The Nzema are an Akan people numbering about 328,700 people of whom 262,000 live in southwestern Ghana an 66,700 live in the southeast of Côte d'Ivoire. They speak a language called Nzema, also known as Nzima or Appolo. Linguistically this is classified as a Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Kwa, Nyo, Potou-Tano, Tano, Central, Bia language. It shares 60% intelligibility with Jwira-Pepesa and is close to Ahanta, Anyi and Baule.