Editing Nilo-Saharan languages (section)

==Major languages==
Within the Nilo-Saharan languages are a number of languages with at least a million speakers (most data from SIL's ''Ethnologue'' 16 (2009)). In descending order:
*[[Luo dialect|Luo]] (''Dholuo'', 4.4 million). ''Dholuo'' language of the [[Luo people of Kenya and Tanzania]], Kenya's fourth largest ethnicity after the [[Bantu languages|Bantu]]-speaking [[Kikuyu people|Agĩkũyũ]], [[Luhya people|Luhya]] and the [[Southern Nilotic languages|Southern Nilotic]]-speaking [[Kalenjin people|Kalenjin]] (the term [[Luo languages|"Luo"]] is also used for a wider group of languages which includes ''Dholuo''.).
*[[Kanuri language|Kanuri]] (4.0 million, all dialects; 4.7 million if [[Kanembu language|Kanembu]] is included). The major ethnicity around [[Lake Chad]].
*[[Zarma language|Zarma]] (6 million). Spread along the Niger River in [[Niger]] and into [[Nigeria]], in the southern region of the historic [[Songhai Empire]].
*[[Teso language|Teso]] (1.9 million). Related to [[Karamojong language|Karamojong]], [[Turkana people|Turkana]], [[Toposa people|Toposa]] and [[Nyangatom language|Nyangatom]]
*[[Nubian languages|Nubian]] (1.7 million, all dialects). The language of [[Nubia]], extending today from southern [[Egypt]] into northern [[Sudan]]. Many Nubians have also migrated northwards to [[Cairo]] since the building of the [[Aswan Dam]].
*[[Lugbara language|Lugbara]] (1.7 million, 2.2 if [[Aringa language|Aringa]] (Low Lugbara) is included). The major Central Sudanic language; [[Uganda]] and the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]].
*[[Nandi–Markweta languages]] (''Kalenjin'', 1.6 million). Kenyan [[Great Rift Valley, Kenya|Rift Valley, Kapchorua Uganda]].
*[[Lango language (Uganda)|Lango]] (1.5 million). A Luo language, one of the major languages of [[Uganda]].
*[[Dinka language|Dinka]] (1.4 million). The major ethnicity of [[South Sudan]].
*[[Acholi language|Acholi]] (1.2 million). Another Luo language of [[Uganda]].
*[[Nuer language|Nuer]] (1.1 million in 2011, significantly more today). The language of the [[Nuer people|Nuer]], another numerous people from [[South Sudan]] and [[Ethiopia]].
*[[Maasai language|Maasai]] (1.0 million). Spoken by the [[Maasai people]] of [[Kenya]] and [[Tanzania]].<ref>{{Cite book |editor-last=Lewis |editor-first=M. Paul |chapter=Maasai: A language of Kenya |year=2009 |title=Ethnologue: Languages of the World |edition=Sixteenth |location=Dallas, TX |chapter-url=http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=mas |publisher=SIL International |access-date=2008-02-29 |archive-date=2008-10-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023220439/http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=mas |url-status=live }}.</ref>
*[[Ngambay language|Ngambay]] (1.0 million with Laka). Central Sudanic, the principal language of southern [[Chad]].

Some other important Nilo-Saharan languages under 1 million speakers:
*[[Fur language|Fur]] (500,000 in 1983, significantly more today). The eponymous language of [[Darfur]] Province in western [[Sudan]].
*[[Tebu languages|Tubu]] (350,000 to 400,000) One of the northernmost Nilo-Saharan languages, extending from [[Nigeria]], [[Niger]], and [[Chad]] into [[Libya]]. Most Tubu speakers live in Northern Chad close to the [[Tibesti Mountains]]. Tubu has two main varieties: the [[Daza language]] and the [[Teda language]].

The total for all speakers of Nilo-Saharan languages according to ''Ethnologue'' 16 is 38–39 million people. However, the data spans a range from ca. 1980 to 2005, with a weighted median at ca. 1990. Given population growth rates, the figure in 2010 might be half again higher, or about 60 million.