| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
 Burundi | 1.7 million (14% of the total population) |
 Rwanda | 1–2 million (9%–15% of the total population)[1] |
| Languages | |
| Kinyarwanda, Kirundi | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (80%), Islam (5%) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Rwanda-Rundi peoples | |
The Tutsi (/ˈtʊtsi/[2]), also called Watusi, Watutsi or Abatutsi (Kinyarwanda pronunciation: [ɑ.βɑ.tuː.t͡si]), are an ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region.[3] They are a Bantu-speaking[4] ethnic group and the second largest of three main ethnic groups in Rwanda and Burundi (the other two being the largest Bantu ethnic group Hutu and the Pygmy group of the Twa).[5]
Historically, the Tutsi were pastoralists and filled the ranks of the warriors' caste. Before 1962, they regulated and controlled Rwandan society, which was composed of Tutsi aristocracy and Hutu commoners, utilizing a clientship structure. They occupied the dominant positions in the sharply stratified society and constituted the ruling class.[5]
- ^ After the Rwandan genocide there was no more ethnic census; an estimated 9 to 15 percent of the population is Tutsi
- ^ "Tutsi". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)
- ^ Pauls, Elizabeth Prine; et al., eds. (2007). "Tutsi". Britannica. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
- ^ "Rwanda | Language & Facts". Britannica. 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ^ a b Brenneman, Richard (1969). Rwanda, a Country Study. United States: US Government. p. 46. LCCN 2007492448. OCLC 22675245. 9910001051459703686.