 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 5,627,565 (2007) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Kembata Zone in Central Ethiopia Regional State | |
| Languages | |
| Kambaata language | |
| Religion | |
| 83.6% Prostestantism, 6.55% Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, 5.94% Catholicism, and 3.07% Islam |
Kambaata (Amharic: ከምባታ) is a Cushitic ethnic group in south-central Ethiopia, specifically in Kambaata Zone in Central Ethiopia Regional State. It is also known as Cambat, Kambata, Cambatta, Kambatta or Khambat by various historians and early explorers. The Kambaata people and Kambaatissa (their language) belongs to the East Highland Cushitic language family. Kambaata was first mentioned in the chronicles of Emperor Yeshaq I. Kambaata was "one of the southern kingdoms with well-established monarchical system...instituted in 16th century and operated without interruption until it ended at the last decade of ninetieth century"[1] when it was incorporated by Emperor Menelik II. During this first period incorporation, Kambaata province was largely Christianized.[2]