World Languages A-Z

[Miss Muffet]

Here is a list of World Languages. Where there is more than 1 listed, they are in order of 'highest percentage spoken'.

A
Afghanistan - Dari Persian, Pashtu (both official), other Turkic and minor languages
Albania - Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
Algeria - Arabic (official), French, Berber dialects
Andorra - Catalán (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese
Angola - Portuguese (official), Bantu and other African languages
Antigua and Barbuda - English (official), local dialects
Argentina - Spanish (official), English, Italian, German, French
Armenia - Armenian, Yezidi, Russian
Australia - English, native and other languages
Austria - German (official nationwide); Slovene, Croatian, Hungarian (each official in one region)
Azerbaijan - Azerbaijani Turkic , Russian , Armenian , other
B
The Bahamas - English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Bahrain - Arabic, English, Farsi, Urdu
Bangladesh - Bangla (official), English
Barbados - English
Belarus - Belorussian (White Russian), Russian, other
Belgium - Dutch (Flemish) , French , German less than 1% (all official)
Belize - English (official), Spanish, Mayan, Garifuna (Carib), Creole
Benin - French (official), Fon, Yoruba, tribal languages
Bhutan - Dzongkha (official), Tibetan dialects (among Bhotes), Nepalese dialects (among Nepalese)
Bolivia - Spanish, Quechua, Aymara (all official)
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian
Botswana - English (official), Setswana , Kalanga , Sekgalagadi , other
Brazil - Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French
Brunei - Malay (official), English, Chinese
Bulgaria - Bulgarian , Turkish , Roma
Burkina Faso – French (official); native African (Sudanic) languages
Burundi - Kirundi and French (official), Swahili
C
Cambodia - Khmer (official), French, English
Cameroon - French, English (both official); 24 major African language groups
Canada - English, French (both official); other
Cape Verde – Portuguese, Cruiolo
Central African Republic - French (official), Sangho (lingua franca, national), tribal languages
Chad - French, Arabic (both official); Sara; more than 120 languages and dialects
Chile - Spanish
China - Standard Chinese (Mandarin/Putonghua), Yue (Cantonese), Wu (Shanghaiese), Minbei (Fuzhou), Minnan (Hokkien-Taiwanese), Xiang, Gan, Hakka dialects, minority languages
Colombia - Spanish
Comoros - Arabic and French (both official), Shikomoro (Swahili/Arabic blend)
Congo, Republic of the - French (official), Lingala, Monokutuba, Kikongo, many local languages and dialects
Congo, Democratic Republic of the - French (official), Lingala, Kingwana, Kikongo, Tshiluba
Costa Rica – Spanish (official), English
Cote d'Ivoire - French (official) and African languages (Dioula esp.)
Croatia - Croatian (official), other (including Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Slovak, German)
Cuba - Spanish
Cyprus – Greek, Turkish (both official), English
Czech Republic - Czech
D
Denmark - Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (Inuit dialect), German; English is the predominant second language
Djibouti - French and Arabic (both official), Somali, Afar
Dominica - English (official) and French patois
Dominican Republic - Spanish
E
East Timor - Tetum, Portuguese (official); Bahasa Indonesia, English; other indigenous languages, including Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak
Ecuador - Spanish (official), Quechua, other Amerindian languages
Egypt - Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
El Salvador - Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
England (U.K.) – English
Equatorial Guinea - Spanish, French (both official); pidgin English, Fang, Bubi, Ibo
Eritrea - Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Estonia - Estonian (official), Russian, other
Ethiopia - Amharic, Tigrigna, Orominga, Guaragigna, Somali, Arabic, English, over 70 others
F
Fiji - English (official), Fijian, Hindustani
Finland – Finnish, Swedish (both official); small Sami- (Lapp) and Russian-speaking minorities
France - French 100%, rapidly declining regional dialects (Provençal, Breton, Alsatian, Corsican, Catalan, Basque, Flemish)
G
Gabon - French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
The Gambia - English (official), Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous
Georgia - Georgian (official), Russian, Armenian, Azerbaijani, other, (Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia)
Germany - German
Ghana - English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga)
Greece – Greek (official), English, French
Grenada - English (official), French patois
Guatemala - Spanish, Amerindian languages (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Guinea - French (official), native tongues (Malinké, Susu, Fulani)
Guinea-Bissau – Portuguese (official), Criolo, African Languages
Guyana - English (official), Amerindian dialects, Creole, Hindi, Urdu
H
Haiti - Creole and French (both official)
Honduras - Spanish (official), Amerindian dialects; English widely spoken in business
Hungary - Magyar (Hungarian), other
I
Iceland - Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken
India - Hindi, English, Bengali, Gujarati, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Kannada, Assamese, Sanskrit, Sindhi (all official); Hindi/Urdu; 1,600+ dialects
Indonesia - Bahasa Indonesia (official), English, Dutch, Javanese, and more than 580 other languages and dialects
Iran - Persian and Persian dialects, Turkic and Turkic dialects, Kurdish, Luri, Balochi, Arabic, Turkish, other
Iraq - Arabic (official), Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian, Armenian
Ireland – English, Irish (Gaelic) (both official)
Israel - Hebrew (official), Arabic, English
Italy - Italian (official); German-, French-, and Slovene-speaking minorities
J
Jamaica – English, Jamaican Creole
Japan – Japanese
Jordan – Arabic (official), English
K
Kazakhstan - Kazak (Qazaq, state language), Russian (official, used in everyday business)
Kenya - English (official), Swahili (national), and numerous indigenous languages
Kiribati - English (official), I-Kiribati (Gilbertese)
Korea, North - Korean
Korea, South – Korean, English widely taught
Kuwait – Arabic (official), English
Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz, Russian (both official)
L
Laos - Lao (official), French, English, various ethnic languages
Latvia - Latvian (official), Russia, Lithuanian, other
Lebanon - Arabic (official), French, English, Armenian
Lesotho - English, Sesotho (both official); Zulu, Xhosa
Liberia - English (official), some 20 ethnic-group languages
Libya - Arabic, Italian, and English widely understood in major cities
Liechtenstein - German (official), Alemannic dialect
Lithuania - Lithuanian (official), Russia, Polish
Luxembourg - Luxermbourgish (national) French, German (both administrative)
M
Macedonia - Macedonia, Albanian (both official); Turkis, Rom, Serbian
Madagascar – Malagasy, French (both official)
Malawi - Chichewa (official), Chinyanja, Chiyao, Chitumbuka, Chisena, Chilomwe, Chitonga, other
Malaysia - Bahasa Melayu (Malay, official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; several indigenous languages (including Iban, Kadazan) in East Malaysia
Maldives - Maldivian Dhivehi (official); English spoken by most government officials
Mali - French (official), Bambara, numerous African languages
Malta – Maltese, English (both official)
Marshall Islands - Marshallese (two major dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family), English widely spoken as a second language (both official); Japanese
Mauritania - Hassaniya Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Wolof
Mauritius - English less than 1% (official), Creole, Bojpoori, French
Mexico - Spanish, various Mayan, Nahuatl, and other regional indigenous languages
Federated States of Micronesia - English (official, common), Chukese, Pohnpeian, Yapase, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi
Moldova - Moldovan (official; virtually the same as Romanian), Russian, Gagauz (a Turkish dialect)
Monaco - French (official), English, Italian, Monégasque
Mongolia - Mongolian, also Turkic and Russian
Montenegro - Serbian/Montenegrin (Ijekavian dialect-official)
Morocco - Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often used for business, government, and diplomacy
Mozambique - Portuguese (official), Emakhuwa, Xichangana, Elomwe, Cisena, Echuwabo, other Mozambican languages
Myanmar (Burma) – Burmese, minority languages
N
Namibia - English (official), Afrikaans is common language of most of the population and of about 60% of the white population, German, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama
Nauru - Nauruan (official), English
Nepal - Nepali(official), Maithali, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, others. English spoken by many in government and business
Netherlands - Dutch, Frisian (both official)
New Zealand – English, Maori (both official)
Nicaragua – Spanish (official); English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Niger – French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Nigeria – English (official), Hausa, Yoruba, Ibo, Fulani, and more than 200 others
Northern Ireland (U.K.) – English, Irish (Gaelic) (both official)
Norway - Bokmål Norwegian, Nynorsk Norwegian (both official); small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities (Sami is official in six municipalities)
O
Oman – Arabic (official), English, Baluchi, Urdu, Indian dialects