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All Countries and Their Official Languages
Understanding the languages spoken around the world offers fascinating insights into the rich tapestry of human culture and communication. Each country has its own linguistic identity, often shaped by history, geography, and socio-political factors. Here, we explore the official languages of all recognized sovereign states, providing a glimpse into the diverse ways people connect and communicate across the globe.
Africa
Africa is home to a vast array of languages, reflecting its diverse cultures and ethnic groups.
1. Algeria: Arabic, Berber
2. Angola: Portuguese
3. Benin: French
4. Botswana: English
5. Burkina Faso: French
6. Burundi: Kirundi, French, English
7. Cabo Verde: Portuguese
8. Cameroon: English, French
9. Central African Republic: Sango, French
10. Chad: Arabic, French
11. Comoros: Comorian, Arabic, French
12. Democratic Republic of the Congo: French
13. Djibouti: French, Arabic
14. Egypt: Arabic
15. Equatorial Guinea: Spanish, French, Portuguese
16. Eritrea: Tigrinya, Arabic, English
17. Eswatini: Swati, English
18. Ethiopia: Amharic
19. Gabon: French
20. Gambia: English
21. Ghana: English
22. Guinea: French
23. Guinea-Bissau: Portuguese
24. Ivory Coast: French
25. Kenya: English, Swahili
26. Lesotho: Sesotho, English
27. Liberia: English
28. Libya: Arabic
29. Madagascar: Malagasy, French
30. Malawi: English, Chichewa
31. Mali: French
32. Mauritania: Arabic
33. Mauritius: English
34. Morocco: Arabic, Berber
35. Mozambique: Portuguese
36. Namibia: English
37. Niger: French
38. Nigeria: English
39. Rwanda: Kinyarwanda, French, English, Swahili
40. Sao Tome and Principe: Portuguese
41. Senegal: French
42. Seychelles: Seychellois Creole, English, French
43. Sierra Leone: English
44. Somalia: Somali, Arabic
45. South Africa: 11 official languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, and English
46. South Sudan: English
47. Sudan: Arabic, English
48. Tanzania: Swahili, English
49. Togo: French
50. Tunisia: Arabic
51. Uganda: English, Swahili
52. Zambia: English
53. Zimbabwe: 16 official languages, including Shona, Ndebele, and English
Asia
Asia, the largest continent, showcases a remarkable linguistic diversity influenced by ancient civilizations and modern political boundaries.
1. Afghanistan: Pashto, Dari
2. Armenia: Armenian
3. Azerbaijan: Azerbaijani
4. Bahrain: Arabic
5. Bangladesh: Bengali
6. Bhutan: Dzongkha
7. Brunei: Malay
8. Cambodia: Khmer
9. China: Standard Chinese (Mandarin)
10. Cyprus: Greek, Turkish
11. Georgia: Georgian
12. India: Hindi, English (22 officially recognized languages)
13. Indonesia: Indonesian
14. Iran: Persian (Farsi)
15. Iraq: Arabic, Kurdish
16. Israel: Hebrew
17. Japan: Japanese
18. Jordan: Arabic
19. Kazakhstan: Kazakh, Russian
20. Kuwait: Arabic
21. Kyrgyzstan: Kyrgyz, Russian
22. Laos: Lao
23. Lebanon: Arabic
24. Malaysia: Malay
25. Maldives: Dhivehi
26. Mongolia: Mongolian
27. Myanmar: Burmese
28. Nepal: Nepali
29. North Korea: Korean
30. Oman: Arabic
31. Pakistan: Urdu, English
32. Palestine: Arabic
33. Philippines: Filipino, English
34. Qatar: Arabic
35. Saudi Arabia: Arabic
36. Singapore: English, Malay, Mandarin, Tamil
37. South Korea: Korean
38. Sri Lanka: Sinhala, Tamil
39. Syria: Arabic
40. Tajikistan: Tajik
41. Thailand: Thai
42. Timor-Leste: Portuguese, Tetum
43. Turkey: Turkish
44. Turkmenistan: Turkmen
45. United Arab Emirates: Arabic
46. Uzbekistan: Uzbek
47. Vietnam: Vietnamese
48. Yemen: Arabic
Europe
Europe’s linguistic landscape is shaped by its long history of empires, migrations, and regional identities.
1. Albania: Albanian
2. Andorra: Catalan
3. Austria: German
4. Belarus: Belarusian, Russian
5. Belgium: Dutch, French, German
6. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
7. Bulgaria: Bulgarian
8. Croatia: Croatian
9. Czech Republic: Czech
10. Denmark: Danish
11. Estonia: Estonian
12. Finland: Finnish, Swedish
13. France: French
14. Germany: German
15. Greece: Greek
16. Hungary: Hungarian
17. Iceland: Icelandic
18. Ireland: Irish, English
19. Italy: Italian
20. Kosovo: Albanian, Serbian
21. Latvia: Latvian
22. Liechtenstein: German
23. Lithuania: Lithuanian
24. Luxembourg: Luxembourgish, French, German
25. Malta: Maltese, English
26. Moldova: Romanian
27. Monaco: French
28. Montenegro: Montenegrin
29. Netherlands: Dutch
30. North Macedonia: Macedonian
31. Norway: Norwegian
32. Poland: Polish
33. Portugal: Portuguese
34. Romania: Romanian
35. Russia: Russian
36. San Marino: Italian
37. Serbia: Serbian
38. Slovakia: Slovak
39. Slovenia: Slovenian
40. Spain: Spanish (Castilian), Catalan, Galician, Basque
41. Sweden: Swedish
42. Switzerland: German, French, Italian, Romansh
43. Ukraine: Ukrainian
44. United Kingdom: English
45. Vatican City: Italian
North America
North America, with its colonial past and indigenous heritage, presents a rich linguistic mosaic.
1. Antigua and Barbuda: English
2. Bahamas: English
3. Barbados: English
4. Belize: English
5. Canada: English, French
6. Costa Rica: Spanish
7. Cuba: Spanish
8. Dominica: English
9. Dominican Republic: Spanish
10. El Salvador: Spanish
11. Grenada: English
12. Guatemala: Spanish
13. Haiti: Haitian Creole, French
14. Honduras: Spanish
15. Jamaica: English
16. Mexico: Spanish
17. Nicaragua: Spanish
18. Panama: Spanish
19. Saint Kitts and Nevis: English
20. Saint Lucia: English
21. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: English
22. Trinidad and Tobago: English
23. United States: None at the federal level (English widely used)
24. Puerto Rico (U.S. Territory): Spanish, English
South America
South America’s languages reflect its colonial history and indigenous cultures.
1. Argentina: Spanish
2. Bolivia: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, and 34 other indigenous languages
3. Brazil: Portuguese
4. Chile: Spanish
5. Colombia: Spanish
6. Ecuador: Spanish
7. Guyana: English
8. Paraguay: Spanish, Guarani
9. Peru: Spanish, Quechua, Aymara
10. Suriname: Dutch
11. Uruguay: Spanish
12. Venezuela: Spanish
Oceania
Oceania’s linguistic diversity spans indigenous languages and those of colonial heritage.
1. Australia: None at the federal level (English widely used)
2. Fiji: English, Fijian, Hindi
3. Kiribati: English
4. Marshall Islands: Marshallese, English
5. Micronesia: English
6. Nauru: Nauruan, English
7. New Zealand: English, Māori, NZ Sign Language
8. Palau: Palauan, English
9. Papua New Guinea: Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu
10. Samoa: Samoan, English
11. Solomon Islands: English
12. Tonga: Tongan, English
13. Tuvalu: Tuvaluan, English
14. Vanuatu: Bislama, English, French
Conclusion
The official languages of each country reflect the unique cultural and historical contexts within which they have evolved. From the vast number of languages in Africa to the multilingual nations of Europe, and from the colonial influences in the Americas to the indigenous tongues of Oceania, the linguistic landscape of our world is a testament to the diversity and richness of human civilization. Embracing and understanding this diversity not only fosters global communication but also preserves the cultural heritage that is intrinsic to our identity.
