Zulu is spoken primarily in South Africa, especially in KwaZulu-Natal, and also in neighboring countries and regions with Zulu communities. Key points:
- South Africa: IsiZulu is the most widely spoken home language in KwaZulu-Natal and widely understood across the country. It is one of South Africa’s 11 official languages.
- KwaZulu-Natal: The heartland where Zulu speakers are concentrated; Durban and surrounding areas have large Zulu-speaking populations.
- Other South African provinces: Zulu is spoken in parts of Mpumalanga and Gauteng among Zulu communities and speakers of related Nguni dialects.
- Neighboring countries: Zulu-speaking communities exist in Zimbabwe (where related dialects are present) and in parts of Lesotho, Swaziland (Eswatini), Tanzania, Malawi, and Mozambique, often as minority communities or in cross-border regions.
- Global context: Zulu is also known as isiZulu, a Bantu language in the Nguni branch, with a rich history and a significant presence in media and education within South Africa.
If you’re planning to visit or study the language, focus on KwaZulu-Natal for the densest Zulu-speaking environments, while recognizing that many South Africans in other provinces understand or speak Zulu as a second language.
