The Tiv are a people of central Nigeria who live on both sides of the Benue River, with a smaller population in Cameroon. They speak the Tiv language.
- Self-designation
- Tiv
In the Encyclopedia of World Cultures, Paul Bohannan places the Tiv on both sides of the Benue River, about 220 kilometres from its confluence with the Niger. He notes that the south-east of their land borders the foothills of the Cameroons, "from whence the Tiv say they originally came" — an account the Tiv themselves give, recorded here as such.
The singular form is Or-Tiv ("a Tiv person"). Outsiders have also used the name Munshi or Munchi, which the Tiv have not adopted; see Other names.
Population estimates are given below with their sources and years; they are not directly comparable with one another.
Konshisha · Lafia · Bali · Takum · Wukari · Guma · Makurdi · Gwer East · Gwer West · Buruku · Tarka · Gboko · Vandeikya · Kwande · Ushongo · Katsina-Ala · Ukum · Logo · Cross River State · Plateau State · Nasarawa State · Taraba State · Benue State
Tiv
- Munchi
- Munshi
- Or-Tiv
Each figure is shown with its year and source. Where sources differ, all figures are listed.
| Measure | Figure | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 1,000,000 | 1990 | Tiv |
| Population | 800,000 | 1950 | Tiv |
| Population | 600,000 | 1933 | Tiv |
- Tiv — Paul Bohannan, Encyclopedia of World Cultures (Gale) · link
- Tiv people — Wikipedia contributors, Wikipedia · link
- Tiv (Glottocode tivv1240) — Glottolog (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology) · link
- Statement by the Tiv Heritage Archive owner (24 September 2026) — Tiv Heritage Archive
Last updated 24 September 2026. Spotted an error or have a source to add? Tell us.