Ashanti

Ashanti, or Asante, are a nation and the largest subgroup of the Akan people. They live mostly in Ghana and Ivory Coast. They speak the Akan language and the Asante dialect, and are of Akan origin.

Ashantis
Asantefo
Total population
Upwards of 10 million
Regions with significant populations
Ghana, Ivory Coast
Languages
Akan, Asante dialect
Religion
Akan, Islam, Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Non-religious and others
Related ethnic groups
Akan


Before European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large and influential empire in West Africa. The Ashanti later developed the powerful Ashanti Confederacy or 'Asanteman'. They were the dominant presence in the region. The Asantehene is the political and spiritual head of the Asantes.