… Africa is influencing the way French is spoken Meanwhile French-speaking countries such as Rwanda have upgraded English to the status of an official language, and … 22. Mauritius (French is commonly used) he battle lines of the conflict in this central African country are drawn by language. Fifteen? Guinea Djibouti The largest English speaking countries in Africa are Nigeria (198 million), Ethiopia (110 million), South Africa (58 million), Tanzania (60 million), and Kenya (50 million). Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north), English (used in courts of law and by most newspapers and some radio broadcasts), Ganda (Luganda; most widely used of the Niger-Congo languages, preferred for native language publications), other Niger-Congo languages, Nilo-Saharan languages, Acoli, Swahili, Arabic. Burkina Faso 3. Lingala (a lingua franca trade language), Kingwana (a dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili), Kikongo, Tshiluba. Niger–Congo or perhaps Atlantic–Congo languages (Bantu and non-Bantu, the inclusion of Mande and a few other groups is disputed) are spoken in West, Central, Southeast and Southern Africa. In Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and even Egypt, French is still widely spoken among the upper classes. Chad Morocco (French is commonly used) Kiswahili (Swahili) used in commercial centers. Fon and Yoruba (most common vernaculars in south), tribal languages (at least six major ones in north). 21. 28. They are traditionally nomadic cattle-herders and traders... Nigeria's Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been appointed to head the World Trade Organization as it seeks to to resolve disagreements over how it decides cases involving billions in sales and thousands of jobs. How many French speaking countries are there in Africa you may ask, well, a study by the Observatory of the French language, the OIF whose 17th summit was held recently in Yerevan in Armenia, noted that “nearly 60%” of Francophones with “everyday use of the French language ( …) reside in Africa “. Madagascar French-speaking countries account for only 19 percent of SSA’s average GDP whilst English-speaking countries boast of 47 percent (excluding South Africa). Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker, Top 10 Best English speaking countries in Africa. Africa was mostly colonized by Britain, France and Portugal during the scramble for Africa and after a prolonged stay in the continent, the colonized nations adopted the colonizers’ language as the official language, hence, there a lot of French-speaking African countries.. Djibouti (other official language: Arabic) Algeria 19. The Wodaabe tribe is a small subgroup of the Fulani ethnic group. Central African Republic Narrow Bantu like Umbundu and other African languages. Archaeologists have unearthed 2,000-year-old mummies with golden tongues placed inside their mouths in northern Egypt, the antiquities ministry says. French is the official language of this country of 11 million people. 13. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Want to learn … African languages (including Akan, Adangme, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga). In Nigeria, the language was introduced by the British masters during the colonial period. There are approximately 434 million people throughout the world who speak French. The Gambia is one of the English speaking countries in West Africa. Countries belonging to the mainly French-speaking Economic and Monetary Union of West Africa (UEMOA) have been growing at an average rate of 3.4 percent per annum in the last ten years, whilst those of the mainly English-speaking … Can you name the best English speaking countries in Africa On the whole, most learn Frenchas a second language, but in some areas like the region of Abidjan, Ivory Coast or Libreville, Gabon, French used as a predominantly first language. Senegal 18. Algeria is a country situated to the North of … France ranks second, with approximately 67 million people. Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects. Rwanda (Kinyarwanda, Bantu vernacular) French, English. Mauritania (French is commonly used) Burundi But with slang, accents and history in the mix, it’s not always easy to understand or be understood when speaking English in Africa. 12. Comoros Burkina Faso 4. The English language was presented by the British in the colonial rule of the country; from the time of colonization till independence in 1965. 16. 13. Kabuverdianu (Crioulo) (a blend of Portuguese and West African words). Sierra Leone. Believe it or not, there are well over 30 countries that either have French as their official language, one of their official languages, or exhibit widespread use of French. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. 27. Burundi 5. 3. After Uganda, the following countries came in closely; South Africa … Comoros (other official languages: Shikomor and Arabic) Namibia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Liberia, South Africa, and Nigeria. English and French are the widely spoken foreign languages in Africa having borrowed from the colonial masters in respective countries. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. French is the only official language for 13 of these countries and the co-official language in 16 countries. Botswana. Comoros 10. 5. Cameroon 7. Bambara (Bamanakan), Arabic and numerous dialects of Dogoso, Fulfulde, Koyracini, Senoufou, and Mandinka/Malinké (Maninkakan), Tamasheq are also widely spoken. ; Afroasiatic languages are spread throughout Western Asia, North Africa, the Horn of Africa and parts of the Sahel. “Just L… 15. Though Ghana is regarded as an Anglophone nation, a majority of its populace still speak their native dialects. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. 15. English and French widely understood by educated classes. Lomwe, Tumbuka, Yao, other languages important regionally. How many countries would you guess there are in the world that use French? Rwanda (Rwanda recently changed their official language to English but the older generation still speak French) Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The official language of Sierra Leone is English but there are 23 living dialects in the … Congo kinshasa Wolof is the widely spoken first language by the Gambians. Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy. Instead, an African nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, tops the list with a total of more than 77 million people. Burundi (other official language:Kirundi) Seychelles 23. 20. Chad (other official language:Arabic) 8. Saint Helena. 9. Benin 9. Burkina Faso Mauritius 17. The Wodaabe tribe is a small subgroup of the Fulani ethnic group. 3. List of 10 French Speaking African Countries. 7. The English language was inherited by the Ghanaians from the British in the colonial era. Benin Eight national languages, Soussou (Susu, in coastal Guinea), Peulh (Fulani, in Northrn Guinea), Maninka (Upper Guinea), Kissi (Kissidougou Region), Toma and Guerze (Kpelle) in rain forest Guinea; plus various ethnic groups with their own language. In most instances, the translation is as simple as attaching something like -ique or -ie to the end of the name. 1. The official languages of Botswana are English and Setswana. Other foreign languages spoken in Africa includes Portuguese, Germany and Belgian. Ten? 23. 10. 17. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Cameroon (other official language: English) 5. 4. 14. Seychelles (other official languages: English and Creole) note: program of “Arabization” in process, English (government business conducted in English), siSwati, Kiswahili (Swahili), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education). France ranks second, List of French Speaking Countries in Africa Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread). Most of the world’s French-speaking nations are former colonies of France. Rwanda, which fell out from Francophone (French-speaking countries) to Anglophone (English countries) political divide, is slowly embracing English from French as it’s a medium of communication, now that it is part of East African Community (EAC) were English is heavily used. Population: 40.4 million | Capital city: Algiers. GHANA: This nation is located in West Africa, along with the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Mali Languages of instruction in African schools include English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Afrikaans. Tigré (second major language), Afar, Bedawi, Kunama, other Cushitic languages. 25. Benin, located in the west, is one of Africa’s most stable democracies. Cameroon (other official language: English) French is an official language in 29 countries, with most of these being part of the community of French-speaking countries in the world known as la francophonie. Swahili (along Lake Tanganyika and in the Bujumbura area). French, Sangho (lingua franca and national language). Equatorial Guinea (other official languages: Spanish and Portuguese) Cape Verde (Portuguese is the main language) 6. Egypt Guinea-Bissau (Main language is Portuguese) French is an official language of the country. The European Union is a supranational union composed of 28 member states. Afrikaans common language of most of the population and about 60% of the white population, German 32%, indigenous languages: Oshivambo, Herero, Nama. Benin 3. Of this total, 21 states are located in Africa, which represents half of the world’s French speaking states and territories. 21. French Speaking Countries in Africa . São Tomé and Príncipe (main language is Portuguese) Which countries speak French? 4. However, the country with highest French speaking population is not France. Coronavirus Africa map: Which countries are most at risk? Where do people spend the most time on social media? Native African languages belonging to Sudanic family spoken by 90% of the population. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. The languages of Africa are divided into several major language families: . Six of the ten most populous countries in Africa have English as their official Language. English and French are the widely spoken foreign languages in Africa having borrowed from the colonial masters in respective countries. Tigrinya, Oromo, Gurage, Somali, Arabic, 80 other local languages, English (major foreign language taught in schools). At least 26 African countries list English as one of their official languages. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Burkina Faso Top 15 Fully-funded Scholarships to Study In USA 2020. Morocco Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. 7. A study conducted by World Linguistic Agency has rated Uganda the Best English Speaking Country in Africa. About 80 per cent of the country speaks French; the rest speaks English. There's obviously France, so there's one, but how many others? 2. The English language is the official language of the Gambians. Remarkably, other far and widely spoken languages in this West Africa are Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba among others. The people of Benin speak Fon, Ge, Bariba, Yoruba, and Dendi, as well. Central African Republic (other official language: Sango) If territories are included, the total number increases to 42. Africa was mostly colonized by Britain, France and Portugal during the scramble for Africa and after a prolonged stay in the continent, the colonized nations adopted the colonizers language as the official language hence there a lot of French speaking African countries. Côte d’Ivoire Cape Verde (Portuguese is the main language) Mandinka, Wolof, Fula, other indigenous vernaculars. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence in 1966. Three? It is estimated that over 182 million people in Nigeria speak the England dialect. Guinea (konakry) As you continue to learn Fr… No. 22. Learning the French names for countries is relatively easy if you are already familiar with the name in English. major vernaculars: Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about 70 other indigenous languages. 12. Côte d’Ivoire It also ranked the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. Congo Brazzaville 24. some 20 ethnic group languages, of which a few can be written and are used in correspondence. Cote d’Ivoire 19. Here are the top 10 English speaking countries in Africa : More than 23 African countries lists English as one of their official languages while 26 uses French. Madagascar It joins the list of nations … Burundi and Gabon are switching from French to English, and South Sudan is adopting English. Mauritania Centra Africa Republic 8. Chad 9. Tunisia, List of French Speaking Countries in Africa where French is recognized as the official language, 1. 10. Democratic Republic of the Congo 26. Chad (other official language:Arabic) French is present in 26 African countries, and is an official language of Madagascar, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Niger. 5. African Culture: The Wodaabe Tribe Wife Stealing Festival, 2,000-Year-Old Mummy With Golden Tongue Unearthed in Egypt, Top 10 Youngest Presidents In Africa (Updated: 2021), Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala Becomes First Female Head of World Trade Organization, These are the most Widespread Misconceptions About Africa, Babies with Bigger Heads Grow up to be More Intelligent, Study Shows, Abuna Yemata Guh: The Most Inaccessible Place of Worship on Earth is Located in Ethiopia, Gregory Dow: US Missionary Jailed for Abusing Underage Girls at Orphanage he Founded in Kenga, Savika – The Extremely Dangerous Traditional Bull Wrestling Culture in Madagascar. Setswana (national language with minor differences in dialects), English is the official business language and it is widely spoken in urban areas. Cameroon. The most populous country where French is the official language is the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa, followed by France and Canada. 16. Countries that use French are called pays francophones, or French-speaking countries. Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic). That means that this a very easy French … We will talk about English speaking countries in Africa! Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Fulani, Ijaw, Ibibio and about 250 other indigenous languages spoken by the different ethnic groups. The variety and the use of those languages depend very much on the colonialist legacy. Crioulo (a mixture of Portuguese and African), other African languages. Senegal's political and economic capital is Dakar, one of the biggest French-speaking cities in Africa. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Gabon List of Countries, Languages, Inhabitants, Capitals in Africa - Learning English Chishona (Shona), Sindebele (Ndebele), numerous but minor tribal dialects like: Sotho and Nambya, Shangani, Venda, Chewa, Nyanja, and Tonga. And today, it is used in virtually every nooks and cranny of Ghana for official, media, conversation and business among others purposes. These include Zimbabwe, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana. This does not mean that everybody in the country can write or converse in English. Regions where French is a minority language French is an official language in 29 independent nations. Gabon This comes in the wake of a video from a Miss Rwanda contestant that was shown struggling with English in a country that made a move from Francophone to Anglophone. Number of speakers in Africa: 115 million total Like English, the French introduced their language to Africa through colonization, and former French colonies in West and Central Africa largely still use it. See the list of all African countries : Keywords : Africa, News, Economy, Languages. Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, numerous other indigenous languages. There are approximately 434 million people throughout the world who speak French. Gabon 2. 8. Central African Republic (other official language: Sango) 7. Equatorial Guinea However, the country with highest French speaking population is not France. The philology is now used as the official national language to this most populous country in Africa. Hassaniya Arabic, Pulaar, Soninke, Wolof, French. In the year 1967, Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. Instead, an African nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, tops the list with a total of more than 77 million people. Mali Republic of the Congo Most recently Rwanda, long a French-speaking country, has switched to English as an official language. English (regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%), 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, isiNdebele, Pedi, Sesotho (Sotho), siSwati (Swazi), Xitsonga (Tsonga), Tswana, Tshivenda (Venda), isiXhosa, isiZulu, Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English. 11. 60 native dialects with Dioula the most widely spoken. Bantu languages like Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi. 24. 26. Benin 2. Niger Ghana, like most other countries in West Africa, is a country with its official language as English. 6. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Senegal Here are the top 10 English speaking countries in Africa : More than 23 African countries lists English as one of their official languages … FRENCH SPEAKING COUNTRIES IN WEST AFRICA AND THEIR CAPITALS; TOP 10 BEST ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES IN AFRICA; Top 10 Most Peaceful Countries in Africa ; SOUTH AFRICAN MILLIONAIRES UNDER 25 / 30 / 35; CONCLUSION ON THE LIST OF ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES IN WEST AFRICA. Most people also use their ethnic languages. Benin 6. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. 11. Portuguese (spoken by 27% of population as a second language). Cameroon Italian, English, all are widely understood in the major cities. Tunisia ( French is commonly spoken), Sources: Answersafrica, Wikipedia, Worldatlas, With a subscription profile, you automatically receive updates without having to return to the website and check for changes. IntroductionIn most African countries, languages of instruction come from overseas. Over 100 million people speak French across 31 different African countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal. The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where French is an official or de facto language. In Africa, there are many countries that use French to varying degrees of officialdom. French is the official language in 29 countries. 2. There are more than a dozen African countries where English is an official language. Togo 8. Here are the English speaking countries in Africa. Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), Gogo, Haya, Makonde, Nyakyusa, Nyamwezi, Sukuma, Tumbuka, many other local languages. The number of English speakers in Africa (just over 220 Million or 18%) is nearly twice the number of people who speak French (123 Million or 10% ). Here at Listwand, we are devoted to helping Africans and the whole world in general get relevant and valuable African contents ranging from the happenings, tribes, rankings and cultures of peoples of African origin in both Africa and the African diaspora. English and French are the official languages of Cameroon. In some countries also, African languages are used as the language of instruction but only at the Burundi (other official language:Kirundi) 4. Togo In 2015, a total of 31 independent states around the world reported French as an official language. There are also French speaking African countries where French is not the primary or official language and some of these countries have joined the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie since membership to this organization does not imply or solely dependent the fact that the member states have to adopt French as the official or primary language of communication. Rwanda 14. Other foreign languages spoken in Africa includes Portuguese, Germany and Belgian. Anele is a web developer and a Pan-Africanist who believes bad leadership is the only thing keeping Africa from taking its rightful place in the modern world. The combined total English-speaking population (2012) is 256,876,220 (out of a total population of 500,000,000, i.e. In the island country of Madagascar, there exists an incredible and little-known form of bullfighting called 'Savika'. 18. List of French Speaking Countries in Africa where French is recognized as the official language. 29. 1. France, with a population of over 65 million, is, not surprisingly, the country with the most French speakers. French is an official language, or shares official status with other languages in Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Central African Republic, Madagascar, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Burundi, Guinea, Chad, Rwanda, Congo, Mali, the Seychelles, Djibouti and Senegal. Algeria. These cookies do not store any personal information. 1. 6. Saint Helena is a small island located in the Atlantic ocean. … 51%) including 65,478,252 native speakers and 191,397,968 non-native speakers, and would be ranked 2nd if it were included. 20. 25. Niger Means that this a very easy French … we will talk about English speaking country in includes! This, but how many countries would you guess there are in the colonial masters in respective.! Write or converse in English official language: Kirundi ) 4 2nd if it were included 13 of these will... Dialect of Kiswahili or Swahili ), more than 120 different languages dialects... Botswana are English and French are called pays francophones, or French-speaking countries with a english and french speaking countries in africa... Come from overseas Afroasiatic languages are spread throughout Western Asia, North Africa, with. Or French-speaking countries most other countries in West Africa, and Ga.... 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