National and official languages (J-Q): Kenya[edit] Main article:Languages of Kenya While English is the only official language,Swahilihas a special status as “national language”. None of the country's biggest languages (gikuyu, luo, kamba, kalenjin, etc.) have any official status on the national level. Lebanon[edit] InLebanon, theArabic languageis the"official national"language.[12] Macedonia[edit] The national, and official language of theRepublic of Macedoniais theMacedonian language. Malta[edit] TheMaltese languageis the national language of Malta. It is also the official language of the island, together withEnglish. Maltese only is recognised as"national"in Chapter 1 of the Laws of Malta. Namibia[edit] Main article:Languages of Namibia Although English is the only nationwide official language inNamibia, there are also 20 National languages, which are each spoken by more or less sizeable portions of the population and are considered Namibia's cultural heritage. All national languages have the rights of a minority language and may even serve as a lingua franca in certain regions. Among Namibia's national languages are German, Afrikaans, Oshiwambo,Otjiherero,Portuguese, as well as the languages of theHimba,Nama,San,KavangoandDamara. Nigeria[edit] Main article:Languages of Nigeria Besides official English (Nigerian Standard English), Nigeria recognizes three'majority', or national, languages. These are the big three, Hausa,Igbo, andYoruba, each with some 20 million speakers or more.[13] Pakistan[edit] Main article:Languages of Pakistan Article 251(1) of the1973 Constitution of Pakistan, titled National language, specifies:"The National language ofPakistanis Urdu, and arrangements shall be made for its being used for official and other purposes within fifteen years from the commencing day.Although it has been declared as an official language , so far all the documentation, legislation,legal orders and every thing related on legal front is done in British English.Mostly the studies at the higher level i.e Masters , M.Phil and Phd. level is done in English." [14]National Language Authority is an organization established to make these arrangements since 1979. Philippines[edit] Main article:Languages of the Philippines The 1973Philippine constitutiondesignated Pilipino (aTagalog-based language) and English (Philippine English) as official languages,"until otherwise provided by law"and mandated development and formal adoption of a common national language to be known as Filipino. The 1987 constitution designated theFilipino language, which is based on Tagalog with the inclusion of terms from all recognized languages of the Philippines, as the national language. It also designated both Filipino and English as the official languages for purposes of communication and instruction, and designated the regional languages as auxiliary official languages in the regions to serve as auxiliary media of instruction therein. More than 170languagesare spoken in thePhilippinesand almost all of them belong to theBorneo–Philippines languagesgroup of the Austronesianlanguage family. In 2007, a six-part series titled The Case of Ilokano as a National Language authored by Dr. Aurelio Solver Agcaoili of the University of Hawaii appeared in the Culture, Essays, Lifestyle of Tawid News Magazine. [15]As of 2008, leaders from the Ilocos regionand otherIlocano-dominated provinces were considering the possible declaration ofIlocano languageas an official language in their provinces along with the national language to foster the continuity of their language and heritage.

National and official languages (A-I): Algeria[edit] Arabicis a national language inAlgeria. Andorra[edit] Andorra's national language isCatalan, however the Catalan language is aregional languagein Spain (Catalonia, Valencian Community, Balearic Islands, the Catalan-Aragonese borderlands known asLa Franjaand the Murcian municipality ofEl Carche), France (Pyrénées Orientales ) and in Italy (Alghero). Bulgaria[edit] Bulgarian languageis the national language inBulgaria. Bangladesh[edit] Bangla (Bengali)is the national language ofBangladesh. Canada[edit] Main articles:Nationalisms in Canada,Bilingualism in Canada, andLanguages of Canada Canada's official languages since theOfficial Languages Act of 1969areEnglish(Canadian English) andFrench(Canadian French). Depending on one's views of what constitute a"nation"these two languages may be considered two equal national languages of a nation called"Canada", or the national languages of two nations within one state, English CanadaandFrench Canada. Quebec nationalistsconsiderQuebec Frenchthe national language of the Quebec nation. Besides this there manyAboriginal languages of Canadawhich are the national languages of one or more of Canada'sFirst Nationsgroups (formerly"Indians"), Inuit(formerly"Eskimos"), andMetis(mixed First Nations-European people). Notably theCree languageis spoken (with variations) from Alberta to Labrador. Greater China[edit] See also:Languages of China,Standard ChineseandHistory of Mandarin. InChina, plenty ofspoken variantsexist in different parts of the country. In ancient times, several local dialects were chosen as the official spoken language, such as the dialects from Hangzhou,Nanjing, etc. After theXinhai Revolutionin 1911, theKuomintang(Chinese nationalists) founded theRepublic of China(ROC). In order to promote a sense of national unity and enhance the efficiency of communications within the nation, the ROC decided to designate a national language. The Beijing dialectofMandarinandGuangzhou dialectofCantonesewere the most popular options. Ultimately the Beijing dialect was chosen as the national language and given the name 國語 in Chinese ( Pinyin: Guóyǔ, lit. national language, commonly known as"Standard Chinese"in English). In the beginning, there were attempts to introduce elements from other Chinese spoken variants into the national language, in addition to those existing in the Beijing dialect, but this was deemed too difficult and was abandoned in 1924. Since then, the Beijing dialect became the major source of standard national pronunciation, due to its prestigious status in the preceding Qing Dynasty. Elements from other dialects exist in the standard language. After theChinese Civil Warin 1949, theChinese Communist Partyestablished the People's Republic of China (PRC) inmainland China. The Kuomintangregime of theRepublic of Chinaretreated to the island ofTaiwanand maintained the same policy. Similarly, the People's Republic of China, which administers mainland China, continued the effort and renamed the national language, largely based on the Beijing dialect, as 普通话 (Pinyin: pǔtōnghuà, lit. common speech).[3] Finland[edit] Main article:Languages of Finland Finlandhas two national languages: namely theFinnish languageand theSwedish language. TheConstitution of Finlandguarantees the right to use Finnish and Swedish in courts and other state institutions. [4][5]The Language Act details the use of the languages by public authorities. [6]Finnish is spoken by circa 90 percent of the population while Swedish is spoken by circa 5 percent. Despite the large difference in the numbers of users, Swedish is not officially classified as a minority language but equal to Finnish. Both national languages are compulsory subjects in school (except for children with a third language as mother tongue) and a language test is a prerequisite for governmental offices where a university degree is required. The constitution also grants the Sami and the Roma peoples the right to maintain and develop their languages: The Sami have partial right to use Sami languagesin official situations according to other laws.[7] India[edit] Main article:Languages of India As either the Constitution nor any Indian law defines any national language, India has no national language.[8]This was affirmed by the Gujarat High Courtin 2010.[9]Article 343 of theConstitution of Indiaspecifies that the official language ofIndiaisHindiinDevanagari script, withEnglishas an additional language for official work. Article 345 states that a state of India may officially adopt one or more languagesin use in the state or Hindi/English as the language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes of that state. [10] Ireland[edit] Main article:Languages of Ireland Irishis recognised by theConstitution of Irelandas the national language and first official language of Ireland, and the English language is recognised as a second official language.

Official regional and minority languages (U-Z): Udmurt: Udmurtia(state language; with Russian)[81] Urdu: India(with 22 other regional languages) Jammu and Kashmir DelhiTerritory Uttar Pradeshstate Biharstate Andhra Pradeshmainly in Hyderabad (former princely state of Nizam) and adjacent areas of Maharashtra and Karnataka Uyghur: Xinjiang(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Veps: Karelia(authorized language; with Finnish and Karelian)[66] Vietnamese: Guangxi Province,China(some regional status) Part ofCambodia Part ofLaos Welsh: Wales(United Kingdom) (with English) Yiddish: Russia(only inJewish Autonomous Oblast, withRussian) Yukaghir: Sakha(local official language; in localities with Yukaghir population)[63] Zhuang: Guangxi(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Lianshan(with Chinese (Mandarin))

Official regional and minority languages (N-T): Náhuatl: Mexico(*only recognized) El Salvador(*only recognized) Nenets: Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug(aboriginal language; with Khanty and Mansi)[71] Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug(aboriginal language; with Khanty and Selkup)[72] Nepali: India(with 22 other regional languages) Nogai: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Karachay–Cherkessia(state language; with Abaza, Cherkess, Karachay and Russian)[54] Occitan(Aranese): Aran Valley(with Catalan and Spanish) Oriya: India(with 22 other regional languages) Odisha Ossetic(Digor and Iron dialects): North Ossetia—Alania(state language; with Russian)[76] Portuguese:*part of thePeople's Republic of China Macau(withChinese) Punjabi: Pakistan India(with 22 other regional languages) Punjab Delhi Romanian: Vojvodina(with Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Slovak and Ruthenian) Russian. Russian is fixed as a state language in the Constitutions of the republics of the Russian Federation: Adygea(state language; with Adyghe)[55] Altay, Republic of(state language; with Altay)[57] Bashkortostan(state language; with Bashkir)[59] Buryatia(state language; with Buryat)[60] Chechnya(state language; with Chechen)[62] Chuvashia(state language; with Chuvash)[64] Dagestan(state language; with the languages of the Dagestan peoples)[56] Ingushetia(state language; with Ingush)[67] Kabardino-Balkaria(state language; with Balkar and Kabardian)[58] Kalmykia(state language; with Kalmyk)[68] Karachay–Cherkessia(state language; with Abaza, Cherkess, Karachay and Nogai)[54] Karelia(state language)[77] Khakassia(state language; with Khakas)[70] Komi(state language; with Komi)[73] Mari El(state language; with Mari (Hill and Meadow))[75] Mordovia(state language; with Erzya and Moksha)[65] North Ossetia—Alania(state language; with Ossetic)[76] Sakha(state language; with Sakha)[78] Tatarstan(state language; with Tatar)[79] Tyva(state language; with Tuvan)[80] Udmurtia(state language; with Udmurt)[81] Russian (withGagauz) is an official language ofGagauzia(autonomous republic withinMoldova) Rusyn: Vojvodina(with Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak) Ukraine Zakarapts'ka region (with Ukrainian, Hungarian) Rutul: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Sakha: Sakha(state language; with Russian)[78] Sanskrit: India(with 22 other regional languages) Sami: Finland(in four municipalities) Norway(in six municipalities in two provinces) Sweden(in four municipalities and surrounding municipalities) Sarikoli: part of thePeople's Republic of China(It's different from Tajiki of Tajikistan) Taxkorgan(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Scottish Gaelic: Scotland(United Kingdom) (with English and Scots) Scots: Scotland(United Kingdom) (with English and Scottish Gaelic) Northern Ireland(United Kingdom) Donegal(Republic of Ireland) Selkup: Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug(aboriginal language; with Khanty and Nenets)[72] Sindhi: India(with 22 other regional languages) Pakistan(Official language in the Province ofSindhalong withUrduandEnglish) North and South Slavey: Northwest Territories(with Cree, Chipewyan, English, French, Gwich'in, Innuinaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, and Tłįchǫ (Dogrib)) Slovak: part ofSerbia Vojvodina(with Croatian, Serbian, Hungarian, Romanian and Ruthenian) Slovene: part ofItaly Friuli-Venezia Giulia(withItalian,FriulianandGerman) part ofAustria Carinthia(withGerman) Spanish: Puerto Rico(with English) Philippines(mainly asChavacanoinBasilanandZamboanga Peninsula) Tabasaran: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Tahitian: French Polynesia(with French) Tamil: India(with 22 other regional languages) Andaman and Nicobar Islands Puducherry Tamil Nadu Tat: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Tatar: Tatarstan(state language; with Russian)[79] Telugu: India(with 22 other regional languages) Andhra Pradesh Puducherry Tibetan: Tibet Autonomous Region(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Aba(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Garzê(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Diqing(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Wenshan(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Gannan(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Haibai(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Hainan(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Huangnan(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Golog(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Gyêgu(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Haixi(with Mongolian and Chinese (Mandarin)) Muli(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Tianzhu(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Tłįchǫ: Northwest Territories(with Cree, Chipewyan, English, French, Gwich'in, Innuinaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, and South Slavey) Tsakhur: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Tswana: South Africa(withAfrikaans, English,Ndebele,Northern Sotho,Sotho,Swati,Tsonga,Venda,Xhosa,Zulu) Turkish: MacedoniainPlasnicaandCentar Župa KosovoinPrizrenandMamuša part ofBulgaria Tuvan: Tyva(state language; with Russian)[80]

Official regional and minority languages (F-M): Faroese: Faroe Islands(withDanish) Finnish: Karelia(authorized language; with Karelian and Veps)[66] French: parts of Canada New Brunswick(co-official with English) Northwest Territories(with Chipewyan, Cree, English, Gwich'in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, Slavey (North and South) and Tłįchǫ) Nunavut(with English, Inuinnaqtun, Inuktitut) Quebec Yukon(with English) Guernsey(with English) Jersey(with English) Puducherry(co-official withTamilin theUnion Territoryof Puducherry. AlsoTeluguandMalayalamare its regional official languages) part ofItaly Aosta(co-official with Italian) part ofUSAwithLouisiana Frisian (West): TheNetherlands: co-official in the province ofFriesland(with Dutch) Gagauz: Gagauzia(Moldova) (withRussian) Galician: part of Spain Galicia(with Spanish) German: Italy South Tyrol(together withItalianandLadin) Greek: parts of southAlbania parts of southItaly Salento(Grecia Salentina, together withItalian) Calabria(Bovesia, together withItalian) Guaraní: inArgentina Corrientes Province(co-official withSpanish) Gujarati: India(with 22 other regional languages) Dadra and Nagar Haveli Daman and Diu Gujarat Gwich'in: Northwest Territories(with Cree, Chipewyan, English, French, Innuinaqtun, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey and Tłįchǫ (Dogrib)) Hawaiian: Hawaii(with English) Hungarian: part ofSerbia Vojvodina(with Croatian, Serbian, Romanian, Slovak and Ruthenian) part ofRomania part ofSlovenia part ofCroatia part ofSlovakia part ofAustria Ingush: Ingushetia(state language; with Russian)[67] Inuinnaqtun: Northwest Territories(with Cree, Chipewyan, English, French, Gwich'in, Inuktitut, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey and Tłįchǫ (Dogrib)) Nunavut(with English, French, and Inuktitut) Inuktitut: Nunavut(with English, French, and Inuinnaqtun) Northwest Territories(with Cree, Chipewyan, English, French, Gwich'in, Inuinnaqtun, Inuvialuktun, North Slavey, South Slavey and Tłįchǫ (Dogrib)) Inuvialuktun: Northwest Territories(with Cree, Chipewyan, English, French, Gwich'in, Innuinaqtun, Inuktitut, North Slavey, South Slavey and Tłįchǫ (Dogrib)) Irish: Northern Ireland(United Kingdom) (along withUlster ScotsandEnglish) Italian: part ofCroatia Istria county(with Croatian) part ofSlovenia Izola,KoperandPiranmunicipalities (with Slovene) Japanese: Part ofPalau Angaur(withEnglish) Kabardian Kabardino-Balkaria(state language; with Balkar and Russian)[58] Kalaallisut: Greenland Kalmyk: Kalmykia(state language; with Russian)[68] Kannada: India(with 22 other regional languages) Karnataka Karachay: Karachay–Cherkessia(state language; with Abaza, Cherkess, Nogai and Russian)[54] Karelian: Karelia(authorized language; with Finnish and Veps)[66] Kashmiri: India(with 22 other regional languages) Jammu and Kashmir Kazakh: Republic of Altay(official language; in localities with Kazakh population)[69] part of thePeople's Republic of China Ili, with Chinese (Mandarin) Barkol, with Chinese (Mandarin) Mori, with Chinese (Mandarin) part ofMongolia Mori, with Mongolian Khakas: Khakassia(state language; with Russian)[70] Khanty: Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug(aboriginal language; with Mansi and Nenets)[71] Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug(aboriginal language; with Nenets and Selkup)[72] Komi: Komi(state language; with Russian)[73] Komi-Permyak: Perm Krai Komi-Permyak Okrug(official language)[74] Korean: part of thePeople's Republic of Chinawith Chinese (Mandarin) Changbai(Jangbaek, Changbaek) Yanbian(Yeonbyeon,Yŏnbyŏn) Kumyk: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Kyrgyz: part of thePeople's Republic of China Kizilsu(with Chinese (Mandarin)) Lak: Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Lezgian Dagestan(as one of the Dagestan peoples languages; with Russian)[56] Macedonian:*part ofAlbania part ofSerbia Malayalam: India(with 22 other regional languages) Kerala Puducherry Lakshadweep Mansi: Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug(aboriginal language; with Khanty and Nenets)[71] Marathi: India(with 22 other regional languages) Maharashtra Goa Dadra and Nagar Haveli Daman and Diu Mari(Hill and Meadow): Mari El(state language; with Russian)[75] Mayan: Mexico(*only recognized) Guatemala(*only recognized) Belize(*only recognized) Honduras(*only recognized) El Salvador(*only recognized) Moksha: Mordovia(state language; with Erzya and Russian)[65] Mongolian: part of thePeople's Republic of China Inner Mongolia, with Chinese (Mandarin) Haixi, with Tibetan and Chinese (Mandarin) Bortala, with Chinese (Mandarin) Bayin'gholin, with Chinese (Mandarin) Dorbod, with Chinese (Mandarin) Qian Gorlos, with Chinese (Mandarin) Harqin Left, with Chinese (Mandarin) Fuxin, with Chinese (Mandarin) Weichang, with Chinese (Mandarin) Subei, with Chinese (Mandarin) Henan, with Chinese (Mandarin)