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This entry provides a listing of languages spoken in each country and specifies any that are official national or regional languages. When data is available, the languages spoken in each country are broken down according to the percent of the total population speaking each language as a first language, unless otherwise noted. For those countries without available data, languages are listed in rank order based on prevalence, starting with the most-spoken language.

  • Afghanistan

    Afghan Persian or Dari (official, lingua franca) 77%, Pashto (official) 48%, Uzbeki 11%, English 6%, Turkmani 3%, Urdu 3%, Pachaie 1%, Nuristani 1%, Arabic 1%, Balochi 1%, other <1% (2020 est.)

    major-language sample(s):

    کتاب حقایق جهان، مرجعی ضروری برای اطلاعات اولیە (Dari)

    د دنیا د حقائېقو کتاب، بنیادی معلوماتو لپاره ضروری سرچینه- (Pashto)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note 1: percentages sum to more than 100% because many people are multilingual

    note 2: Uzbeki, Turkmani, Pachaie, Nuristani, Balochi, and Pamiri are the third official languages in areas where the majority speaks them

  • Akrotiri

    English, Greek

    major-language sample(s):
    Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Albania

    Albanian 98.8% (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek 0.5%, other 0.6% (including Macedonian, Romani, Vlach, Turkish, Italian, and Serbo-Croatian), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Libri i fakteve boterore, burim i pa zevendesueshem  per informacione elementare. (Albanian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Algeria

    Arabic (official), French (lingua franca), Berber or Tamazight (official); dialects include Kabyle Berber (Taqbaylit), Shawiya Berber (Tacawit), Mzab Berber, Tuareg Berber (Tamahaq)

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • American Samoa

    Samoan 88.6% (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English 3.9%, Tongan 2.7%, other Pacific islander 3%, other 1.8% (2010 est.)

    note: most people are bilingual

  • Andorra

    Catalan (official) 35.7%, Castilian 43.2%, Portuguese 17.1%, French 8.9%, English 1.8%, other 5% (2018 est.)

    note: data represent mother tongue

  • Angola

    Portuguese 71.2% (official), Umbundu 23%, Kikongo 8.2%, Kimbundu 7.8%, Chokwe 6.5%, Nhaneca 3.4%, Nganguela 3.1%, Fiote 2.4%, Kwanhama 2.3%, Muhumbi 2.1%, Luvale 1%, other 3.6%; note - data represent most widely spoken languages; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2014 est.)

  • Anguilla

    English (official)

  • Antigua and Barbuda

    English (official), Antiguan Creole (an English-based creole)

  • Argentina

    Spanish (official), Italian, English, German, French, indigenous (Quechua, Guarani, Mapudungun)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Armenia

    Armenian (official) 97.9%, Kurmanji (spoken by Yezidi minority) 1%, other 1.1%; note - Russian is widely spoken (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Աշխարհի Փաստագիրք, Անփոխարինելի Աղբյւր Հիմնական Տեղեկատվւթյան. (Armenian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Aruba

    Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 69.4%, Spanish 13.7%, English (widely spoken) 7.1%, Dutch (official) 6.1%, Chinese 1.5%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.4% (2010 est.)

  • Australia

    English 72%, Mandarin 2.7%, Arabic 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, other 15.7%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)

    note: data represent language spoken at home

  • Austria

    German (official nationwide) 88.6%, Turkish 2.3%, Serbian 2.2%, Croatian (official in Burgenland) 1.6%, other (includes Slovene, official in southern Carinthia, and Hungarian, official in Burgenland) 5.3% (2001 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijani (Azeri) (official) 92.5%, Russian 1.4%, Armenian 1.4%, other 4.7% (2009 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Dünya fakt kitabı, əsas məlumatlar üçün əvəz olunmaz mənbədir (Azerbaijani)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note: Russian is widely spoken

  • Bahamas, The

    English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)

  • Bahrain

    Arabic (official), English, Farsi, Urdu

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Bangladesh

    Bangla 98.8% (official, also known as Bengali), other 1.2% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):


    বিশ্ব ফ্যাক্টবুক, মৌলিক তথ্যের অপরিহার্য উৎস (Bangla)


    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Barbados

    English (official), Bajan (English-based creole language, widely spoken in informal settings)

  • Belarus

    Russian (official) 70.2%, Belarusian (official) 23.4%, other 3.1% (includes small Polish- and Ukrainian-speaking minorities), unspecified 3.3% (2009 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Belgium

    Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%

    major-language sample(s):
    Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Belize

    English 62.9% (official), Spanish 56.6%, Creole 44.6%, Maya 10.5%, German 3.2%, Garifuna 2.9%, other 1.8%, unknown 0.5%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2010 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

  • Benin

    55 languages; French (official); Fon (a Gbe language) and Yoruba are the most important indigenous languages in the south; half a dozen regionally important languages in the north, including Bariba (once counted as a Gur language) and Fulfulde

  • Bermuda

    English (official), Portuguese

  • Bhutan

    Sharchopkha 28%, Dzongkha (official) 24%, Lhotshamkha 22%, other 26% (includes foreign languages) (2005 est.)

  • Bolivia

    Spanish (official) 68.1%, Quechua (official) 17.2%, Aymara (official) 10.5%, Guarani (official) 0.6%, other 1.5%, unspecified 2.1%; note - Bolivia's 2009 constitution designates Spanish and all indigenous languages as official; 36 indigenous languages are specified, including a few that are extinct (2012 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Bosnian (official) 52.9%, Serbian (official) 30.8%, Croatian (official) 14.6%, other 1.6%, no answer 0.2% (2013 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Bosnian/Montenegrin)

    Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian)

    Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, nužan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Botswana

    Setswana 77.3%, Sekalanga 7.4%, Shekgalagadi 3.4%, English (official) 2.8%, Zezuru/Shona 2%, Sesarwa 1.7%, Sembukushu 1.6%, Ndebele 1%, other 2.8% (2011 est.)

  • Brazil

    Portuguese (official and most widely spoken language); note - less common languages include Spanish (border areas and schools), German, Italian, Japanese, English, and a large number of minor Amerindian languages

    major-language sample(s):
    O Livro de Fatos Mundiais, a fonte indispensável para informação básica. (Brazilian Portuguese)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • British Virgin Islands

    English (official), Virgin Islands Creole

  • Brunei

    Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects

    major-language sample(s):
    Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Bulgaria

    Bulgarian (official) 76.8%, Turkish 8.2%, Romani 3.8%, other 0.7%, unspecified 10.5% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Светoвен Алманах, незаменимият източник за основна информация. (Bulgarian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Burkina Faso

    Mossi 52.9%, Fula 7.8%, Gourmantche 6.8%, Dyula 5.7%, Bissa 3.3%, Gurunsi 3.2%, French (official) 2.2%, Bwamu 2%, Dagara 2%, San 1.7%, Marka 1.6%, Bobo 1.5%, Senufo 1.5%, Lobi 1.2%, other 6.6% (2019 est.)

  • Burma

    Burmese (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    ကမ္ဘာ့အချက်အလက်စာအုပ်- အခြေခံအချက်အလက်တွေအတွက် မရှိမဖြစ်တဲ့ အရင်းအမြစ် (Burmese)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note: minority ethnic groups use their own languages

  • Burundi

    Kirundi only 29.7% (official); French only 0.3% (official); Swahili only 0.2%; English only 0.1% (official); Kirundi and French 8.4%; Kirundi, French, and English 2.4%, other language combinations 2%, unspecified 56.9% (2008 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Igitabo Mpuzamakungu c'ibimenyetso bifatika, isoko ntabanduka ku nkuru z'urufatiro. (Kirundi)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note: data represent languages read and written by people 10 years of age or older; spoken Kirundi is nearly universal

  • Cabo Verde

    Portuguese (official), Krioulo (a Portuguese-based Creole language with two main dialects spoken in Cabo Verde and in the Cabo Verdean diaspora worldwide)

  • Cambodia

    Khmer (official) 95.8%, minority languages 2.9%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.5%, other 0.2% (2019 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    សៀវភៅហេតុការណនៅលើពិភពលោក។ ទីតាំងពត៏មានមូលដានគ្រឹះយាងសំខាន់។. (Khmer)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Cameroon

    24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

  • Canada

    English (official) 58.7%, French (official) 22%, Punjabi 1.4%, Italian 1.3%, Spanish 1.3%, German 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2%, Tagalog 1.2%, Arabic 1.1%, other 10.5% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

  • Cayman Islands

    English (official) 90.9%, Spanish 4%, Filipino 3.3%, other 1.7%, unspecified 0.1% (2010 est.)

  • Central African Republic

    French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages

  • Chad

    French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Chile

    Spanish 99.5% (official), English 10.2%, Indigenous 1% (includes Mapudungun, Aymara, Quechua, Rapa Nui), other 2.3%, unspecified 0.2%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census (2012 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • China

    Standard Chinese or Mandarin (official; Putonghua, based on the Beijing dialect), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghainese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages (see Ethnic groups entry); note - Zhuang is official in Guangxi Zhuang, Yue is official in Guangdong, Mongolian is official in Nei Mongol, Uighur is official in Xinjiang Uygur, Kyrgyz is official in Xinjiang Uygur, and Tibetan is official in Xizang (Tibet)

    major-language sample(s):
    世界概況  –  不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Standard Chinese)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Christmas Island

    English (official) 27.6%, Mandarin 17.2%, Malay 17.1%, Cantonese 3.9%, Min Nan 1.6%, Tagalog 1%, other 4.5%, unspecified 27.1% (2016 est.)

    note: data represent language spoken at home

  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands

    Malay (Cocos dialect) 68.8%, English 22.3%, unspecified 8.9%; note - data represent language spoken at home (2016 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Colombia

    Spanish (official) and 65 Amerindian languages

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Comoros

    Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (official; similar to Swahili) (Comorian)

  • Congo, Democratic Republic of the

    French (official), Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba

    major-language sample(s):
    Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Congo, Republic of the

    French (official), French Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)

    major-language sample(s):
    Buku oyo ya bosembo ya Mokili Mobimba Ezali na Makanisi ya Liboso Mpenza. (Lingala)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Cook Islands

    English (official) 86.4%, Cook Islands Maori (Rarotongan) (official) 76.2%, other 8.3% (2011 est.)

    note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

  • Costa Rica

    Spanish (official), English

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Cote d'Ivoire

    French (official), 60 native dialects of which Dioula is the most widely spoken

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Croatia

    Croatian (official) 95.6%, Serbian 1.2%, other 3% (including Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, and Albanian), unspecified 0.2% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, nužan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Croatian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Cuba

    Spanish (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Curacao

    Papiamento (official) (a creole language that is a mixture of Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, English, and, to a lesser extent, French, as well as elements of African languages and the language of the Arawak) 80%, Dutch (official) 8.8%, Spanish 5.6%, English (official) 3.1%, other 2.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2011 est.)

    note: data represent most spoken language in household

  • Cyprus

    Greek (official) 80.9%, Turkish (official) 0.2%, English 4.1%, Romanian 2.9%, Russian 2.5%, Bulgarian 2.2%, Arabic 1.2%, Filipino 1.1%, other 4.3%, unspecified 0.6%; note - data represent only the Republic of Cyprus (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Czechia

    Czech (official) 88.4%, Slovak 1.5%, other 2.6%, unspecified 7.2%

    note: includes only persons with one mother tongue (2021 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    World Fackbook, nepostradatelný zdroj základních informací. (Czech)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Denmark

    Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority); note - English is the predominant second language

    major-language sample(s):
    Verdens Faktabog, den uundværlig kilde til grundlæggende oplysninger. (Danish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Dhekelia

    English, Greek

    major-language sample(s):
    Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Djibouti

    French (official), Arabic (official), Somali, Afar

  • Dominica

    English (official), French patois

  • Dominican Republic

    Spanish (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Ecuador

    Spanish (Castilian) 93% (official), Quechua 4.1%, other indigenous 0.7%, foreign 2.2%; note - (Quechua and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations; other indigenous languages are in official use by indigenous peoples in the areas they inhabit) (2010 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Egypt

    Arabic (official), English, and French widely understood by educated classes

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، أفضل مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • El Salvador

    Spanish (official), Nawat (among some Amerindians)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Equatorial Guinea

    Spanish (official) 67.6%, other (includes Fang, Bubi, Portuguese (official), French (official), Portuguese-based Creoles spoken in Ano Bom) 32.4% (1994 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Eritrea

    Tigrinya (official), Arabic (official), English (official), Tigre, Kunama, Afar, other Cushitic languages

  • Estonia

    Estonian (official) 68.5%, Russian 29.6%, Ukrainian 0.6%, other 1.2%, unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

  • Eswatini

    English (official, used for government business), siSwati (official)

  • Ethiopia

    Oromo (official working language in the State of Oromiya) 33.8%, Amharic (official national language) 29.3%, Somali (official working language of the State of Sumale) 6.2%, Tigrigna (Tigrinya) (official working language of the State of Tigray) 5.9%, Sidamo 4%, Wolaytta 2.2%, Gurage 2%, Afar (official working language of the State of Afar) 1.7%, Hadiyya 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, Opuuo 1.2%, Kafa 1.1%, other 8.1%, English (major foreign language taught in schools), Arabic (2007 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Kitaaba Addunyaa Waan Qabataamaatiif - Kan Madda Odeeffannoo bu’uraawaatiif baay’ee barbaachisaa ta’e. (Oromo)

    የአለም እውነታ መጽሐፍ፣ ለመሠረታዊ መረጃ እጅግ አስፈላጊ የሆነ ምንጭ። (Amharic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • European Union

    Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish

    note: only the 24 official languages are listed; German, the major language of Germany and Austria, is the most widely spoken mother tongue - about 16% of the EU population; English is the most widely spoken foreign language - about 29% of the EU population is conversant with it; English is an official language in Ireland and Malta and thus remained an official EU language after the UK left the bloc (2020)

  • Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

    English 89%, Spanish 7.7%, other 3.3% (2006 est.)

  • Faroe Islands

    Faroese 93.8% (derived from Old Norse), Danish 3.2%, other 3% (2011 est.)

    note:  data represent population by primary language

  • Fiji

    English (official), iTaukei (official), Fiji Hindi (official)

  • Finland

    Finnish (official) 86.5%, Swedish (official) 5.2%, Russian 1.6%, other 6.7% (2021 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    World Factbook, korvaamaton perustietolähde. (Finnish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • France

    French (official) 100%, declining regional dialects and languages (Provencal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish, Occitan, Picard); note - overseas departments: French, Creole patois, Mahorian (a Swahili dialect)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • French Polynesia

    French (official) 73.5%, Tahitian 20.1%, Marquesan 2.6%, Austral languages 1.2%, Paumotu 1%, other 1.6% (2017 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Gabon

    French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi

  • Gambia, The

    English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars

  • Gaza Strip

    Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Georgia

    Georgian (official) 87.6%, Azeri 6.2%, Armenian 3.9%, Russian 1.2%, other 1%; note - Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia (2014 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    მსოფლიო ფაქტების წიგნი, ძირითადი ინფორმაციის აუცილებელი წყარო. (Georgian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Germany

    German (official); note - Danish, Frisian, Sorbian, and Romani are official minority languages; Low German, Danish, North Frisian, Sater Frisian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, and Romani are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

    major-language sample(s):
    Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Ghana

    Asante 16%, Ewe 14%, Fante 11.6%, Boron (Brong) 4.9%, Dagomba 4.4%, Dangme 4.2%, Dagarte (Dagaba) 3.9%, Kokomba 3.5%, Akyem 3.2%, Ga 3.1%, other 31.2% (2010 est.)

    note: English is the official language

  • Gibraltar

    English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese

  • Greece

    Greek (official) 99%, other (includes English and French) 1%

    major-language sample(s):
    Το Παγκόσμιο Βιβλίο Δεδομένων, η απαραίτητη πηγή βασικών πληροφοριών. (Greek)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Greenland

    Greenlandic (West Greenlandic or Kalaallisut is the official language), Danish, English

  • Grenada

    English (official), French patois

  • Guam

    English 43.6%, Filipino 21.2%, Chamorro 17.8%, other Pacific island languages 10%, Asian languages 6.3%, other 1.1% (2010 est.)

  • Guatemala

    Spanish (official) 69.9%, Maya languages 29.7% (Q'eqchi' 8.3%, K'iche 7.8%, Mam 4.4%, Kaqchikel 3%, Q'anjob'al 1.2%, Poqomchi' 1%, other 4%), other 0.4% (includes Xinca and Garifuna); note - the 2003 Law of National Languages officially recognized 23 indigenous languages, including 21 Maya languages, Xinca, and Garifuna (2018 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Guernsey

    English, French, Norman-French dialect spoken in country districts

  • Guinea

    French (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages

    note: about 40 languages are spoken; each ethnic group has its own language

  • Guinea-Bissau

    Portuguese-based Creole, Portuguese (official; largely used as a second or third language), Pular (a Fula language), Mandingo

  • Guyana

    English (official), Guyanese Creole, Amerindian languages (including Caribbean and Arawak languages), Indian languages (including Caribbean Hindustani, a dialect of Hindi), Chinese (2014 est.)

  • Haiti

    French (official), Creole (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Holy See (Vatican City)

    Italian, Latin, French, various other languages

    major-language sample(s):
    L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Honduras

    Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Hong Kong

    Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)

    major-language sample(s):

    世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese)


    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Hungary

    Hungarian (official) 99.6%, English 16%, German 11.2%, Russian 1.6%, Romanian 1.3%, French 1.2%, other 4.2%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Hungarian is the mother tongue of 98.9% of Hungarian speakers (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    A World Factbook nélkülözhetetlen forrása az alapvető információnak.  (Hungarian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Iceland

    Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German

  • India

    Hindi 43.6%, Bengali 8%, Marathi 6.9%, Telugu 6.7%, Tamil 5.7%, Gujarati 4.6%, Urdu 4.2%, Kannada 3.6%, Odia 3.1%, Malayalam 2.9%, Punjabi 2.7%, Assamese 1.3%, Maithili 1.1%, other 5.6%; note - English enjoys the status of subsidiary official language but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; there are 22 other officially recognized languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    विश्व फ़ैक्टबुक, आधारभूत जानकारी का एक अपरिहार्य स्त्रोत  (Hindi)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Indonesia

    Bahasa Indonesia (official, modified form of Malay), English, Dutch, local dialects (of which the most widely spoken is Javanese); note - more than 700 languages are used in Indonesia

    major-language sample(s):
    Fakta Dunia, sumber informasi dasar yang sangat diperlukan. (Indonesian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Iran

    Persian Farsi (official), Azeri and other Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Gilaki and Mazandarani, Luri, Balochi, Arabic

    major-language sample(s):
    چکیده نامه جهان، منبعی ضروری برای کسب اطلاعات کلی جهان (Persian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Iraq

    Arabic (official), Kurdish (official), Turkmen (a Turkish dialect), Syriac (Neo-Aramaic), and Armenian are official in areas where native speakers of these languages constitute a majority of the population

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن مصدر للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Ireland

    English (official, the language generally used), Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) (official, spoken by approximately 39.8% of the population as of 2016; mainly spoken in areas along Ireland's western coast known as gaeltachtai, which are officially recognized regions where Irish is the predominant language)

  • Isle of Man

    English, Manx Gaelic (about 2% of the population has some knowledge)

  • Israel

    Hebrew (official), Arabic (special status under Israeli law), English (most commonly used foreign language)

    major-language sample(s):
    ספר עובדות העולם, המקור החיוני למידע בסיסי (Hebrew)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Italy

    Italian (official), German (parts of Trentino-Alto Adige region are predominantly German-speaking), French (small French-speaking minority in Valle d'Aosta region), Slovene (Slovene-speaking minority in the Trieste-Gorizia area)

    major-language sample(s):
    L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Jamaica

    English, English patois

  • Japan

    Japanese

    major-language sample(s):
    必要不可欠な基本情報の源、ワールド・ファクトブック(Japanese)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Jersey

    English (official) 94.5%, Portuguese 4.6%, other 0.9% (includes French (official) and Jerriais)

    (2001 est.)

    note: data represent main spoken language; the traditional language of Jersey is Jerriais or Jersey French (a Norman language), which was spoken by fewer than 3,000 people as of 2001;  two thirds of Jerriais speakers are aged 60 and over

  • Jordan

    Arabic (official), English (widely understood among upper and middle classes)

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Kazakhstan

    Kazakh (official, Qazaq) 83.1% (understand spoken language) and trilingual (Kazakh, Russian, English) 22.3% (2017 est.); Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 94.4% (understand spoken language) (2009 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Әлемдік деректер кітабы, негізгі ақпараттың таптырмайтын көзі. (Kazakh)

    Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник  базовой информации. (Russian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Kenya

    English (official), Kiswahili (official), numerous indigenous languages

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

    The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili)

  • Kiribati

    Gilbertese, English (official)

  • Korea, North

    Korean

    major-language sample(s):
    월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Korea, South

    Korean, English (widely taught in elementary, junior high, and high school)

    major-language sample(s):
    월드 팩트북, 필수적인 기본 정보 제공처 (Korean)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Kosovo

    Albanian (official) 94.5%, Bosnian 1.7%, Serbian (official) 1.6%, Turkish 1.1%, other 0.9% (includes Romani), unspecified 0.1%; note - in municipalities where a community's mother tongue is not one of Kosovo's official languages, the language of that community may be given official status according to the 2006 Law on the Use of Languages (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Libri i Fakteve Boterore, burimi vital per informacione elementare. (Albanian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Kuwait

    Arabic (official), English widely spoken

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Kyrgyzstan

    Kyrgyz (official) 71.4%, Uzbek 14.4%, Russian (official) 9%, other 5.2% (2009 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Дүйнөлүк фактылар китеби, негизги маалыматтын маанилүү булагы. (Kyrgyz)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Laos

    Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages

    major-language sample(s):
    ແຫລ່ງທີ່ຂາດບໍ່ໄດ້ສຳລັບຂໍ້ມູນຕົ້ນຕໍ່” (Lao)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Latvia

    Latvian (official) 56.3%, Russian 33.8%, other 0.6% (includes Polish, Ukrainian, and Belarusian), unspecified 9.4%; note - data represent language usually spoken at home (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    World Factbook, neaizstājams avots pamata informāciju. (Latvian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Lebanon

    Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Lesotho

    Sesotho (official) (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa

  • Liberia

    English 20% (official), some 20 ethnic group languages few of which can be written or used in correspondence

  • Libya

    Arabic (official), Italian, English (all widely understood in the major cities); Berber (Nafusi, Ghadamis, Suknah, Awjilah, Tamasheq)

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Liechtenstein

    German 91.5% (official) (Alemannic is the main dialect), Italian 1.5%, Turkish 1.3%, Portuguese 1.1%, other 4.6% (2015 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Lithuania

    Lithuanian (official) 85.3%, Russian 6.8%, Polish 5.1%, other 1.1%, two mother tongues 1.7% (2021 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Pasaulio enciklopedija – naudingas bendrosios informacijos šaltinis. (Lithuanian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Luxembourg

    Luxembourgish (official administrative and judicial language and national language (spoken vernacular)) 55.8%, Portuguese 15.7%, French (official administrative, judicial, and legislative language) 12.1%, German (official administrative and judicial language) 3.1%, Italian 2.9%, English 2.1%, other 8.4% (2011 est.)

  • Macau

    Cantonese 80.1%, Mandarin 5.5%, other Chinese dialects 5.3%, Tagalog 3%, English 2.8%, Portuguese 0.6%, other 2.8%; note - Chinese and Portuguese are official languages; Macanese, a Portuguese-based Creole, is also spoken (2016 est.)

    major-language sample(s):

    世界概况, 必須擁有的基本資料参考书 (Cantonese)


    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Madagascar

    Malagasy (official) 99.9%, French (official) 23.6%, English 8.2%, other 0.6% (2018 est.)

    note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

  • Malawi

    English (official), Chewa (common), Lambya, Lomwe, Ngoni, Nkhonde, Nyakyusa, Nyanja, Sena, Tonga, Tumbuka, Yao

    note: Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects; Nkhonde and Nyakyusa are mutually intelligible dialects

  • Malaysia

    Bahasa Malaysia (official), English, Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - Malaysia has 134 living languages - 112 indigenous languages and 22 non-indigenous languages; in East Malaysia, there are several indigenous languages; the most widely spoken are Iban and Kadazan

    major-language sample(s):
    Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Bahasa Malaysia)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Maldives

    Dhivehi (official, dialect of Sinhala, script derived from Arabic), English (spoken by most government officials)

  • Mali

    French (official), Bambara 46.3%, Peuhl/Foulfoulbe 9.4%, Dogon 7.2%, Maraka/Soninke 6.4%, Malinke 5.6%, Sonrhai/Djerma 5.6%, Minianka 4.3%, Tamacheq 3.5%, Senoufo 2.6%, Bobo 2.1%, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.7% (2009 est.)

    note: Mali has 13 national languages in addition to its official language

  • Malta

    Maltese (official) 90.1%, English (official) 6%, multilingual 3%, other 0.9% (2005 est.)

  • Marshall Islands

    Marshallese (official) 98.2%, other languages 1.8% (1999 est.)

    major-language sample(s):


    Bok eo an Lalin kin Melele ko Rejimwe ej jikin ebōk melele ko raurōk. (Marshallese)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.



    note: English (official), widely spoken as a second language

  • Mauritania

    Arabic (official and national), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (all national languages), French; note - the spoken Arabic in Mauritania differs considerably from the Modern Standard Arabic used for official written purposes or in the media; the Mauritanian dialect, which incorporates many Berber words, is referred to as Hassaniya

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Mauritius

    Creole 86.5%, Bhojpuri 5.3%, French 4.1%, two languages 1.4%, other 2.6% (includes English, one of the two official languages of the National Assembly, which is spoken by less than 1% of the population), unspecified 0.1% (2011 est.)

  • Mexico

    Spanish only 93.8%, Spanish and indigenous languages 5.4%, indigenous only 0.6%, unspecified 0.2%; note - indigenous languages include various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional languages (2020 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Micronesia, Federated States of

    English (official and common language), Chuukese, Kosrean, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi

  • Moldova

    Moldovan/Romanian 80.2% (official) (56.7% identify their mother tongue as Moldovan, which is virtually the same as Romanian; 23.5% identify Romanian as their mother tongue), Russian 9.7%, Gagauz 4.2% (a Turkish language), Ukrainian 3.9%, Bulgarian 1.5%, Romani 0.3%, other 0.2% (2014 est.); note - data represent mother tongue

    major-language sample(s):
    Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Moldovan/Romanian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Monaco

    French (official), English, Italian, Monegasque

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Mongolia

    Mongolian 90% (official) (Khalkha dialect is predominant), Turkic, Russian (1999)

    major-language sample(s):
    Дэлхийн баримтат ном, үндсэн мэдээллийн зайлшгүй эх сурвалж. (Mongolian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Montenegro

    Serbian 42.9%, Montenegrin (official) 37%, Bosnian 5.3%, Albanian 5.3%, Serbo-Croat 2%, other 3.5%, unspecified 4% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian) 

    Knjiga svjetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Montenegrin/Bosnian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Montserrat

    English

  • Morocco

    Arabic (official), Berber languages (Tamazight (official), Tachelhit, Tarifit), French (often the language of business, government, and diplomacy); note - the proportion of Berber speakers is disputed

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب ديال لحقائق متاع العالم، احسن مصدر متاع المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Mozambique

    Makhuwa 26.1%, Portuguese (official) 16.6%, Tsonga 8.6%, Nyanja 8.1, Sena 7.1%, Lomwe 7.1%, Chuwabo 4.7%, Ndau 3.8%, Tswa 3.8%, other Mozambican languages 11.8%, other 0.5%, unspecified 1.8% (2017 est.)

  • Namibia

    Oshiwambo languages 49.7%, Nama/Damara 11%, Kavango languages 10.4%, Afrikaans 9.4% (also a common language), Herero languages 9.2%, Zambezi languages 4.9%, English (official) 2.3%, other African languages 1.5%, other European languages 0.7%, other 1% (2016 est.)

    note: Namibia has 13 recognized national languages, including 10 indigenous African languages and 3 European languages

  • Nauru

    Nauruan 93% (official, a distinct Pacific Island language), English 2% (widely understood, spoken, and used for most government and commercial purposes), other 5% (includes I-Kiribati 2% and Chinese 2%) (2011 est.)

    note: data represent main language spoken at home; Nauruan is spoken by 95% of the population, English by 66%, and other languages by 12%

  • Nepal

    Nepali (official) 44.6%, Maithali 11.7%, Bhojpuri 6%, Tharu 5.8%, Tamang 5.1%, Newar 3.2%, Bajjika 3%, Magar 3%, Doteli 3%, Urdu 2.6%, Avadhi 1.9%, Limbu 1.3%, Gurung 1.2%, Baitadeli 1%, other 6.4%, unspecified 0.2%; note - 123 languages reported as mother tongue in 2011 national census; many in government and business also speak English (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    विश्व तथ्य पुस्तक,आधारभूत जानकारीको लागि अपरिहार्य स्रोत (Nepali)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Netherlands

    Dutch (official); note - Frisian is an official language in Fryslan province; Frisian, Low Saxon, Limburgish, Romani, and Yiddish have protected status under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages; Dutch is the official language of the three special municipalities of the Caribbean Netherlands; English is a recognized regional language on Sint Eustatius and Saba; Papiamento is a recognized regional language on Bonaire

    major-language sample(s):
    Het Wereld Feitenboek, een onmisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • New Caledonia

    French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • New Zealand

    English (de facto official) 95.4%, Maori (de jure official) 4%, Samoan 2.2%, Northern Chinese 2%, Hindi 1.5%, French 1.2%, Yue 1.1%, New Zealand Sign Language (de jure official) 0.5%, other or not stated 17.2% (2018 est.)

    note: shares sum to 124.1% due to multiple responses on the 2018 census

  • Nicaragua

    Spanish (official) 95.3%, Miskito 2.2%, Mestizo of the Caribbean coast 2%, other 0.5%; note - English and indigenous languages found on the Caribbean coast (2005 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Niger

    French (official), Hausa, Djerma

  • Nigeria

    English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, over 500 additional indigenous languages

  • Niue

    Niuean (official) 46% (a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan), Niuean and English 32%, English (official) 11%, Niuean and others 5%, other 6% (2011 est.)

  • Norfolk Island

    English (official) 44.9%, Norfolk (official; also known as Norfuk or Norf'k, which is a mixture of 18th century English and ancient Tahitian) 40.3%, Fijian 1.8%, other 6.8%, unspecified 6.2% (2016 est.)

    note: data represent language spoken at home

  • North Macedonia

    Macedonian (official) 61.4%, Albanian (official) 24.3%, Turkish 3.4%, Romani 1.7%, other (includes Aromanian (Vlach) and Bosnian) 2%, persons for whom data were taken from administrative sources and no language data was available 7.2% (2021 est.); note - data represent mother tongue; minority languages are co-official with Macedonian in municipalities where they are spoken by at least 20% of the population; Albanian is co-official in Tetovo, Brvenica, Vrapciste, and other municipalities; Turkish is co-official in Centar Zupa and Plasnica; Romani is co-official in Suto Orizari; Aromanian is co-official in Krusevo; Serbian is co-official in Cucer Sandevo

    major-language sample(s):
    Книга на Светски Факти, неопходен извор на основни информации. (Macedonian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Northern Mariana Islands

    Philippine languages 32.8%, Chamorro (official) 24.1%, English (official) 17%, other Pacific island languages 10.1% (includes Carolinian (official), Chinese 6.8%, other Asian languages 7.3%, other 1.9% (2010 est.)

  • Norway

    Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities; note - Sami has three dialects: Lule, North Sami, and South Sami; Sami is an official language in nine municipalities in Norway's three northernmost counties: Finnmark, Nordland, and Troms

    major-language sample(s):
    Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Oman

    Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Swahili, Urdu, Indian dialects

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Pakistan

    Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%

    major-language sample(s):
    ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੀ ਤੱਥ ਕਿਤਾਬ, ਆਧਾਰੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਲਈ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਸਰੋਤ ਹੈ (Punjabi)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Palau

    Palauan (official on most islands) 65.2%, other Micronesian 1.9%, English (official) 19.1%, Filipino 9.9%, Chinese 1.2%, other 2.8% (2015 est.)

    note: Sonsoralese is official in Sonsoral; Tobian is official in Tobi; Angaur and Japanese are official in Angaur

  • Panama

    Spanish (official), indigenous languages (including Ngabere (or Guaymi), Buglere, Kuna, Embera, Wounaan, Naso (or Teribe), and Bri Bri), Panamanian English Creole (similar to Jamaican English Creole; a mixture of English and Spanish with elements of Ngabere; also known as Guari Guari and Colon Creole), English, Chinese (Yue and Hakka), Arabic, French Creole, other (Yiddish, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese); note - many Panamanians are bilingual

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Papua New Guinea

    Tok Pisin (official), English (official), Hiri Motu (official), some 839 indigenous languages spoken (about 12% of the world's total); many languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers

    note: Tok Pisin, a creole language, is widely used and understood; English is spoken by 1%-2%; Hiri Motu is spoken by less than 2%

  • Paraguay

    Spanish (official) and Guarani (official) 46.3%, only Guarani 34%, only Spanish 15.2%, other (includes Portuguese, German, other Indigenous languages) 4.1%, no response 0.4%; note - data represent predominant household language (2012 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Peru

    Spanish (official) 82.9%, Quechua (official) 13.6%, Aymara (official) 1.6%, Ashaninka 0.3%, other native languages (includes a large number of minor Amazonian languages) 0.8%, other (includes foreign languages and sign language) 0.2%, none 0.1%, unspecified 0.7% (2017 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Philippines

    unspecified Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

    major-language sample(s):
    Ang World Factbook, ang mapagkukunan ng kailangang impormasyon. (Tagalog)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Pitcairn Islands

    English (official), Pitkern (mixture of an 18th century English dialect and a Tahitian dialect)

  • Poland

    Polish (official) 98.2%, Silesian 1.4%, other 1.1%, unspecified 1.3%; note - data represent the language spoken at home; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; Poland ratified the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages in 2009 recognizing Kashub as a regional language, Czech, Hebrew, Yiddish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, German, Armenian, Russian, Slovak, and Ukrainian as national minority languages, and Karaim, Lemko, Romani (Polska Roma and Bergitka Roma), and Tatar as ethnic minority languages (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Księga Faktów Świata, niezbędne źródło podstawowych informacji. (Polish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Portugal

    Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official, but locally used)

  • Puerto Rico

    Spanish, English

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Qatar

    Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Romania

    Romanian (official) 85.4%, Hungarian 6.3%, Romani 1.2%, other 1%, unspecified 6.1% (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Cartea informativa a lumii, sursa indispensabila pentru informatii de baza. (Romanian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Russia

    Russian (official) 85.7%, Tatar 3.2%, Chechen 1%, other 10.1%; note - data represent native language spoken (2010 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Книга фактов о мире – незаменимый источник базовой информации. (Russian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Rwanda

    Kinyarwanda (official, universal Bantu vernacular) 93.2%, French (official) <0.1, English (official) <0.1, Swahili/Kiswahili (official, used in commercial centers) <0.1, more than one language, other 6.3%, unspecified 0.3% (2002 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Inkoranya nzimbuzi y'isi, isoko fatizo y'amakuru y'ibanze. (Kinyarwanda)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Saint Barthelemy

    French (primary), English

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

    English

  • Saint Kitts and Nevis

    English (official)

  • Saint Lucia

    English (official), Saint Lucian Creole

  • Saint Martin

    French (official), Dutch, English, Guadeloupian Creole, Haitian Creole, Italian, Martiniquan Creole, Papiamento (dialect of Netherlands Antilles), Spanish

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon

    French (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

    English, Vincentian Creole English, French patois

  • Samoa

    Samoan (Polynesian) (official) 91.1%, Samoan/English 6.7%, English (official) 0.5%, other 0.2%, unspecified 1.6% (2006 est.)

  • San Marino

    Italian

    major-language sample(s):
    L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Sao Tome and Principe

    Portuguese 98.4% (official), Forro 36.2%, Cabo Verdian 8.5%, French 6.8%, Angolar 6.6%, English 4.9%, Lunguie 1%, other (including sign language) 2.4%; note - shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; other Portuguese-based Creoles are also spoken (2012 est.)

  • Saudi Arabia

    Arabic (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Senegal

    French (official), Wolof, Pular, Jola, Mandinka, Serer, Soninke

  • Serbia

    Serbian (official) 88.1%, Hungarian 3.4%, Bosnian 1.9%, Romani 1.4%, other 3.4%, undeclared or unknown 1.8%; note - Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, Croatian, and Ruthenian (Rusyn) are official in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina; most ethnic Albanians boycotted the 2011 census (2011 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Knjiga svetskih činjenica, neophodan izvor osnovnih informacija. (Serbian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Seychelles

    Seychellois Creole (official) 89.1%, English (official) 5.1%, French (official) 0.7%, other 3.8%, unspecified 1.4% (2010 est.)

  • Sierra Leone

    English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

  • Singapore

    English (official) 48.3%, Mandarin (official) 29.9%, other Chinese dialects (includes Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka) 8.7%, Malay (official) 9.2%, Tamil (official) 2.5%, other 1.4%; note - data represent language most frequently spoken at home (2020 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

    世界概況  –  不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)

  • Sint Maarten

    English (official) 67.5%, Spanish 12.9%, Creole 8.2%, Dutch (official) 4.2%, Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 2.2%, French 1.5%, other 3.5% (2001 est.)

  • Slovakia

    Slovak (official) 81.8%, Hungarian 8.5%, Roma 1.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified 5.7% (2021 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Svetova Kniha Faktov, nenahraditelny zdroj zakladnej informacie. (Slovak)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Slovenia

    Slovene (official) 87.7%, Croatian 2.8%, Serbo-Croatian 1.8%, Bosnian 1.6%, Serbian 1.6%, Hungarian 0.4% (official, only in municipalities where Hungarian national communities reside), Italian 0.2% (official, only in municipalities where Italian national communities reside), other or unspecified 3.9% (2002 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Svetovni informativni zvezek - neobhoden vir osnovnih informacij. (Slovene)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Solomon Islands

    Melanesian pidgin (in much of the country is lingua franca), English (official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population), 120 indigenous languages

  • Somalia

    Somali (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter), Arabic (official, according to the 2012 Transitional Federal Charter), Italian, English

    major-language sample(s):
    Buugga Xaqiiqda Aduunka, waa laga maarmaanka macluumaadka assasiga. (Somali)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • South Africa

    isiZulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes Khoi, Nama, and San languages) 2%; note - data represent language spoken most often at home (2018 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

  • South Sudan

    English (official), Arabic (includes Juba and Sudanese variants), ethnic languages include Dinka, Nuer, Bari, Zande, Shilluk

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

  • Spain

    Castilian Spanish (official nationwide) 74%, Catalan (official in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands, and the Valencian Community (where it is known as Valencian)) 17%, Galician (official in Galicia) 7%, Basque (official in the Basque Country and in the Basque-speaking area of Navarre) 2%, Aranese (official in the northwest corner of Catalonia (Vall d'Aran) along with Catalan, <5,000 speakers); note - Aragonese, Aranese Asturian, Basque, Calo, Catalan, Galician, and Valencian are recognized as regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Sri Lanka

    Sinhala (official and national language) 87%, Tamil (official and national language) 28.5%, English 23.8% (2012 est.)

    note: data represent main languages spoken by the population aged 10 years and older; shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census; English is commonly used in government and is referred to as the "link language" in the constitution

  • Sudan

    Arabic (official), English (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, Fur

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

  • Suriname

    Dutch (official), English (widely spoken), Sranang Tongo (Surinamese, sometimes called Taki-Taki, is the native language of Creoles and much of the younger population and is lingua franca among others), Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Javanese

    major-language sample(s):
    Het Wereld Feitenboek, een omnisbare bron van informatie. (Dutch)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

  • Svalbard

    Norwegian, Russian

    major-language sample(s):
    Verdens Faktabok, den essensielle kilden for grunnleggende informasjon. (Norwegian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Sweden

    Swedish (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, den obestridliga källan för grundläggande information. (Swedish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note: Finnish, Sami, Romani, Yiddish, and Meankieli are official minority languages

  • Switzerland

    German (or Swiss German) (official) 62.1%, French (official) 22.8%, Italian (official) 8%, English 5.7%, Portuguese 3.5%, Albanian 3.3%, Serbo-Croatian 2.3%, Spanish 2.3%, Romansh (official) 0.5%, other 7.9%; note - German, French, Italian, and Romansh are all national and official languages; shares sum to more than 100% because respondents could indicate more than one main language (2019 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Das World Factbook, die unverzichtbare Quelle für grundlegende Informationen. (German)

    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    L'Almanacco dei fatti del mondo, l'indispensabile fonte per le informazioni di base. (Italian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Syria

    Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, French, English

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Taiwan

    Mandarin (official), Taiwanese (Min Nan), Hakka dialects, approximately 16 indigenous languages

    major-language sample(s):
    世界概況  –  不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Tajikistan

    Tajik (official) 84.4%, Uzbek 11.9%, Kyrgyz 0.8%, Russian 0.5%, other 2.4% (2010 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    Китоби Фактҳои Ҷаҳонӣ, манбаи бебадали маълумоти асосӣ (Tajik)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note: Russian widely used in government and business

  • Tanzania

    Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguja (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages; note - Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources including Arabic and English; it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, Chanzo cha Lazima Kuhusu Habari ya Msingi. (Kiswahili)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Thailand

    Thai (official) only 90.7%, Thai and other languages 6.4%, only other languages 2.9% (includes Malay, Burmese); note - data represent population by language(s) spoken at home; English is a secondary language of the elite (2010 est.)

    major-language sample(s):
    สารานุกรมโลก - แหล่งข้อมูลพื้นฐานที่สำคัญ (Thai)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Timor-Leste

    Tetun Prasa 30.6%, Mambai 16.6%, Makasai 10.5%, Tetun Terik 6.1%, Baikenu 5.9%, Kemak 5.8%, Bunak 5.5%, Tokodede 4%, Fataluku 3.5%, Waima'a 1.8%, Galoli 1.4%, Naueti 1.4%, Idate 1.2%, Midiki 1.2%, other 4.5% (2015 est.)

    note: data represent population by mother tongue; Tetun and Portuguese are official languages; Indonesian and English are working languages; there are about 32 indigenous languages

  • Togo

    French (official, the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)

  • Tokelau

    Tokelauan 88.1% (a Polynesian language), English 48.6%, Samoan 26.7%, Tuvaluan 11.2%, Kiribati 1.5%, other 2.8%, none 2.8%, unspecified 0.8% (2016 ests.)

    note: shares sum to more than 100% because some respondents gave more than one answer on the census

  • Tonga

    Tongan and English 76.8%, Tongan, English, and other language 10.6%, Tongan only (official) 8.7%, English only (official) 0.7%, other 1.7%, none 2.2% (2016 est.)

    note: data represent persons aged 5 and older who can read and write a simple sentence in Tongan, English, or another language

  • Trinidad and Tobago

    English (official), Trinidadian Creole English, Tobagonian Creole English, Caribbean Hindustani (a dialect of Hindi), Trinidadian Creole French, Spanish, Chinese

  • Tunisia

    Arabic (official, one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce), Berber (Tamazight); note - despite having no official status, French plays a major role in the country and is spoken by about two thirds of the population

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، أحسن كتاب تتعلم به المعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, une source indispensable d'informations de base. (French)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Turkey (Turkiye)

    Turkish (official), Kurdish, other minority languages

    major-language sample(s):
    The World Factbook, temel bilgi edinmek için vazgeçilmez bir kaynak. (Turkish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Turkmenistan

    Turkmen (official) 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

    major-language sample(s):
    Dünýä Faktlar Kitaby – esasy maglumatlaryň wajyp çeşmesidir (Turkmen)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Turks and Caicos Islands

    English (official)

  • Tuvalu

    Tuvaluan (official), English (official), Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)

  • Uganda

    English (official language, taught in schools, used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda or Luganda (most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages and the language used most often in the capital), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Swahili (official), Arabic

  • Ukraine

    Ukrainian (official) 67.5%, Russian (regional language) 29.6%, other (includes small Crimean Tatar-, Moldovan/Romanian-, and Hungarian-speaking minorities) 2.9% (2001 est.); note - in February 2018, the Constitutional Court ruled that 2012 language legislation entitling a language spoken by at least 10% of an oblast's population to be given the status of "regional language" - allowing for its use in courts, schools, and other government institutions - was unconstitutional, thus making the law invalid; Ukrainian remains the country's only official nationwide language

    major-language sample(s):
    Свiтова Книга Фактiв – найкраще джерело базової інформації. (Ukrainian)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • United Arab Emirates

    Arabic (official), English, Hindi, Malayam, Urdu, Pashto, Tagalog, Persian

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • United Kingdom

    English

    note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 speakers in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 people in Cornwall) (2012 est.)

  • United States

    English only 78.2%, Spanish 13.4%, Chinese 1.1%, other 7.3% (2017 est.)

    note: data represent the language spoken at home; the US has no official national language, but English has acquired official status in 32 of the 50 states; Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii, and 20 indigenous languages are official in Alaska

  • Uruguay

    Spanish (official)

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Uzbekistan

    Uzbek (official) 74.3%, Russian 14.2%, Tajik 4.4%, other 7.1%

    major-language sample(s):
    Jahon faktlari kitobi, asosiy ma'lumotlar uchun zaruriy manba. (Uzbek)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

    note: in the autonomous Karakalpakstan Republic, both the Karakalpak language and Uzbek have official status

  • Vanuatu

    local languages (more than 100) 63.2%, Bislama (official; creole) 33.7%, English (official) 2%, French (official) 0.6%, other 0.5% (2009 est.)

  • Venezuela

    Spanish (official), numerous indigenous dialects

    major-language sample(s):
    La Libreta Informativa del Mundo, la fuente indispensable de información básica. (Spanish)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Vietnam

    Vietnamese (official), English (increasingly favored as a second language), some French, Chinese, and Khmer, mountain area languages (Mon-Khmer and Malayo-Polynesian)

    major-language sample(s):
    Dữ kiện thế giới, là nguồn thông tin cơ bản không thể thiếu. (Vietnamese)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Virgin Islands

    English 71.6%, Spanish or Spanish Creole 17.2%, French or French Creole 8.6%, other 2.5% (2010 est.)

  • Wallis and Futuna

    Wallisian (indigenous Polynesian language) 58.9%, Futunian 30.1%, French (official) 10.8%, other 0.2% (2003 est.)

  • West Bank

    Arabic, Hebrew (spoken by Israeli settlers and many Palestinians), English (widely understood)

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • World

    most-spoken language: English 16.5%, Mandarin Chinese 14.6%, Hindi 8.3%, Spanish 7%, French 3.6%, Arabic 3.6%, Bengali 3.4%, Russian 3.4%, Portuguese 3.3%, Indonesian 2.6% (2020 est.)

    most-spoken first language: Mandarin Chinese 12.3%, Spanish 6%, English 5.1%, Arabic 5.1%, Hindi 3.5%, Bengali 3.3%, Portuguese 3%, Russian 2.1%, Japanese 1.7%, Punjabi, Western 1.3%, Javanese 1.1% (2018 est.)

    note 1: the six UN languages - Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Russian, and Spanish (Castilian) - are the mother tongue or second language of about 45% of the world's population, and are the official languages in more than half the states in the world; some 400 languages have more than a million first-language speakers (2018)

    note 2: all told, there are estimated to be just over 7,151 languages spoken in the world (2022); approximately 80% of these languages are spoken by less than 100,000 people; about 150 languages are spoken by fewer than 10 people; communities that are isolated from each other in mountainous regions often develop multiple languages; Papua New Guinea, for example, boasts about 840 separate languages (2018)

    note 3: approximately 2,300 languages are spoken in Asia, 2,140, in Africa, 1,310 in the Pacific, 1,060 in the Americas, and 290 in Europe (2020)

  • Yemen

    Arabic (official); note - a distinct Socotri language is widely used on Socotra Island and Archipelago; Mahri is still fairly widely spoken in eastern Yemen

    major-language sample(s):
    كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)

    The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

  • Zambia

    Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.)

    note: Zambia is said to have over 70 languages, although many of these may be considered dialects; all of Zambia's major languages are members of the Bantu family; Chewa and Nyanja are mutually intelligible dialects

  • Zimbabwe

    Shona (official; most widely spoken), Ndebele (official, second most widely spoken), English (official; traditionally used for official business), 13 minority languages (official; includes Chewa, Chibarwe, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Shangani, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda, and Xhosa)