3,000,000 in Guinea (2012 V. Vydrin). 73,500 Wasulu. Population
total all countries: 3,531,800. Widespread in Kankan and
northern Faranah regions, except Siguiri prefecture. All urban
areas in Guinea. Also in Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone. 4
(Educational). De facto language of national identity. Amana
(Kourousa), Baliya, Gbereduu, Maninka-Mori (Mori), Toron,
Wasulunkakan (Wasolon Maninka, Wassulu, Wassulunka, Wassulunke,
Wasuu). Maninka of Liberia is the same as Maninka of Guinea
(Eastern Maninkakan), Bambara [bam] of Mali and parts of Senegal
is not vastly different. Eastern Maninkakan of Côte d’Ivoire is
similar to Bambara; Western Maninkakan [mlq] of south central
and southeast Senegal is considerably different. Lexical
similarity: 92% with Wasulunkakan dialect, 79% with Sankaran
Maninka [msc], 72% with Konyanka Maninka [mku]. L2 for a
considerable part of non-Manding population of Guinea,
especially in the Guinée Forestière Region.