Africa's linguistic diversity is under threat, with many languages facing extinction. Yet new dialects also emerge, reflecting a dynamic cultural landscape. This interactive map explores both the endangered languages in need of preservation, and the vibrant, evolving tongues of the continent. By highlighting Africa's complex linguistic reality, we can take action to safeguard this vital heritage.
Arabic is a Semitic language spoken across the Arab world, named after the Arab people, and has three forms: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), Classical Arabic, and Colloquial Arabic. MSA is learned through formal education and used in speeches, literature, and official documents. Classical Arabic is the language of religion and scholarship in Islam, while Colloquial Arabic includes regional dialects used in daily communication, films, and plays. In Africa, Arabic is spoken in countries like Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Morocco, Algeria, and others.
Swahili (Kiswahili) is the native language of the Swahili people, who are primarily found in Tanzania, Kenya, and Mozambique. It is spoken mainly in Tanzania, Kenya, Comoros, Mayotte, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Bajuni Islands (part of Somalia), northern Mozambique (mostly Mwani), Zambia, Malawi, and Madagascar. Swahili is a Bantu language and part of the Niger-Congo language family. Its speakers, either native or second-language, are estimated to be around 80 million.
Hausa is a Chadic language in the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is spoken by Hausa people, who are predominantly Muslim, in the northern half of Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, northern Benin, northern Togo, and the southern half of Niger, Chad, and Sudan, with significant minorities in Ivory Coast. Hausa’s speakers are estimated to be around 72 million, considering both first-language and second-language speakers.
Yoruba is a Niger-Congo language spoken mainly in southwestern Nigeria and parts of Benin and Togo. It is known for its tonal system, with three distinct tones that influence meaning. Yoruba is a language of cultural significance, with a strong oral tradition, literature, and history. It is also associated with the Yoruba religion, which has spread to the Americas. Yoruba is taught in schools in Nigeria and used in media, literature, and daily communication.
Igbo is a Niger-Congo language spoken by the Igbo people, primarily in southeastern Nigeria. It is a tonal language with various dialects, though Standard Igbo is used in education and formal communication. Igbo is known for its rich oral traditions, folklore, and proverbs. The language plays a key role in cultural identity and is used in literature, music, and daily life. Although primarily spoken in Nigeria, the Igbo diaspora also maintains the language.
Amharic is a Semitic language spoken primarily in Ethiopia, where it serves as the official working language. It uses the Ge’ez script, which is unique to the region. Amharic is the language of government, media, and education in Ethiopia, and it has a rich literary tradition. The language is closely related to other Ethiopian Semitic languages and is one of the most widely spoken Semitic languages in the world.
Oromo, also known as Afaan Oromoo, is a Cushitic language in the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is native to the Ethiopian state of Oromia and Nothern Kenya and is spoken predominantly by the Oromo people and neighboring ethnic groups in the Horn of Africa. It is also spoken in small numbers by emigrants in other African countries such as South Africa, Libya, Egypt, and Suda. Oromo has the largest number of native speakers in Ethiopia, with more than 36 million speakers, and ranks second most widely spoken language in Ethiopia by the total number of speakers following Amharic.
Berber, or Tamazight, refers to a group of Afro-Asiatic languages spoken by the Berber people, primarily in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. It includes several dialects, such as Tarifit, Kabyle, and Tamasheq. Tamazight was historically a spoken language, but modern efforts have formalized its writing, primarily using the Tifinagh script. Berber languages are recognized as official languages in Morocco and Algeria, and there are ongoing efforts to promote their use in media and education.
Zulu, also called isiZulu, is a Southern Bantu language of the Nguni branch in the Niger-Congo language family. In 1994, it was made one of South Africa’s 11 official languages. Zulu is the language of the Zulu people, with approximately 12 million native speakers who live in the province of KwaZulu-Natal of South Africa. It is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa, where 24% of the population speaks the language and over 50% of the population understands it. In addition, it is the second most spoken language of the Bantu after Swahili.
Fula, also known as Fulani is a Niger-Congo language spoken by the Fulani people across West Africa, from Senegal to Sudan. It has several dialects and is used as a lingua franca in many countries. Fula is written in both Latin and Arabic scripts and is used in literature, education, and communication. The Fulani people, traditionally nomadic, have played a significant role in the history and culture of the Sahel region.
Malagasy, a language from the Austronesian language family, is the national language of Madagascar. Its speakers are estimated to be around 25 million and are from Madagascar and Comoros. Malagasy was brought to Madagascar by the settlement of Austronesian peoples from the Sunda Islands around the 5th century AD. Malagasy has numerous Malay loanwords from the settlement and trading between Madagascar and the Sunda Islands. But after 1000 AD, numerous Bantu and Arabic loanwords were introduced to Malagasy by traders and new settlers. Malagasy has multiple dialects including Antankarana, Bara, Masikoro, Northern Betsimisaraka, Merina, Sakalava, Tanosy, Tesaka, and Tsimihety.
Shona is a Bantu language in the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by around 10.7 million people as a first language and by around 1.8 million people as their second or third language in Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia. In Zimbabwe, Shona is an official language and about 75% of the population speaks Shona as their mother tongue. In addition, Shona is taught in schools and is used in newspapers and on the radio in Zimbabwe.
Somali is a Cushitic language in the Afro-Asiatic language family. It is spoken in the Horn of Africa region, which consists of countries like Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda, Kenya, and Djibouti. Somali is spoken as a mother tongue by Somalis in Somalia and as an official language in Somalia and Ethiopia. It is also a national language in Djibouti and northeastern Kenya. Its speakers are estimated to be around 20 million worldwide.The Somali language can be divided into two regional varieties, which share similarities in their written forms but are very different in spoken forms. The first variety is Af Maay, also known as Maay Maay, and is used as the lingua franca of the Somali. The second variety is Al Maxaa, which became the official written variety in 1973.
Xhosa is a Bantu language spoken by the Xhosa people in South Africa, where it is one of the official languages. It is known for its use of click sounds, which it shares with other southern African languages. Xhosa has a strong oral tradition, particularly in storytelling and praise poetry. The language is widely used in education, media, and daily communication in South Africa and is mutually intelligible with Zulu.
Wolof is a Niger-Congo language spoken by the Wolof people in Senegal, The Gambia, and Mauritania. It serves as the lingua franca in Senegal and is widely used in urban areas. Wolof is primarily an oral language, though it is increasingly written using both Latin and Arabic scripts. The language plays a key role in Senegalese culture and is used in music, literature, and daily communication.
Kinyarwanda, also known as Ikinyarwanda, is a Bantu language in the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by around 20 million people, with over 8 million speakers in Rwanda. Kinyarwanda is spoken in Rwanda and parts of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania. It is mutually intelligible with the Kirundi dialect, which is a national language in Burundi.
Kirundi, also known as Rundi, is a Bantu language from the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by around 9 million people in Burundi and some parts of Rwanda, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Kenya. Kirundi is the official language of Burundi. It is mutually intelligible with Ha, a language spoken in Western Tanzania, and with Kinyarwanda, an official language in Rwanda.
Lingala is a Bantu language spoken primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo. It serves as a lingua franca in the Congo Basin, particularly in urban areas. Lingala is widely used in popular music, particularly soukous, and is used in government, media, and education in both Congos. The language is written using the Latin alphabet and has several dialects.
Umbundu, also known as South Mbundu, is a Bantu language from the Niger-Congo language family. It is speakers are called Ovimbundu, who are an ethnic group that lives on the Bie Plateau of central Angola and in the coastal strip west of these highlands and consists of a third of Angola’s population. Umbundu is the most widely spoken language of Angola.
Twi is a dialect of the Akan language, part of the Niger-Congo family, spoken mainly in Ghana. It is used by the Akan people and is mutually intelligible with other Akan dialects. Twi is widely spoken in Ghana and is used in education, media, and government. The language has a strong oral tradition, including proverbs, stories, and folk songs.
Chichewa, also known as Nyanja, is a Bantu language spoken in Malawi, Zambia, and Mozambique. It is the national language of Malawi and is used in education, media, and government. Chichewa has a rich oral tradition, particularly in storytelling and music. It is written using the Latin alphabet and is closely related to other Bantu languages in the region.
Tigrinya is a Semitic language in the Afro-Asiatic language family. It has about 7 million speakers around the world and is spoken in Eritrea and northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region by the Tigrinya and Tigrayan peoples and by the global diaspora in countries like Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Germany, etc. Tigrinya is the most widely spoken language in Eritrea and the fourth most spoken language in Ethiopia.
Luganda is a Bantu language of the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by around 16 million first-language speakers in the Buganda region and about 5 million speakers in regions like Mbale, Tororo, Jinja, Gulu, Mbarara, Hoima, and Kesese in Uganda. Luganda is the most widely spoken Ugandan language in Uganda, and it was the official language of instruction in primary schools in Eastern Uganda until the 1960s. Luganda is also the most spoken unofficial language in Kigali city in Rwanda.
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language spoken primarily in South Africa and Namibia, where it is one of the official languages. It originated from Dutch, brought by settlers during the 17th century, and has since evolved with influences from other languages, including Malay, Khoisan, and Bantu languages. Afrikaans is widely used in media, education, and government in South Africa, and it has a rich literary tradition.
Bambara, also known as Bamana or Bamanankan, belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo language family. It is a lingua franca and the national language of Mali with 80 percent of the Mali population as first or second-language speakers. Bambara is spoken by around 15 million people, where approximately 5 million are Bambara people, who are an ethnolinguistic group of the upper Niger region of Mali, and the rest are second-language users. The main dialect of Bambara is Standard Bambara and the local dialects include Kaarta, Tambacounda (west); Beledugu, Bananba, Mesekele (north); Jitumu, Jamaladugu, Segu (center); Cakadugu, Keleyadugu, Jalakadougu, Kurulamini, Banimɔncɛ, Cɛmala, Cɛndugu, Baninkɔ, Shɛndugu, Ganadugu (south); Kala, Kuruma, Saro, dialects to the northeast of Mopti (especially Bɔrɛ); Zegedugu, Bɛndugu, Bakɔkan, Jɔnka (southeast).
Kikuyu is a Bantu language spoken by the Kikuyu people, primarily in central Kenya. It is one of the most widely spoken languages in Kenya and has a strong presence in education, media, and local government. Kikuyu is written using the Latin alphabet and has a rich oral tradition, including folktales, proverbs, and songs. The language plays a significant role in Kenyan cultural and political life.
Tswana, also known as Setswana, is a Bantu language from the Niger-Congo family language. It is closely related to the Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho languages, the Kgalagadi language and the Lozi language. Tswana is spoken by around 8.2 million people in Southern Africa and is the official language of Botswana and South Africa. The three South African provinces that have the most Tswana speakers are Gauteng, Nothern Cape, and North West. In addition, a small number of Tswana speakers are also found in Zimbabwe and Namibia.
Southern Sotho, also known as Sesotho is a Southern Bantu language of the Sotho Tswana group in the Niger-Congo language family. The Sotho-Tswana group is related to Southern Bantu languages such as Venda, Tsonga, Tonga, and Lozi. Southern Sotho is spoken in Lesotho as the national and official language, in South Africa as one of the 11 official languages, and in Zimbabwe as one of the 16 official languages. It has approximately 4.51 million native speakers, with the highest prevalence in South Africa.
Bemba is a Bantu language spoken primarily in Zambia, where it is one of the most widely spoken languages, and in parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bemba is used in education, media, and local government in Zambia. The language has a strong oral tradition, including storytelling, songs, and proverbs, and plays an important role in Zambian culture and daily life.
Ewe is an Atlantic-Congo language in the Niger-Congo language family. It is spoken by around 20 million people in West Africa mainly in Ghana, Togo, Benin, and some parts of Liberia and southwestern Nigeria. Ewe is a part of the Gbe languages, which are languages that form a cluster of about twenty related languages across the area between eastern Ghana and western Nigeria. The total number of Gbe speakers ranges between four and eight million, and Ewe is the most widely spoken Gbe language, followed by Fon. Ewe has various dialects such as Aŋlɔ, Tɔŋu (Tɔŋgu), Avenor, Agave people, Evedome, Awlan, Gbín, Pekí, Kpándo, Vhlin, Hó, Avɛ́no, Vo, Kpelen, Vɛ́, Danyi, Agu, Fodome, Wancé, Wací, Adángbe (Capo)
Mandinka is a Mande language spoken by the Mandinka people across several West African countries, including The Gambia, Senegal, Guinea, and Mali. It is used as a lingua franca in these regions and has a strong oral tradition, particularly through the griots, who are traditional storytellers and musicians. Mandinka is written using both the Latin and Arabic scripts and plays a key role in West African culture.
Kikongo is a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, and Angola. It is used as a lingua franca in some parts of these countries and is also one of the national languages of Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kikongo has several dialects and is written using the Latin alphabet. The language has a strong oral tradition, including proverbs, songs, and stories.
Kanuri is a Nilo-Saharan language spoken primarily in Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon. It is the language of the Kanuri people, historically associated with the Kanem-Bornu Empire. Kanuri has several dialects and is written in both Latin and Arabic scripts. It is used in local government, education, and daily communication, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Mossi is a Niger-Congo language spoken by the Mossi people in Burkina Faso, where it is the most widely spoken language. It is used in local government, education, and media, though French remains the official language of the country. Mossi has a strong oral tradition, particularly in storytelling and proverbs, and plays a central role in the cultural identity of Burkina Faso.
Krio, also known as Sierra Leonean Creole, is an English-based creole language and is native to the Sierra Leone Creole people, who are descendants of freed slaves from the West Indies, Canada, the United States, and the British Empire. Krio is a lingua franca and de facto national language spoken throughout the West African nation of Sierra Leone. It is spoken by 96 percent of Sierra Leone’s population, which makes it the primary language of communication, and unites different ethnic groups in the country in trade and social interactions. Krio is similar to other English-based creole languages spoken in the Americas such as the Gullah language, Jamaican Patois, and Bajan Creole. In addition, it also shares some similarities with no-English creoles like the French-based creole languages in the Caribbean
Tshiluba, also known as Luba-Kasai, is a Bantu language spoken primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is one of the national languages of the DRC and is used in education, local government, and media. Tshiluba has a strong oral tradition and is used in daily communication in the Kasai region of the country. It is written using the Latin alphabet.
Luba, or Luba-Katanga, is a Bantu language spoken in the Katanga region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is closely related to Tshiluba and is used in local government, education, and media. Luba is one of the national languages of the DRC and has a strong oral tradition, including proverbs and folktales.
Fon is a Niger-Congo language spoken primarily in Benin, where it is the most widely spoken indigenous language, and in parts of Togo and Nigeria. It is the language of the Fon people and is closely related to other Gbe languages, such as Ewe. Fon has a rich oral tradition, including proverbs, folktales, and religious ceremonies, particularly in connection with the Vodun (Voodoo) religion, which originated among the Fon people. The language is written using the Latin alphabet and is used in education, media, and local government in Benin. Fon plays a significant role in the cultural identity and daily life of the Fon-speaking communities.
Fang is a Bantu language spoken by the Fang people in Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Cameroon. It is used in local government, education, and media in these countries, though French and Spanish are the official languages in most regions where Fang is spoken. The language has a strong oral tradition, particularly in storytelling and proverbs.
Ngambay is a Nilo-Saharan language spoken primarily in Chad and the Central African Republic. It is used in local communication and has several dialects. Ngambay has a rich oral tradition and is increasingly being used in education and media in Chad. The language is written using the Latin alphabet.
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