List of countries and territories where French is an official language
French is an official language in 29 independent nations. The following is a list of sovereign states and territories where French is an official or de facto language.
Only official language[edit]
Sovereign states[edit]
List of countries where French is the only official language :
Benin
Burkina Faso
Congo
DR Congo, the most populated French-speaking country in the world.
Côte d'Ivoire
France (Metropolitan France and Overseas France)
Gabon
Guinea
Mali
Monaco
Niger
Senegal
Togo
Non-sovereign entities[edit]
Co-official use[edit]
Sovereign states[edit]
In many countries, French is used as a co-official language alongside one or more other languages. List of countries where French is a co-official language :
Belgium
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Chad
Central African Republic
Comoros
Djibouti
Equatorial Guinea
Haiti
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Rwanda
Seychelles
Switzerland
Vanuatu
Non-sovereign entities[edit]
Aosta Valley
Bern
Brussels
Fribourg
Jersey
New Brunswick
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
Valais
Wallonia
Yukon
Officially recognized status[edit]
List of countries and dependency that grant certain constitutional rights to the French language :
Intergovernmental organizations[edit]
French is the official language, mostly in conjunction with English, of 36 international organisations. These include :
Francophonie
United Nations
International Olympic Committee
European Union
African Union
NATO
World Trade Organization
Council of Europe
Countries[edit]
This table shows the populations of the countries, not the number of French speakers.
No. | Country | Continent | Population[1] |
---|---|---|---|
1. | ![]() |
Africa | 105,044,646 |
2. | ![]() |
Europe | 68,051,000 |
3. | ![]() |
North America | 38,279,800 |
4. | ![]() |
Africa | 36,470,000 |
5. | ![]() |
Africa | 24,235,400 |
6. | ![]() |
Africa | 23,345,200 |
7. | ![]() |
Africa | 22,701,600 |
8. | ![]() |
Africa | 19,899,100 |
9. | ![]() |
Africa | 18,105,600 |
10. | ![]() |
Africa | 17,599,700 |
11. | ![]() |
Africa | 15,129,300 |
12. | ![]() |
Africa | 14,037,500 |
13. | ![]() |
Africa | 11,690,000 |
14. | ![]() |
Africa | 12,608,600 |
15. | ![]() |
Africa | 11,607,700 |
16. | ![]() |
Europe | 11,358,357 |
17. | ![]() |
Africa | 11,178,900 |
18. | ![]() |
Africa | 10,879,800 |
19. | ![]() |
Caribbean | 10,711,100 |
20. | ![]() |
Europe | 8,510,000 |
21. | ![]() |
Africa | 7,304,600 |
22. | ![]() |
Africa | 4,900,300 |
23. | ![]() |
Africa | 4,620,300 |
24. | ![]() |
Africa | 1,725,300 |
25. | ![]() |
Africa | 1,221,490 |
26. | ![]() |
Africa | 887,861 |
27. | ![]() |
Africa | 795,601 |
28. | ![]() |
Europe | 602,900 |
29. | ![]() |
Oceania | 264,652 |
30. | ![]() |
Africa | 92,900 |
31. | ![]() |
Europe | 38,731 |
Total | All countries | World | c. 507160000 |
Dependent entities[edit]
Nr. | Entity | Continent | Population | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | ![]() |
Oceania | 284,060 | Overseas collectivity of France |
2. | ![]() |
Oceania | 267,000 | Collectivity of France with special status |
3. | ![]() |
Europe | 128,000 | Autonomous region of Italy |
4. | ![]() |
North America | 37,264 | Overseas collectivity of France |
5. | ![]() |
Oceania | 15,289 | Overseas collectivity of France |
6. | ![]() |
North America | 9,131 | Overseas collectivity of France |
7. | ![]() |
North America | 5,888 | Overseas collectivity of France |
8. | ![]() |
North America | 0 | Minor territory of France directly held by the government |
10. | ![]() |
Africa and Antarctica | 0 | Overseas collectivity of France |
Note: Réunion, Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana and Mayotte are classified as overseas regions of France and are thus not a part of this list.
See also[edit]
- Geographical distribution of French speakers
- Francophonie
- List of international organisations which have French as an official language
References[edit]
- ^ "Google Public Data Explorer". World Bank. Retrieved 16 November 2016.