List of official languages by country and territory

This is a list of official languages by country and territory. It includes all languages that have official language status either statewide or in a part of the state, or that have status as a national language, regional language, or minority language.

Definitions

;Official language: A language designated as having a unique legal status in the state: typically, the language used in a nation's legislative bodies, and often, official government business.

;Regional language: A language designated as having official status limited to a specific area, administrative division, or territory of the state. (On this page a regional language has parentheses next to it that contain a region, province, etc. where the language has regional status.)

;National language: A language that uniquely represents the national identity of a state, nation, and/or country and is so designated by a country's government; some are technically minority languages. (On this page a national language is followed by parentheses that identify it as a national language status.) Some countries have more than one language with this status.

List

{{Compact TOC|name=no|center=yes|top=yes|seealso=no|notes=no|w=|x=|custom3=Notes|custom4=References}}

class="wikitable sortable"

! width=170|Country/Region

!Number of
official
(including
de facto)

! width=170|Official language(s)

! width=220|Regional language(s)

! width=170|Minority language(s)

! width=150|National language(s)

! Widely spoken

| Georgian

| Abkhaz

{{FlagLangs|Afghanistan}}[http://www.afghan-web.com/politics/current_constitution.html#chapterone Constitution of Afghanistan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131028065437/http://www.afghan-web.com/politics/current_constitution.html#chapterone |date=28 October 2013 }} (Chapter 1, Article 16){{cite AV media |date=2 October 2021 |title=گفت‌وگوی زهرا مشتاق، روزنامه‌نگار ایرانی با ذبیح‌الله مجاهد، سخنگوی طالبان |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wv687G7Ju0 |trans-title=Interview between Iranian journalist Zahra Mushtaq and Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid |format= |work=Iran International |language=fa |publisher=YouTube |access-date=15 February 2025}}{{cite news |title=MFA denies rumors that Taliban excludes the study of Uzbek language from school curriculum |url=https://kun.uz/en/news/2021/08/31/mfa-denies-rumors-that-taliban-excludes-the-study-of-uzbek-language-from-school-curriculum#! |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=Kun.uz |date=31 August 2021 |language=en}}

Uzbek{{efn|name=AF|The third official language{{Snd}} in addition to Pashto and Dari{{Snd}} in areas where the majority speaks them}}
Turkmen{{efn|name=AF}}
Pashayi{{efn|name=AF}}
Nuristani{{efn|name=AF}}
Balochi{{efn|name=AF}}
Pamiri{{efn|name=AF}}

Persian (Dari)

{{FlagLangs|Albania}}[http://www.parlament.al/eng/dokumenti.asp?id=1117&kujam=Constitution Constitution of Albania] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225173704/http://www.parlament.al/eng/dokumenti.asp?id=1117&kujam=Constitution |date=25 February 2008 }} (Article 14)

|Albanian

|Italian

{{FlagLangs|Algeria}}Constitution of Algeria (Article 3)

|French

| Catalan[http://www.andorramania.com/constit_gb.htm Constitution of Andorra] (Article 2)

{{FlagLangs|Angola}}{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/angola/|title=Angola|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|work=The World Factbook}}

| Portuguese

Kimbundu
Umbundu
Kikongo
Chokwe
Kwanyama
Ganguela{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}

Angolan Portuguese

| None (English has de facto status)

Antiguan and Barbudan Creole

| None (Spanish has de facto status)

Spanish (in Corrientes and Chaco){{Cite web |url=http://www.romanistik.uni-mainz.de/guarani/texte/Ley5598.pdf |title=Provincial Law Nº5598 |access-date=3 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229101008/http://www.romanistik.uni-mainz.de/guarani/texte/Ley5598.pdf |archive-date=29 February 2012 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www2.legislaturachaco.gov.ar:8000/Documentos/Documento/GetAnexo?nombreArchivo=Ley%206604.pdf |title=La Cámara de Diputados de la Provincia del Chaco. Sanciona con fuerza de Ley Nro.6604 |access-date=28 February 2018 |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807034056/http://www2.legislaturachaco.gov.ar:8000/Documentos/Documento/GetAnexo?nombreArchivo=Ley%206604.pdf |url-status=dead }}
Guaraní (in Corrientes)
Kom (in Chaco)
Moquoit (in Chaco)
Wichi (in Chaco)

| Armenian

| Armenian (state language)Constitution of Armenia

|Russian

| None (English has de facto status)

English (on Norfolk Island)
Norfuk (on Norfolk Island)

{{FlagLangs|Austria}}{{cite constitution|url=http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/au00000_.html|polity=Austria|article=8|date=1920}}[https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/GeltendeFassung.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10000602&FassungVom=2014-01-01 Bundesgesetz über die Rechtsstellung der Volksgruppen in Österreich (Volksgruppengesetz – VoGrG)]

German

Burgenland Croatian (parts of Burgenland)
Hungarian (parts of Burgenland)
Slovene (parts of Carinthia)

Slovene
Czech
Hungarian
Slovak
Romani
Serbian

| German (state language)

English

| Azerbaijani

| Azerbaijani (state language)[http://www.constcourt.gov.az/index.php?nw=2&j=11 Constitution of Azerbaijan], [http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/aj00000_.html Constitution of Azerbaijan] (English translation) (Article 21)

|Russian

| English

| Arabic

| English

| Bengali

Sylheti (parts of Sylhet Division)
Chittagonian (parts of Chittagong Division)
Rangpuri/Kamtapuri (parts of Rangpur Division)

| Bengali

| English

Belarusian
Russian

|Belarusian

Dutch
French
German

Dutch (Flanders, Brussels)Constitution of Belgium, in [http://www.senate.be/doc/const_nl.html#t1 Dutch], [http://www.senate.be/doc/const_fr.html#t1 French] and [http://www.senate.be/doc/const_de.html#t1 German] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030413081529/http://www.senate.be/doc/const_de.html |date=13 April 2003 }} (Article 4)
French (Brussels, Wallonia)
German (German-speaking community)

English

| English

|Garifuna

Kriol (lingua franca)
Spanish (border with Mexico and Guatemala)

| French

| Dzongkha

{{FlagLangs|Bolivia}}{{cite web|url=https://www.lexivox.org/norms/BO-DS-25894.html|title=Bolivia: Decreto Supremo Nº 25894, 11 de septiembre de 2000|date=11 September 2000|access-date=21 January 2018}}

|37

|None (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian all have de facto status){{cite book|title=Languages at War: Policies and Practices of Language Contacts in Conflict|last2=Kelly|first2=Michael|publisher=Palgrave Macmillan|year=2012|isbn=978-0230368774|location=Basingstoke|pages=111–120|first1=Hilary|last1=Footitt}}

|English

| Tswana

Other Bantu languages
Several Khoisan languages

PortugueseAccording to the Brazilian Constitution, article 13: A língua portuguesa é o idioma oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. "The Portuguese language is the official language of the Federative Republic of Brazil".[http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/ConstituicaoCompilado.htm]

German (in Pomerode[http://www.leismunicipais.com.br/twitter/222/legislacao/lei-2251-2010-pomerode-sc.html Pomerode institui língua alemã como co-oficial no Município.] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530095532/http://www.leismunicipais.com.br/twitter/222/legislacao/lei-2251-2010-pomerode-sc.html|date=30 May 2012}})
East Pomeranian (in Pancas,[http://lpniceia.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/pomerano/ Pomerano!?], Retrieved 21 August 2011[http://gabeira.locaweb.com.br/causas/causa.asp?id=941&idSubd=40 No Brasil, pomeranos buscam uma cultura que se perde] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328015129/http://gabeira.locaweb.com.br/causas/causa.asp?id=941&idSubd=40|date=28 March 2012}}, Retrieved 21 August 2011 Santa Maria de Jetibá,[http://www.ipol.org.br/imprimir.php?cod=604 Lei dispõe sobre a cooficialização da língua pomerana no município de Santa maria de Jetibá, Estado do Espírito Santo] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402095437/http://www.ipol.org.br/imprimir.php?cod=604|date=2 April 2012}}{{Cite web|date=2019-03-31|title=Pommern in Brasilien - LernCafe – Online-Journal zur allgemeinen Weiterbildung|url=https://lerncafe.de/aus-der-welt-1142/articles/pommern-in-brasilien.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331215004/https://lerncafe.de/aus-der-welt-1142/articles/pommern-in-brasilien.html|archive-date=2019-03-31}} Domingos Martins,[https://web.archive.org/web/20190329042917/https://lefufrj.files.wordpress.com/2017/12/cooficializac3a7c3a3o-de-lc3adnguas-no-brasil-versc3a3o-ii.pdf Artigo da UFRJ sobre a cooficialização de línguas no Brasil] Itarana,[https://web.archive.org/web/20190323024937/https://www.itarana.es.gov.br/portal/artigo/municipio-de-itarana-participa-de-acoes-do-inventario-da-lingua-pomerana Município de Itarana participa de ações do Inventário da Língua Pomerana], Prefeitura Municipal de Itarana[https://web.archive.org/web/20190323025238/https://www.itarana.es.gov.br/portal/uploads/legislation/antigos/d4ad3e0ff7023e6dd1bacde801ff13a4.pdf "Lei Municipal nº 1.195/2016 de Itarana/ES"]. itarana.es.gov.br Laranja da Terra, Vila Pavão and Canguçu)
Riograndenser Hunsrückisch (in Antônio Carlos, Santa Catarina,[http://www.ipol.org.br/upload/Image/lei1.jpg Cooficialização da língua alemã em Antônio Carlos] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402095443/http://www.ipol.org.br/upload/Image/lei1.jpg|date=2 April 2012}} and in Santa Maria do Herval, Rio Grande do Sul{{Cite web |url=http://www.rle.ucpel.tche.br/index.php/rle/article/view/76/48 |title=A sala de aula de alemão para falantes de dialeto: realidades e mitos |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-date=7 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507163004/http://www.rle.ucpel.tche.br/index.php/rle/article/view/76/48 |url-status=dead }}[http://ventosdalusofonia.wordpress.com/2012/06/28/brasil-dialeto-do-baixo-alemao-torna-se-segunda-lingua-oficial-de-cidade-gaucha/ Brasil: dialeto do baixo-alemão torna-se segunda língua oficial de cidade gaúcha][http://dzeit.blogspot.ca/2009/03/apresentando-santa-maria-do-herval-rs.html Apresentando... Santa Maria do Herval]{{Cite web |url=http://www.brasilalemanha.com.br/portal/notice_print.php?id=5643 |title=Dialetos Hunsrik e Talian na ofensiva no Sul - Em Santa Maria do Herval, regiăo de Novo Hamburgo, RS, surge forte a mobilizaçăo em favor do Hunsrik - a faceta brasileira/latino-americana do Hunsrückisch. Em Serafina Correa, RS, floresce o talian |language=pt |access-date=24 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402084650/http://www.brasilalemanha.com.br/portal/notice_print.php?id=5643 |archive-date=2 April 2012}})
Talian (in Bento Gonçalves,{{Cite web |url=http://difusora890.com.br/aprovado-em-primeira-votacao-projeto-que-torna-o-talian-segunda-lingua-oficial-de-bento/ |title=Aprovada em primeira votação projeto que torna o Talian segunda língua oficial de Bento Gonçalves |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-date=17 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417012557/http://difusora890.com.br/aprovado-em-primeira-votacao-projeto-que-torna-o-talian-segunda-lingua-oficial-de-bento/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://difusora890.com.br/co-oficializacao-do-talian-e-aprovada-pela-camara-de-bento/ |title=Co-oficialização do Talian é oficializada pela câmara de Bento Golçalves |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-date=17 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190417012831/http://difusora890.com.br/co-oficializacao-do-talian-e-aprovada-pela-camara-de-bento/ |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |url=http://www.jornalcidadesdaserra.com.br/camara-bento-projeto-do-executivo-e-aprovado-e-talian-se-torna-a-lingua-co-oficial |title=Câmara Bento – Projeto do Executivo é aprovado e Talian se torna a língua co-oficial |access-date=11 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160609022209/http://www.jornalcidadesdaserra.com.br/camara-bento-projeto-do-executivo-e-aprovado-e-talian-se-torna-a-lingua-co-oficial |archive-date=9 June 2016 |url-status=dead}} Caxias do Sul,[https://web.archive.org/web/20190330025133/https://www.radiocaxias.com.br/portal/noticias/lei-confirma-o-talian-como-segunda-lingua-oficial-de-caxias-do-sul-81255 Lei confirma o Talian como segunda língua oficial de Caxias do Sul] Flores da Cunha{{Cite web |url=http://www.leouve.com.br/politica/serra-gaucha/item/55203-talian-pode-ser-lingua-cooficial-de-flores-da-cunha |title=Talian pode ser língua cooficial de Flores da Cunha |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160615153512/http://www.leouve.com.br/politica/serra-gaucha/item/55203-talian-pode-ser-lingua-cooficial-de-flores-da-cunha |archive-date=15 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}[https://web.archive.org/web/20160615153850/http://leouve.com.br/politica/serra-gaucha/item/55312-talian-%C3%A9-l%C3%ADngua-cooficial-de-flores-da-cunha Talian é língua cooficial de Flores da Cunha]{{Cite web |url=http://defender.org.br/tag/dialeto/?print=pdf-page |title=Flores da Cunha (RS) - Projeto pretende instituir o "Talian" como língua co oficial no Município |access-date=7 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808094711/http://defender.org.br/tag/dialeto/?print=pdf-page |archive-date=8 August 2016 |url-status=dead }} Nova Roma do Sul[https://web.archive.org/web/20170921120542/https://leismunicipais.com.br/a2/rs/n/nova-roma-do-sul/lei-ordinaria/2015/131/1310/lei-ordinaria-n-1310-2015-dispoe-sobre-a-cooficializacao-da-lingua-do-talian-a-lingua-portuguesa-no-municipio-de-nova-roma-do-sul Lei Nº 1310 de 16 de outubro de 2015] - Dispõe sobre a cooficialização da língua do "talian", à língua portuguesa, no município de Nova Roma do Sul"[https://web.archive.org/web/20170106102600/http://www.novaromadosul.rs.gov.br/noticias_int.php?id=1418 O Talian agora é a língua co-oficial de Nova Roma do Sul], município de Nova Roma do Sul and Serafina Corréa[http://www.serafinacorrea.rs.gov.br/site/noticia/noticia_detalhe.php?gCdNoticia=406 Vereadores aprovam o talian como língua co-oficial do município] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190330031236/http://www.serafinacorrea.rs.gov.br/site/noticia/noticia_detalhe.php?gCdNoticia=406 |date=30 March 2019 }}, Retrieved 21 August 2011)
Nheengatu, Baniwa, Tucano (in São Gabriel de Cachoeira, Amazonas)[http://www.ipol.org.br/imprimir.php?cod=83 Lei municipal oficializa línguas indígenas em São Gabriel da Cachoeira] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918053759/http://www.ipol.org.br/imprimir.php?cod=83 |date=18 September 2011 }}, Retrieved 24 August 2011[http://treinamento.folhasp.com.br/linguasdobrasil/saogabriel.html Na Babel brasileira, português é 2ª língua – FLÁVIA MARTIN e VITOR MORENO, enviados especiais a São Gabriel da Cachoeira (AM)] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120604042024/http://treinamento.folhasp.com.br/linguasdobrasil/saogabriel.html |date=4 June 2012 }}, Retrieved 24 August 2011
Guaraní (in Tacuru, Mato Grosso do Sul)[http://www.sinepe-pe.org.br/noticias/municipio-do-ms-adota-o-guarani-como-lingua-oficial/ Município do MS adota o guarani como língua oficial] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402095438/http://www.sinepe-pe.org.br/noticias/municipio-do-ms-adota-o-guarani-como-lingua-oficial/ |date=2 April 2012 }}, Retrieved 24 August 2011

| Eighty Brazilian municipalities have co-official languages.[https://web.archive.org/web/20250522003051/https://direitolinguistico.com.br/repositorio/s/rbll/page/home Repositório Brasileiro de Legislações Linguísticas] (Brazilian Repository of Linguistic Legislation) The list can be seen at Languages of Brazil.

| Portuguese

|Malay

| Bulgarian

| Working languages:

English
French

{{FlagLangs|Burundi}}{{cite constitution|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Burundi_2005.pdf|polity=Burundi|article=5|date=2005}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2OA9DQAAQBAJ&q=langues%20officielles%20au%20burundi%20kirundi%20fran%C3%A7ais%20anglais&pg=PA104|title=Les approches bi-plurilingues d'enseignement-apprentissage: autour du programme Écoles et langues nationales en Afrique (ELAN-Afrique): Actes du colloque du 26-27 mars 2015|date=October 2016|publisher=Archives contemporaines |isbn=9782813001955}}

French
Kirundi
English

| Kirundi

| Swahili

| Khmer

English
French

English (Federal)
French (Federal)

Chipewyan (Northwest Territories)
Cree (Northwest Territories)
Gwich'in (Northwest Territories)
Inuinnaqtun (Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
Inuktitut (Northwest Territories and Nunavut)
Inuvialuktun (Northwest Territories)
Mi'kmaq (Nova Scotia)
North Slavey (Northwest Territories)
South Slavey (Northwest Territories)
Tłı̨chǫ (Northwest Territories)

Chipewyan
Cree
Gwich'in
Inuinnaqtun
Inuktitut
Inuvialuktun
Mi'kmaq
North Slavey
South Slavey
Tłı̨chǫ

| Portuguese

| Cape Verdean Creole

French
Sango

Arabic
French

| Spanish

Languages of ethnic groups are official in their territories

[http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=30620 Indigenal Act, art. 28]

| Standard Chinese

English (Hong Kong)
Portuguese (Macau)

|Other Sinitic languages

| Malay

| Spanish

| Languages of ethnic groups are official in their territories[http://pdba.georgetown.edu/Constitutions/Colombia/col91.html Constitution of Colombia, 1991] (Article 10)

Arabic
Comorian
French

| French

Lingala
Munukutuba

| Spanish

Indigenous languages{{cite web|title=Costa Rica 1949 (rev. 2011)|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Costa_Rica_2011?lang=en#231|website=Constitute|access-date=28 April 2015}}
Limonese CreoleArchived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/t60EXruB1v4 Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20201222190127/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t60EXruB1v4&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite news |last1=Asamblea Legislativa Costa Rica |title=APRUEBAN EL RECONOCIMIENTO DE LA LENGUA CRIOLLA LIMONENSE |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t60EXruB1v4 |access-date=21 December 2020 |agency=Youtube}}{{cbignore}}

| Croatian

Serbian
Hungarian
Czech
Slovak
Pannonian Rusyn

Italian (Istria County)
Romani (non-territorial)
Slovene (non-territorial)

English

| Spanish

Greek{{cite book|url=http://www.presidency.gov.cy/presidency/presidency.nsf/all/1003AEDD83EED9C7C225756F0023C6AD/$file/CY_Constitution.pdf|title=The Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus|year=1960|at=art. 3, § 1|access-date=11 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203001544/http://www.presidency.gov.cy/presidency/presidency.nsf/all/1003AEDD83EED9C7C225756F0023C6AD/$file/CY_Constitution.pdf|archive-date=3 December 2013|url-status=dead}}
Turkish

Armenian{{citation|title=Implementation of the Charter in Cyprus|url=http://languagecharter.coe.int/sites/StatesParties/Cyprus.htm|work=Database for the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages|publisher=Public Foundation for European Comparative Minority Research|access-date=11 August 2013}}
Cypriot Arabic

| English

Czech{{efn|name=CZ1|Slovak language is defined as official language together with Czech language by several laws{{Snd}} e.g. law 500/2004, 337/1992. Source: http://portal.gov.cz. Cited: "Například Správní řád (zákon č. 500/2004 Sb.) stanovuje: "V řízení se jedná a písemnosti se vyhotovují v českém jazyce. Účastníci řízení mohou jednat a písemnosti mohou být předkládány i v jazyce slovenském..." (§16, odstavec 1). Zákon o správě daní a poplatků (337/1992 Sb.) "Úřední jazyk: Před správcem daně se jedná v jazyce českém nebo slovenském. Veškerá písemná podání se předkládají v češtině nebo slovenštině..." (§ 3, odstavec 1). http://portal.gov.cz}}

Belarusian{{efn|name=CZ2|Citizens belonging to minorities, which traditionally and on long-term basis live within the territory of the Czech Republic, enjoy the right to use their language in communication with authorities and in front of the courts of law (for the list of recognized minorities see [http://www.vlada.cz/en/pracovni-a-poradni-organy-vlady/rnm/historie-a-soucasnost-rady-en-16666/ National Minorities Policy of the Government of the Czech Republic]). The article 25 of the Czech Charter of Fundamental Rights and Basic Freedoms ensures right of the national and ethnic minorities for education and communication with authorities in their own language. Act No. 500/2004 Coll. (The Administrative Rule) in its paragraph 16 (4) (Procedural Language) ensures, that a citizen of the Czech Republic, who belongs to a national or an ethnic minority, which traditionally and on long-term basis lives within the territory of the Czech Republic, have right to address an administrative agency and proceed before it in the language of the minority. In case that the administrative agency doesn't have an employee with knowledge of the language, the agency is bound to obtain a translator at the agency's own expense. According to Act No. 273/2001 (About The Rights of Members of Minorities) paragraph 9 (The right to use language of a national minority in dealing with authorities and in front of the courts of law) the same applies for the members of national minorities also in front of the courts of law.}}
Bulgarian{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Croatian{{efn|name=CZ2}}
German{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Greek{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Hungarian{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Polish{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Romani{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Russian{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Rusyn{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Serbian{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Ukrainian{{efn|name=CZ2}}
Vietnamese{{efn|name=CZ2}}

|Czech

| Danish

Faroese (in the Faroe Islands)
Kalaallisut (in Greenland)

| German (in Southern Jutland)

|English

Arabic
French

| English

| Spanish

Portuguese[http://www.constitution.org/cons/east_timor/constitution-eng.htm Constitution of Timor-Leste, section 13]
Tetum

Indonesian

{{FlagLangs|Ecuador}}[http://www.presidencia.gov.ec/modulos.asp?id=110 Constitution of Ecuador 2008] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217010705/http://www.presidencia.gov.ec/modulos.asp?id=110 |date=17 December 2008 }}, (Article 2)

Spanish

| Languages of ethnic groups are official in their territories

Spanish{{efn|name=EC|Official language for intercultural relations}}
Kichwa{{efn|name=EC|Official language for intercultural relations}}
Shuar{{efn|name=EC|Official language for intercultural relations}}

| Arabic

| Coptic

| Egyptian Arabic

| English

| Spanish

French
Portuguese
Spanish

| Tigrinya

Arabic
Italian

| Estonian

English
Russian

English
Swazi

English
Fijian
Fiji Hindi

| Sami (in Enontekiö, Inari, Sodankylä, Utsjoki)

Finnish
Swedish

English

| French[http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/html/constitution/constitution2.htm#titre1 Constitution of France] (Article 2)

|Occitan language

| French

| English

| Georgian

|Russian

| GermanThough not explicitly specified in the constitution, this is regulated in [http://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/vwvfg/__23.html §23 Verwaltungsverfahrensgesetz] (Administrative Procedures Act)

Danish
Lower Sorbian
North Frisian
Romani[http://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Broschueren/2008/Regional_und_Minderheitensprachen.pdf?__blob=publicationFile Publication by Ministry of the Interior (in German)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403102145/http://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/DE/Broschueren/2008/Regional_und_Minderheitensprachen.pdf?__blob=publicationFile|date=3 April 2012}}
Upper Sorbian

English

| English

Fante
Asante Twi
Akuapem Twi
Adangme (in Greater Accra)
Dagaare (in the Upper West Region)
Dagbani (in the Northern Region)
Ewe (in the Volta Region)
Ga (in Greater Accra)
Gonja (in the Northern Region)
Kasem (in the Upper East Region)
Nzema (in the Western Region)

| Greek

| English

| Spanish

| French

| Portuguese

| English

| Guyanese Creole

French
Haitian Creole

| Spanish

Cantonese
English
Mandarin

| HungarianConstitution of Hungary, Article H - http://www.kormany.hu/download/4/c3/30000/THE%20FUNDAMENTAL%20LAW%20OF%20HUNGARY.pdf

CroatianRecognized by Hungary as minority language by the Ratification of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages by the Hungarian Parliament - Resolution 35/1995, 7 April 1995 - http://www.complex.hu/kzldat/o95h0035.htm/o95h0035_0.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117014756/http://www.complex.hu/kzldat/o95h0035.htm/o95h0035_0.htm |date=17 November 2015 }}
German
Romanian
Serbian
Slovak
Slovene

Icelandic
Icelandic Sign Language{{Cite web |title=Deaf History - Europe - 2011: Iceland, Legal Recognition of Icelandic Sign Language |url=https://deafhistory.eu/index.php/component/zoo/item/2011-iceland-legal-recognition-of-icelandic-sign-language |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=deafhistory.eu}}

22 official languages:{{Cite web |last=manishsiq |date=2024-10-04 |title=National Language of India 2024, List of 22 Official Languages of India |url=https://www.studyiq.com/articles/the-national-language-of-india/#:~:text=Assamese,%20Bengali,%20Bodo,%20Dogri,22%20Official%20languages%20of%20India. |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=www.studyiq.com |language=en-IN}}

see Languages of India

|Indonesian

Javanese (in Yogyakarta)

| Indonesian

| Persian

|Persian

Arabic
KurdishConstitution of Iraq, Article 4(1st)

Armenian recognized
Assyrian Neo-Aramaic (in Assyrian areas)
Iraqi Turkmen (in Turkmen areas)

{{FlagLangs|Ireland}}[http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/html%20files/Constitution%20of%20Ireland%20(Eng).htm Constitution of Ireland] {{webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090717092821/http://www.taoiseach.gov.ie/attached_files/html%20files/Constitution%20of%20Ireland%20%28Eng%29.htm|date=17 July 2009}} (Article 8)

| Irish

| Hebrew

| Arabic

| English

Russian
English

| Italian

French (in Aosta Valley)
Franco-Provençal (in Aosta Valley)
German (in South Tyrol)
Ladin (in South Tyrol)
Friulian (in Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
Sardinian (in Sardinia)
Corsican (in northern Sardinia)

Catalan (in Sardinia)
Slovene (in Friuli-Venezia Giulia)
Occitan (in Piedmont's Occitan valleys)
Albanian (in Sicily and Calabria)
Greek (in Calabria and Puglia)

|Other Italo-Dalmatian languages

| French

| English

|Jamaican Patois

| Jamaican Patois

| None (Japanese has de facto status)

| Japanese

| Arabic

Circassian
Chechen
Armenian

Kazakh
Russian

| Kazakh

English
Swahili

| Swahili

English
Gilbertese

| Korean

Korean
Korean Sign Language

Albanian
Serbian

| Turkish

Albanian (nationwide)
Serbian (Northern Kosovo)

| Arabic

Kyrgyz
Russian

| Kyrgyz

| Lao

| Latvian{{cite journal|year=2005|title=Surveying Language Attitudes and Practices in Latvia|journal=Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development|volume=26|issue=5|pages=409–424|doi=10.1080/01434630508668413|last1=Priedīte|first1=Aija|s2cid=145660793|quote=In 1992, following further amendments to this directive, Latvian was established as the only official language. It took Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development seven more years before the State language law was adopted in 1999, with further amendments in the years 2000, 2001 and 2002.}}[http://www.juridicainternational.eu/index.php?id=15331 Jarinovska, Kristine. "Popular Initiatives as Means of Altering the Core of the Republic of Latvia", Juridica International. Vol. 20, 2013. p. 152] {{ISSN|1406-5509}}

|Russian

| Arabic

|Arabic

|Armenian

Arabic
English
French

Arabic
English
French

Sesotho
English

| Sotho

| English

| Arabic

| German

| Lithuanian

Polish
Russian

French
German
Luxembourgish

| Luxembourgish

English
Portuguese

Cantonese
Portuguese

French
Malagasy

| Malagasy

English

| Chichewa

|Malay{{efn|name=MY|Article 152 of the Constitution of Malaysia designated Malay as the national language. Section 2 of that article allowed English to be used officially until otherwise provided by Parliament. In 1967, the Parliament of Malaysia passed the [http://www.agc.gov.my/agc/Akta/Vol.%201/Act%2032.pdf National Language Act], making Malay the official language of Malaysia. The act does, however, allow the use of English for some official purposes. On 11 July 1990, following the amendment of the National Language Act 1963/67 (Act 32) (Revised in 1971), Malay replaced English as the official language of the courts in West Malaysia. The amending Act provided English to be used in the Courts in West Malaysia where it deems necessary in the interest of Justice. East Malaysia continued using English as the official language in their courts.[http://www.skzcchambers.com/BODY/MAIN.htm Malaysia's Legal System], [http://www.skzcchambers.com Eurasia International Legal Network], Malaysia. Since 2007, the official policy is to refer to the national language as the Malaysian language (Bahasa Malaysia), although legislation still refers to the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu).}}

|Regional/State dialects

|Malay

| Dhivehi

| English

|13

| French

Maltese
English

| Maltese

| Italian

English
Marshallese

| Arabic

Arabic
Fula
Soninke
Wolof

| French

| None (English has de jure status and French has de facto status)

|English

| None (Spanish has de facto status)

| 68 National languages

| English

| Romanian

Gagauz
Russian
Ukrainian

{{FlagLangs|Monaco}}[http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/036c62fe5f92f2efc1256f5b0054fa42fr?OpenDocument&3Fr Constitution of Monaco] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091115152902/http://www.gouv.mc/devwww/wwwnew.nsf/1909$/036C62FE5F92F2EFC1256F5B0054FA42FR?OpenDocument&3FR |date=15 November 2009 }} (Article 8)

| French

| Monégasque

| Mongolian

|Montenegrin

Arabic
Berber

|French

| Portuguese

{{FlagLangs|Myanmar}} (Burma)

| Burmese

|English

{{Anchor|N}}{{FlagLangs|Namibia}}{{Cite book|url=http://www.orusovo.com/namcon/|title=The Constitution of The Republic of Namibia|publisher=orusovo.com|chapter=Article 3 – Language|chapter-url=http://www.orusovo.com/namcon/chap1.htm#art3|access-date=23 April 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328053229/http://www.orusovo.com/namcon/|archive-date=28 March 2010}}

| English

German
Oshiwambo

| Afrikaans

English
Nauruan

| Nepali[https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/np/np029en.pdf The Constitution of Nepal], article 7 (1)

| All languages spoken as the mother tongue in Nepal[https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/np/np029en.pdf The Constitution of Nepal], article 6

|Dutch

Frisian (in the province of Friesland)
English (in Sint Maarten, Sint Eustatius, Saba)
Papiamento (in Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire)

English

| Spanish

| In Autonomous Regions:

| Hausa

Arabic
French
Fulfulde
Gulmancema
Kanuri
Zarma
Tamazight

| English

English
Hausa

English
Niuean

English
Norfuk{{cite web |url=http://www.info.gov.nf/legislation/NumberedActs/2004/NorfolkIslandLanguage(Norf%27k)Act2004.doc |title=Archived copy |website=www.info.gov.nf |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725040011/http://www.info.gov.nf/legislation/NumberedActs/2004/NorfolkIslandLanguage(Norf%27k)Act2004.doc |archive-date=25 July 2008 |url-status=dead}}

Macedonian
AlbanianArticle 1 (2) of the [https://www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca/europe/macedoine-loi-lng-2019.htm закон за употреба на јазиците] (law on the use of languages), in force since 15 January 2019.

| Turkish

Norwegian
Sami languages[https://ndla.no/nb/subjects/subject:19/topic:1:186558/topic:1:195019/resource:1:124356 "Norsk - Språkmøter"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809054834/https://ndla.no/nb/subjects/subject:19/topic:1:186558/topic:1:195019/resource:1:124356 |date=9 August 2020 }}. NDLA. Retrieved 28 April 2020.

Kven
Scandoromani

Bokmål (written)
Nynorsk (written)

English

| Arabic

|Shehri

Urdu
English

Sindhi

| Urdu

Punjabi
Balochi
Sindhi
Pashto
Saraiki

English
Palauan

Sonsorolese (in Sonsorol)
Tobian (in Hatohobei)
Japanese (in Angaur)

| Arabic

English
Hebrew

| Spanish

Spanish
Guaraní

| Spanish

| Quechua, Aymara and another native languages are official wherever they predominate.

Aklanon (in the Visayas)
Bikol (in Luzon)
Cebuano (in the Visayas and Mindanao)
Chavacano (in Mindanao)
Hiligaynon (in the Visayas)
Ibanag (in Luzon)
Ilocano (in Luzon, official in La Union{{cite news | url=http://www.philstar.com/nation/2012/09/19/850488/iloko-la-unions-official-language | title=Iloko La Union's official language | newspaper=Philippine Star | date=19 September 2012 | access-date=24 September 2012 | author=Elias, Jun}})
Ivatan (in Luzon)
Kapampangan (in Luzon)
Kinaray-a (in the Visayas)
Maguindanao (in Mindanao)
Maranao (in Mindanao)
Pangasinan (in Luzon)
Sambal (in Luzon)
Tagalog (in Luzon)
Tausug (in Mindanao)
Waray (in the Visayas)
Yakan (in Mindanao)

|Arabic{{efn|name=PH-optional|As per the 1987 Constitution which states "Spanish and Arabic shall be promoted on a voluntary and optional basis".{{cite web |title=DO 46, s. 1987 – Amendment to DECS Order No. 33, s. 1987 (Spanish as Optional Subject) {{!}} Department of Education |url=https://www.deped.gov.ph/1987/05/08/do-46-s-1987-amendment-to-decs-order-no-33-s-1987-spanish-as-optional-subject/ |website=Department of Education |access-date=25 August 2021}}}} (optional language)
Spanish{{efn|name=PH-optional}} (optional language)
(+ over 100 more minority languages)

Filipino
Filipino Sign Language (national sign language)

| Polish

Lemko
Karaim
Tatar
Ukrainian

English

| Portuguese

| Mirandese (Terra de Miranda)

English

| Arabic

| Romanian

Armenian
German
Hungarian
Romani
Russian
Serbian
Slovak
Tatar
Turkish
Ukrainian

| Russian

| (33 languages)

English
French
Kinyarwanda
Swahili

Arabic
Spanish

|Arabic

| English

English
Samoan

| Italian

| Portuguese

| Arabic

Indian Languages
Filipino
Bengali

| French

| Serbian

| (15 languages)

English
French
Seychellois Creole

| English

| Krio

| Malay

| Slovak

Bulgarian
Czech
German
Hungarian
Polish
Romani
Rusyn
Serbian
Ukrainian

| Slovene

Hungarian (Dobrovnik, Hodoš, Lendava)
Italian (Izola, Koper, Piran)
Croatian (Metlika, Brežice)

English

| Somali, Arabic

Arabic
English
Somali

|12

Afrikaans
English
Southern Ndebele
Sotho
Northern Sotho
Swazi
Tsonga
Tswana
Venda
Xhosa
Zulu
SA Sign Language{{Cite web |title= President Cyril Ramaphosa: Signing ceremony of South African Sign Language Bill on 19 July 2023|url=https://www.gov.za/speeches/president-cyril-ramaphosa-signing-ceremony-south-african-sign-language-bill-19-jul-2023 |via=gov.za}}

Ossetian
Russian

| Georgian

| English

| Spanish

Catalan (Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Valencian Community)
Galician (Galicia)
Occitan (Catalonia)
Basque (Basque Country, Navarra)

Astur-Leonese (Asturias, León, Zamora, Salamanca, Cáceres)
Aragonese (Aragon)
Fala (Province of Cáceres)
Portuguese
Galician (Asturias, León, Zamora)
Catalan (Aragon, Carche (Murcia))

English

Arabic
English

| Dutch

| Sranan Tongo

| Swedish

Finnish (Gällivare, Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, Övertorneå)
Meänkieli (Gällivare, Haparanda, Kiruna, Pajala, Övertorneå)
Sami (Arjeplog, Gällivare, Jokkmokk, Kiruna)
Yiddish
Romani

|English

French (Bern, Fribourg, Geneva, Jura, Neuchâtel, Valais, Vaud)
German (Aargau, Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Appenzell Innerrhoden, Basel-Landschaft, Basel-Stadt, Bern, Fribourg, Glarus, Graubünden, Lucerne, Nidwalden, Obwalden, Saint Gallen, Schaffhausen, Schwyz, Solothurn, Thurgau, Uri, Valais, Zug, Zürich)
Italian (Ticino, Graubünden)
Romansh (Graubünden)

| Arabic

| Kurdish

Assyrian
Western Neo-Aramaic
Armenian

| None (Mandarin Chinese has de facto status)

Taiwanese Mandarin{{efn|name=TW|Not designated but meets legal definition}}
Taiwanese Hokkien{{efn|name=TW}}
Taiwanese Hakka{{cite web |title=Hakka Basic Act |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/ENG/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=D0140005 |website=law.moj.gov.tw |access-date=22 May 2019}}
Formosan languages{{cite web |title=Indigenous Languages Development Act |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/ENG/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=D0130037 |website=law.moj.gov.tw |access-date=22 May 2019}}
Taiwan Sign Language
Matsu dialect
Wuqiu dialect

| Tajik

| Russian

Swahili
English

| Swahili

| Thai

Sixty-two 'domestic' languages are officially recognized

| Burmese

| French

English
Tokelauan

English
Tongan

Moldovan
Russian
Ukrainian

| English

| Trinidadian Creole

| Arabic

| Turkish

| Kurdish

|Turkish

| Turkmen

| Russian

Tuvaluan
English

Tuvaluan
English

English
SwahiliSecond official according to the Constitution

| Ukrainian

Russian (Autonomous Republic of Crimea)
Crimean Tatar (Autonomous Republic of Crimea)

| Arabic

|English

{{FlagLangs|United Kingdom}} and Crown dependencies etc.

| None (English has de facto status)

Irish and Ulster-Scots (in Northern Ireland)
Scots and Scottish Gaelic (in Scotland)
Welsh (in Wales)
Pitcairnese (in Pitcairn Islands)
Guernésiais and French (in Guernsey)
Jèrriais and French (in Jersey)
Manx (in Isle of Man)

| None (English has de facto status) {{efn|In the United States of America, English is the language of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States and is the working language of the federal government. It was first declared the official language by Executive Order 14224 in 2025.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/03/01/trump-english-official-language-explainer/ |title=A Trump order made English the official language of the U.S. What does that mean? |newspaper=The Washington Post |author1=Vivian Ho |author2=Rachel Pannett |date=March 1, 2025}} Some states - such as Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas - provide official documents in both Spanish and English. Attempts to designate English as the official language of the federal government of the United States by act of Congress have not succeeded. See also Languages of the United States.}}

| (28 languages)

indigenous languages of recognized federal tribes

English

Uruguayan Sign Language (Spanish has de facto status)

|Uzbek

Uzbek
Karakalpak and Uzbek in Karakalpakstan

| Russian

English
French
Bislama

Italian
Latin

|Swiss German

Spanish

| Native languages are official for indigenous peoples

| Vietnamese

| Arabic

| English

|16

Chewa
Chibarwe
English
Kalanga
Khoisan{{efn|name=ZW1|Refers to the Tjwao dialect}}{{cite news|title=Draft constitution riles San people|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2013/02/draft-constitution-riles-san-people/|access-date=19 February 2018|agency=AMH|publisher=NewsDay|date=6 February 2013}}
Nambya
Ndau
Ndebele
Shangani
Shona
Sign language{{efn|name=ZW2|See Zimbabwean sign languages}}
Sotho
Tonga
Tswana
Venda
Xhosa

List of languages by number of countries in which they are the official language

This is a ranking of languages by number of sovereign countries in which they are de jure or de facto official, although there are no precise inclusion criteria or definition of a language. An '*' (asterisk) indicates a country whose independence is disputed.

Partially recognized or de facto independent countries are denoted by an asterisk (*)

class="wikitable sortable"

!Language

!World

!Countries

|58

|23

|14

|United States, {{efn|In the United States of America, English is the language of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States and is the working language of the federal government. It was first declared the official language by Executive Order 14224 in 2025.{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/03/01/trump-english-official-language-explainer/ |title=A Trump order made English the official language of the U.S. What does that mean? |newspaper=The Washington Post |author1=Vivian Ho |author2=Rachel Pannett |date=March 1, 2025}} Some states - such as Arizona, California, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas - provide official documents in both Spanish and English. Attempts to designate English as the official language of the federal government of the United States by act of Congress have not succeeded. See also Languages of the United States.}} United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, India, Nigeria (See the full list){{cite web |title=Field Listing - Languages |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004519/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 13, 2007 |access-date=2009-01-11 |work=The World Factbook |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency}}

French

|26

|18

| –

|France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, Madagascar, Monaco, Haiti, Vanuatu (See the full list)

Arabic

|23–26*

|12–14*

| –

|11–12*

| –

|Egypt, Sudan, Algeria, Iraq, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Palestine* (See the full list)

Spanish

|20

|18

| –

|Spain, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico (See the full list){{cite web |title=Spanish-Speaking Countries |url=https://www.bergesinstitutespanish.com/spanish-speaking-countries |publisher=Berges Institute |access-date=27 May 2023 |quote=Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, and it is an official language, either de facto (in practice) or de jure (by law) in 20 countries. Spanish is also an official language in Puerto Rico, Gibraltar, the United Nations, the African Union, and the Organization of American States.}}

Portuguese

| –

|Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, Angola, East Timor (See the full list)

German

| –

|Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein (See the full list)

Russian

|5–8*

| –

|2–5*

| –

|Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Abkhazia*, South Ossetia*, Transnistria*. (See the full list)

Swahili

| –

|Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda

Serbo-Croatian

|4–5*

| –

|4–5*

| –

|Serbia (known as Serbian), Croatia (known as Croatian), Montenegro (known as Montenegrin), Bosnia and Herzegovina (known as Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian), Kosovo* (known as Serbian)

Italian

| –

|Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City

Malay

| –

|Malaysia, Indonesia (known as Indonesian), Singapore, Brunei

Dutch

| –

|Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname

Persian

| –

|Iran, Afghanistan (known as Dari), Tajikistan (known as Tajik)

Sotho

| –

|South Africa, Lesotho, Zimbabwe

Tamil

| –

|Sri Lanka, Singapore

Tswana

| –

|Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Albanian

|2–3*

| –

|2–3*

| –

|Albania, Kosovo*, North Macedonia

Standard Chinese

|2–3*

| –

|2–3*

| –

|China, Singapore, Taiwan*

Romanian

|2–3*

| –

|2-3*

| –

|Romania, Moldova, Transnistria*

Somali

|2–3*

| –

|Somalia, Ethiopia, and Somaliland*

Turkish

|2–3*

| –

|2–3*

| –

|Turkey, Northern Cyprus* and Cyprus

Aymara

| –

|Bolivia and Peru

Berber

| –

|Algeria and Morocco

Chichewa

| –

|Malawi and Zimbabwe

Greek

| –

|Greece and Cyprus

Guarani

| –

|Paraguay and Bolivia

Hindi

| –

|(Delhi, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh) India, Fiji

Quechua

| –

|Bolivia and Peru

Korean

| –

|North Korea and South Korea

Kurdish

| -

|Iraq and Armenia

Rwanda-Rundi

| –

|Burundi (known as Kirundi) & Rwanda (known as Kinyarwanda)

Swati

| –

|Eswatini (Swaziland) and South Africa

Swedish

| –

|Sweden and Finland

Tigrinya

| –

|Eritrea and Ethiopia

Venda

| –

|South Africa and Zimbabwe

Bengali

| –

|India (West Bengal, Tripura, Assam) and Bangladesh

Notes

References

External links

[https://web.archive.org/web/20230606082657/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/languages/ Languages] - CIA listing of languages spoken in each country

Category:Language policy

Category:Official languages