Arma people
The Arma people are an ethnic group of the middle Niger River valley, descended from Moroccan invaders of the 16th century . The name, applied by other groups, derives from the word ar-rumah (Arabic: الرماة) "fusiliers".
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Approximately 20,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Middle Niger River Valley of Mali, Niger. | |
| Languages | |
| Songhay languages, French | |
| Religion | |
| Muslim | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Songhai, Mandé, Moroccan |
The Arma ethnicity is distinct from (but sometimes confused with) the 3.6 million Zarma people of western Niger, who predate the Moroccan invasion and speak the Zarma language, also a member of the Songhay languages.
As of 1986, there were some 20,000 self-identified Arma in Mali, mostly around Timbuktu, the middle Niger bend and the Inner Niger Delta.
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