Description
Haplogroup L3e is a major subclade of L3 and one of the most common L3 branches in sub-Saharan Africa. L3e is found at high frequencies across a broad swath of Africa from West Africa through Central Africa to East Africa, reflecting ancient population movements across the continent. It is particularly common among Bantu-speaking populations that spread from the Congo Basin across sub-Saharan Africa over the last 3,000–4,000 years. L3e is also one of the most common mtDNA haplogroups in the African diaspora of the Americas.
Interesting Fact
L3e1 is among the most frequent African mtDNA haplogroups worldwide, with estimates suggesting it may be carried by over 40 million women. The Bantu expansion that carried L3e from Central Africa to Eastern and Southern Africa between 3000 BCE and 1000 CE represents one of the most dramatic demographic events in African prehistory, comparable in scale to the Neolithic spread across Eurasia.
Distribution by Ethnicity
| Ethnic distribution | Region | Frequency | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luba (DR Congo) | Central Africa | n=150 | |
| Zulu / Nguni (South Africa) | Southern Africa | n=200 | |
| Kikuyu (Kenya) | East Africa | n=200 | |
| Yoruba (Nigeria) | West Africa | n=250 | |
| Afro-Brazilians | South America | n=300 | |
| African Americans | North America | n=500 |
Tags
References
- Salas et al. (2002) — The making of the African mtDNA landscape. American Journal of Human Genetics 71(5), 1082–1111.
- Tishkoff et al. (2009) — The genetic structure and history of Africans and African Americans. Science 324(5930), 1035–1044.
- Bandelt et al. (2001) — Phylogeography of the human mitochondrial haplogroup L3e. Annals of Human Genetics 65(6), 549–563.