Tuareg, Soninke, Senufo, Songhai, and Mandinka (also known as Mandingo or Malinke). Nomadic Tuaregs and other Berbers roam the Sahel and parts of the Sahara. Islam is the religion of about 80 % of the population, and about 18 % of the people follow orthodox beliefs; less than 2 % are Christians. French is the official language but African languages, such as Bambara and Songhai, are widely spoken.