The Kwegu live in the Southern Omo Zone or Omo Valley, in a few small villages near the Mago river. Their name is also spelled as Kwego. This dying race of half-nomads numbers only about 1,000. They are Nilotic-Saharans and share many traditions with their Hamar neighbors, including the economic system, social system, religious values, and the highly sophisticated hair-cuts. The two real differences are the fact that they have another language and of course the fact that they regard themselves as a separate people. The Kwegu are closely related to the Karo; the two peoples live together and marry among eachother. In their largest common town, the total population consists of approximately 350 Karo and 150 Kwegu. The Karo speak an Omotic language (like the Hamar); the Kwegu speak a Surma language (like the Mursi). Surma belongs to the Nilotic-Saharan language group.
 

Other Nilotic-Saharan peoples: