People of northeastern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, with smaller numbers in Chad, Cameroon, and Sudan.
They number about four million. Their language, Kanuri, is one of the Nilo-Saharan languages . The Kanuri developed the powerful empire of Kanem-Bornu , which reached its peak in the 16th century. They have been Muslims since the 11th century. The Kanuri economy is based on millet agriculture and trade with the Fulani and Arab herders.