| Loma girl in Liberia, 1968. | ||||||
| Regions with significant populations | ||||||
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The Loma (or Loghoma, Looma, Lorma) are a Manden ethnic group living primarily in the mountainous, sparsely populated border region between Guinea and Liberia.[3] In 1991, their population was estimated in 250,000 Loma between both countries.[3]
The Loma speak a language in the Southwestern branch of the Mande family. The language is similar to the Kpelle, Mende, and Bandi languages.[3]
The Malinke, Konyaka, and Kissi refer to the Loma as Toma.[1][3] Loma today refer to themselves as Löömàgìtì (IPA: [lɔːmàɡìtì], or Löghömagiti [lɔɣɔmaɡiti] in Guinea), meaning "Loma people," and call their language Löömàgòòi [lɔːmàɡòːi] or Löghömàgòòi [lɔɣɔmàɡòːi]).[3]