The Zamfarawa, a section of the Hausa ethnic nationality, cluster mainly in Anka, Gummi, Bukkuyum and Talata Mafara Local Governments areas.

The Burmawa sub-group are found in Bakura, while the Fulani are scattered all over the State, with significant concentrations in Bungudu, Maradun, and Gusau.

Hausa sub-groups in Chafe, Bungudu and Maru, are mainly Katsinawa, Garewatawa and Hadejawa, while the Alibawa are located at Kaura Namoda and Zurmi.

[5][failed verification] The area today called Zamfara state was one of the old Hausa Kingdoms like Kano, Katsina, Gobir, Kabi and Zazzau.

In fact, Usman Danfodiyo settled in Sabon Gari where Sarkin Zamfara Abarshi had already established a garrison headquarters during the early days of his Jihad as a base from where he fought Gobir and Kabi.

[7] At the wake of British colonialism, the emerging town of Gusau became an important commercial and administrative centre with road and rail networks passing through it.

[12] The state capital is an important commercial centre with a heterogeneous population of people from all over Nigeria.

[13] Agriculture and gold mining are the state's main occupations and the central source of income.

Major products include millet, guinea corn, maize, rice, groundnut, cotton, tobacco and beans.

[5] The state is one of the poorest in Nigeria and has one of the highest incidences of extreme poverty (over 60% of the population) according to World Bank data from 2018.

Zamfara State holds some number of tourist attractions which are of historical or religious importance.

These include Jata, an ancient settlement of Zamfara located around the hill with a large cave around where traditional practices were performed.