rides a camel at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
The ongoing strife between Muslim herders and Christian farmers, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 2018 and displaced hundreds of thousands of others, is a divisive issue for Nigeria and some other countries in West Africa. Luis TATO / AFP
Mohammed Abubakar Bambado, the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, sits on his throne while presiding over an assembly with Fulani people looking for his advice in his Palace at the district of Surulere in Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A herdsman prepares cows for his costumer after cattle transactions at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
8-year-old Fulani boy Suleiman Yusuf drinks milk from a cow belonging to his father cattle near his family's house at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 16, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
8-year-old Fulani boy Suleiman Yusuf drinks milk from a cow belonging to his father cattle near his family's house at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 16, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A group of men carry a heavy cow in a truck at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A group of men carry a heavy cow in a truck at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A Fulani man selling cows wait for buyers at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A Fulani man selling cows wait for buyers at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A group of Fulani students queue at the school grounds before the beginning of the day's lessons at Wuro Fulbe Nomadic School in Kacha Grazing Reserve for Fulani people, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 19, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A group of Fulani students queue at the school grounds before the beginning of the day's lessons at Wuro Fulbe Nomadic School in Kacha Grazing Reserve for Fulani people, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 19, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A Hausa Fulani farmer works at a farm in the outskirts of Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria on April 22, 2019. Massive expansion of farming in Nigeria has cut access to grazing land for nomadic herders and fuelled persistent violence. Luis TATO / AFP
A Hausa Fulani farmer works at a farm in the outskirts of Sokoto, Sokoto State, Nigeria on April 22, 2019. Massive expansion of farming in Nigeria has cut access to grazing land for nomadic herders and fuelled persistent violence. Luis TATO / AFP
A Fulani girl stands poses for a portrait while attending to the market at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 18, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A Fulani girl stands poses for a portrait while attending to the market at Kachia Grazing Reserve, Kaduna State, Nigeria, on April 18, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A Hausa-Fulani man rides a camel at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
A Hausa-Fulani man rides a camel at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Illiea is the last Nigerian town before Niger's border and the cattle market is one of the largest of West Africa receiving pastoralist nomads from several countries in the region. Luis TATO / AFP
The ongoing strife between Muslim herders and Christian farmers, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 2018 and displaced hundreds of thousands of others, is a divisive issue for Nigeria and some other countries in West Africa. Luis TATO / AFP
The ongoing strife between Muslim herders and Christian farmers, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 2018 and displaced hundreds of thousands of others, is a divisive issue for Nigeria and some other countries in West Africa. Luis TATO / AFP
Mohammed Abubakar Bambado, the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, sits on his throne while presiding over an assembly with Fulani people looking for his advice in his Palace at the district of Surulere in Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
Mohammed Abubakar Bambado, the Sarkin Fulani of Lagos, sits on his throne while presiding over an assembly with Fulani people looking for his advice in his Palace at the district of Surulere in Lagos, Nigeria on April 28, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A herdsman prepares cows for his costumer after cattle transactions at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP
A herdsman prepares cows for his costumer after cattle transactions at Illiea Cattle Market, Sokoto State, Nigeria, on April 21, 2019. Luis TATO / AFP

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