Ethnologue.com home
Ethnologue > Web version > Statistical summaries

Statistical Summaries

Part I, “Languages of the World,” provides language-by-language information. This section steps back from the detail to offer a summary view of the world language situation. Specifically, it offers numerical tabulations of languages and number of speakers

Summary by country

Table 6 summarizes the distribution of languages and their populations within the countries of the world. The Total column gives the total number of living languages used as a first language in that country, and Percent translates that to a percentage of all living languages in the world. No grand totals are given for these columns since the same language can be counted as being used in multiple countries. The next two columns break the total number into Indigenous languages versus Immigrant languages. The next three columns summarize populations: Count gives the total number of first-language speakers in that country for all languages for which population figures are known, Mean gives the average size of those language groups for which population figures are known, and Median gives the middle size of a language group (that is, half are larger and half are smaller). The last two columns are explained in the next paragraph.

Table 7 repeats the information in table 6 but presents the countries in order of their linguistic diversity, from most diverse to least diverse. The Index column reports Greenberg’s diversity index. This is the probability that any two people of the country selected at random would have different mother tongues (Lieberson 1981). The highest possible value, 1, indicates total diversity (that is, no two people have the same mother tongue) while the lowest possible value, 0, indicates no diversity at all (that is, everyone has the same mother tongue). The computation of the diversity index is based on the population of each language as a proportion of the total population. The Coverage column indicates the completeness of the computation by reporting the percentage of languages in the country for which population estimates are available. Missing values are compensated for by using the total of known language populations (shown in the Count column) as the total population, rather than an estimate of the country’s population.

Table 6. Distribution of living languages by country

Country Living languages Number of speakers Diversity
Total Percent Indigenous Immigrant Count Mean Median Index Coverage
Afghanistan 52 0.75 48 4 12,164,970 258,829 4,000 0.741 90%
Albania 7 0.10 7 0 5,277,000 753,857 150,000 0.577 100%
Algeria 22 0.32 18 4 24,934,100 1,781,007 70,000 0.317 64%
American Samoa 6 0.09 2 4 60,350 12,070 1,250 0.116 83%
Andorra 5 0.07 3 2 60,870 12,174 2,400 0.574 100%
Angola 41 0.59 41 0 12,042,130 301,053 39,400 0.813 98%
Anguilla 3 0.04 2 1 12,450 6,225 950 0.141 67%
Antigua and Barbuda 4 0.06 2 2 78,000 19,500 1,600 0.248 100%
Argentina 40 0.58 25 15 37,755,711 1,078,735 15,000 0.233 88%
Armenia 12 0.17 7 5 3,431,030 311,912 3,500 0.159 92%
Aruba 5 0.07 3 2 77,990 19,498 5,290 0.387 80%
Australia 207 3.00 161 46 18,595,570 103,886 50 0.124 86%
Austria 20 0.29 9 11 15,049,070 940,567 18,000 0.535 80%
Azerbaijan 34 0.49 16 18 8,385,510 262,047 5,210 0.455 94%
Bahamas 4 0.06 2 2 295,100 73,775 20,000 0.386 100%
Bahrain 12 0.17 3 9 557,600 61,956 25,000 0.663 75%
Bangladesh 46 0.67 42 4 142,283,460 3,308,918 21,600 0.387 93%
Barbados 3 0.04 2 1 272,000 136,000 13,000 0.091 67%
Belarus 11 0.16 2 9 8,800,600 977,844 231,000 0.397 82%
Belgium 29 0.42 10 19 17,240,500 820,976 63,600 0.747 72%
Belize 12 0.17 8 4 289,450 24,121 8,460 0.769 100%
Benin 56 0.81 54 2 6,743,340 124,877 62,000 0.921 96%
Bermuda 2 0.03 1 1 61,410 30,705 2,610 0.081 100%
Bhutan 35 0.51 25 10 1,134,500 34,379 8,200 0.884 94%
Bolivia 41 0.59 37 4 8,501,091 223,713 1,300 0.681 93%
Bosnia and Herzegovina 8 0.12 4 4 4,223,000 703,833 400,000 0.659 75%
Botswana 40 0.58 29 11 1,551,320 40,824 5,000 0.512 95%
Brazil 193 2.79 181 12 172,228,296 984,162 330 0.103 91%
British Indian Ocean Territory 1 0.01 1 0 3,500 3,500 3,500 0.000 100%
British Virgin Islands 2 0.03 2 0 21,700 10,850 2,000 0.167 100%
Brunei 17 0.25 15 2 343,195 24,514 7,060 0.585 82%
Bulgaria 16 0.23 11 5 9,362,100 668,721 11,000 0.263 88%
Burkina Faso 70 1.01 68 2 11,025,870 169,629 24,000 0.773 93%
Burundi 4 0.06 3 1 4,609,460 1,152,365 2,200 0.004 100%
Cambodia 25 0.36 23 2 13,511,970 614,180 6,060 0.169 88%
Cameroon 279 4.04 278 1 10,751,460 39,968 8,500 0.946 96%
Canada 169 2.45 86 83 33,399,367 219,733 6,330 0.599 90%
Cape Verde Islands 2 0.03 2 0 408,800 204,400 14,800 0.070 100%
Cayman Islands 3 0.04 1 2 43,010 14,337 20,000 0.547 100%
Central African Republic 82 1.19 71 11 3,478,795 46,384 15,000 0.959 91%
Chad 133 1.93 131 2 6,573,351 54,325 12,000 0.944 91%
Chile 16 0.23 9 7 14,049,503 1,561,056 3,390 0.035 56%
China 296 4.28 292 4 1,211,179,642 4,190,933 28,000 0.509 98%
Colombia 83 1.20 80 3 34,596,247 449,302 1,500 0.034 93%
Comoros 7 0.10 6 1 594,100 99,017 1,700 0.545 86%
Congo 66 0.96 62 4 3,942,950 63,596 9,600 0.836 94%
Cook Islands 6 0.09 5 1 12,440 2,073 840 0.602 100%
Costa Rica 13 0.19 10 3 3,385,390 338,539 4,500 0.050 77%
Côte d’Ivoire 93 1.35 77 16 9,220,990 115,262 26,400 0.917 86%
Croatia 22 0.32 7 15 4,488,450 213,736 4,710 0.211 95%
Cuba 4 0.06 2 2 10,003,500 5,001,750 3,500 0.001 50%
Cyprus 6 0.09 4 2 870,040 217,510 2,740 0.331 67%
Czech Republic 20 0.29 10 10 10,019,810 527,358 10,900 0.146 95%
Democratic Republic of the Congo 217 3.14 215 2 40,099,030 199,498 26,000 0.948 93%
Denmark 13 0.19 7 6 5,606,300 560,630 10,000 0.055 77%
Djibouti 10 0.14 5 5 484,900 53,878 10,200 0.571 90%
Dominica 3 0.04 3 0 52,800 17,600 10,000 0.313 100%
Dominican Republic 8 0.12 4 4 7,083,500 1,180,583 8,000 0.053 75%
East Timor 19 0.28 19 0 531,510 29,528 20,000 0.897 95%
Ecuador 25 0.36 23 2 11,167,601 465,317 8,000 0.267 96%
Egypt 27 0.39 11 16 82,130,100 3,422,088 116,000 0.536 89%
El Salvador 7 0.10 5 2 5,912,830 1,182,566 500 0.004 71%
Equatorial Guinea 14 0.20 14 0 393,439 30,265 5,000 0.417 93%
Eritrea 18 0.26 12 6 4,540,300 412,755 100,000 0.627 61%
Estonia 18 0.26 2 16 1,402,170 82,481 1,390 0.454 94%
Ethiopia 88 1.27 85 3 58,433,608 695,638 32,100 0.864 95%
Falkland Islands 1 0.01 1 0 1,990 1,990 1,990 0.000 100%
Fiji 21 0.30 10 11 810,100 62,315 5,300 0.608 62%
Finland 23 0.33 12 11 5,102,260 300,133 4,500 0.148 74%
France 62 0.90 23 39 62,236,150 1,682,058 70,000 0.267 60%
French Guiana 15 0.22 12 3 68,490 6,226 800 0.450 73%
French Polynesia 11 0.16 9 2 192,790 19,279 3,400 0.596 91%
Gabon 43 0.62 42 1 1,275,110 31,100 6,000 0.762 95%
Gambia 23 0.33 10 13 1,372,890 68,644 11,500 0.780 87%
Georgia 25 0.36 13 12 6,183,840 257,660 20,000 0.582 96%
Germany 69 1.00 27 42 95,349,200 1,945,902 26,000 0.369 71%
Ghana 84 1.22 79 5 20,119,465 275,609 30,000 0.805 87%
Gibraltar 3 0.04 2 1 6,200 3,100 2,900 0.498 67%
Greece 24 0.35 14 10 11,527,730 606,723 20,000 0.137 79%
Greenland 2 0.03 2 0 55,630 27,815 7,830 0.242 100%
Grenada 3 0.04 3 0 92,250 30,750 2,300 0.064 100%
Guadeloupe 4 0.06 4 0 449,500 112,375 7,300 0.084 100%
Guam 8 0.12 2 6 151,000 30,200 24,000 0.655 62%
Guatemala 53 0.77 53 0 9,120,012 175,385 30,000 0.690 98%
Guinea 38 0.55 34 4 6,729,390 210,293 13,000 0.754 84%
Guinea-Bissau 25 0.36 21 4 1,754,220 76,270 15,500 0.871 92%
Guyana 19 0.28 16 3 677,674 52,129 480 0.080 68%
Haiti 2 0.03 2 0 6,960,600 3,480,300 600 0.000 100%
Honduras 13 0.19 10 3 5,763,760 480,313 990 0.056 92%
Hungary 17 0.25 9 8 9,637,050 741,312 3,390 0.018 76%
Iceland 2 0.03 2 0 230,000 230,000 230,000 ? 50%
India 445 6.44 438 7 1,040,676,464 2,425,819 30,000 0.940 96%
Indonesia 722 10.45 719 3 222,699,476 314,992 3,390 0.816 98%
Iran 79 1.14 75 4 61,208,340 1,037,429 60,000 0.822 75%
Iraq 26 0.38 22 4 22,916,020 996,349 40,000 0.674 88%
Ireland 5 0.07 5 0 4,116,000 1,029,000 100,000 0.165 80%
Israel 48 0.69 33 15 8,672,085 216,802 45,000 0.665 83%
Italy 42 0.61 33 9 87,915,330 2,313,561 70,000 0.586 90%
Jamaica 7 0.10 3 4 2,685,000 671,250 5,000 0.011 57%
Japan 16 0.23 15 1 122,750,865 10,229,239 5,000 0.028 75%
Jordan 16 0.23 10 6 5,084,210 391,093 44,300 0.496 81%
Kazakhstan 43 0.62 8 35 15,119,240 431,978 22,900 0.699 81%
Kenya 74 1.07 69 5 27,872,508 456,926 121,000 0.877 82%
Kiribati 3 0.04 2 1 59,290 19,763 500 0.033 100%
Korea, North 1 0.01 1 0 20,000,000 20,000,000 20,000,000 0.000 100%
Korea, South 4 0.06 2 2 42,063,600 21,031,800 63,600 0.003 50%
Kuwait 7 0.10 3 4 819,400 163,880 85,000 0.556 71%
Kyrgyzstan 32 0.46 3 29 5,062,800 187,511 14,000 0.670 84%
Laos 89 1.29 84 5 5,349,894 65,243 6,000 0.674 92%
Latvia 13 0.19 5 8 2,544,715 212,060 8,000 0.584 92%
Lebanon 9 0.13 6 3 4,266,900 533,362 18,000 0.161 89%
Lesotho 6 0.09 5 1 2,079,000 519,750 43,000 0.260 67%
Liberia 31 0.45 30 1 2,716,980 90,566 53,200 0.916 97%
Libya 32 0.46 9 23 5,733,770 197,716 12,200 0.500 91%
Liechtenstein 4 0.06 3 1 31,100 10,367 1,300 0.128 75%
Lithuania 12 0.17 4 8 3,684,730 368,473 5,100 0.341 83%
Luxembourg 6 0.09 3 3 363,400 60,567 13,100 0.489 100%
Macedonia 10 0.14 9 1 2,359,000 294,875 33,300 0.578 80%
Madagascar 20 0.29 17 3 15,237,000 846,500 330,000 0.721 90%
Malawi 24 0.35 16 8 10,389,500 611,147 70,000 0.525 71%
Malaysia 145 2.10 137 8 19,465,720 163,577 4,000 0.747 82%
Maldives 2 0.03 1 1 357,400 178,700 1,400 0.008 100%
Mali 60 0.87 56 4 8,996,950 163,581 45,300 0.874 92%
Malta 4 0.06 4 0 420,400 140,133 118,000 0.412 75%
Marshall Islands 2 0.03 2 0 43,900 43,900 43,900 ? 50%
Martinique 3 0.04 2 1 427,330 142,443 9,000 0.043 100%
Mauritania 10 0.14 6 4 3,073,730 439,104 39,000 0.183 70%
Mauritius 13 0.19 6 7 1,357,840 123,440 31,000 0.587 85%
Mayotte 4 0.06 4 0 136,990 34,248 2,740 0.459 100%
Mexico 297 4.30 291 6 92,806,584 320,023 5,000 0.137 98%
Micronesia 19 0.28 18 1 117,600 6,533 1,630 0.772 95%
Moldova 13 0.19 5 8 4,395,860 488,429 138,000 0.590 69%
Monaco 3 0.04 3 0 27,000 9,000 5,100 0.521 100%
Mongolia 15 0.22 13 2 2,871,300 287,130 27,000 0.332 67%
Montenegro 6 0.09 5 1 332,810 83,202 48,000 0.567 67%
Montserrat 2 0.03 2 0 7,670 3,835 100 0.026 100%
Morocco 10 0.14 9 1 26,448,930 3,306,116 80,000 0.466 80%
Mozambique 53 0.77 43 10 19,326,700 371,667 90,000 0.932 98%
Myanmar 116 1.68 111 5 47,319,800 450,665 20,000 0.535 91%
Namibia 37 0.54 28 9 2,112,460 58,679 9,540 0.810 97%
Nauru 9 0.13 3 6 10,010 1,668 710 0.596 67%
Nepal 127 1.84 124 3 22,828,857 193,465 7,500 0.737 93%
Netherlands 38 0.55 15 23 19,520,120 848,701 45,000 0.291 61%
Netherlands Antilles 7 0.10 4 3 212,200 30,314 4,000 0.281 100%
New Caledonia 41 0.59 39 2 147,467 3,597 950 0.834 100%
New Zealand 22 0.32 4 18 3,398,100 226,540 3,970 0.107 68%
Nicaragua 7 0.10 7 0 4,540,724 908,145 30,000 0.081 71%
Niger 21 0.30 21 0 10,010,900 476,710 30,000 0.640 100%
Nigeria 521 7.54 514 7 89,618,571 188,274 12,000 0.869 91%
Niue 3 0.04 2 1 2,108 1,054 78 0.071 67%
Norfolk Island 2 0.03 2 0 2,080 1,040 400 0.311 100%
Northern Mariana Islands 7 0.10 4 3 26,800 6,700 4,400 0.642 57%
Norway 20 0.29 10 10 4,818,670 321,245 6,000 0.072 75%
Oman 21 0.30 15 6 1,553,400 97,088 22,000 0.693 76%
Pakistan 77 1.11 72 5 137,480,330 2,051,945 50,000 0.762 87%
Palau 5 0.07 4 1 15,422 5,141 600 0.078 60%
Palestinian West Bank and Gaza 6 0.09 4 2 1,812,000 453,000 10,000 0.208 67%
Panama 18 0.26 14 4 2,580,043 198,465 3,000 0.324 72%
Papua New Guinea 830 12.01 830 0 3,833,255 4,624 1,200 0.990 100%
Paraguay 27 0.39 20 7 5,839,140 224,582 6,810 0.352 96%
Peru 93 1.35 92 1 25,681,710 282,217 5,500 0.388 98%
Philippines 181 2.62 171 10 100,221,395 575,985 18,000 0.855 96%
Pitcairn 2 0.03 2 0 36 36 36 ? 50%
Poland 20 0.29 14 6 37,827,910 2,521,861 38,000 0.064 75%
Portugal 9 0.13 8 1 10,112,000 1,264,000 15,000 0.022 89%
Puerto Rico 13 0.19 3 10 3,546,270 506,610 1,560 0.058 54%
Qatar 6 0.09 3 3 205,700 41,140 20,000 0.608 83%
Réunion 9 0.13 3 6 574,400 82,057 3,000 0.066 78%
Romania 23 0.33 15 8 21,668,300 1,140,437 22,000 0.169 83%
Russian Federation 135 1.95 100 35 142,089,904 1,084,656 12,200 0.331 97%
Rwanda 5 0.07 3 2 6,503,000 2,167,667 10,700 0.004 60%
Saint Helena 1 0.01 1 0 5,400 5,400 5,400 0.000 100%
Saint Kitts and Nevis 2 0.03 2 0 39,200 19,600 200 0.010 100%
Saint Lucia 2 0.03 2 0 159,600 79,800 1,600 0.020 100%
Saint Pierre and Miquelon 3 0.04 2 1 5,500 1,833 200 0.134 100%
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3 0.04 2 1 138,600 46,200 400 0.009 100%
Samoa 2 0.03 2 0 199,200 99,600 200 0.002 100%
San Marino 2 0.03 2 0 45,100 22,550 20,100 0.494 100%
São Tomé e Príncipe 5 0.07 4 1 91,480 18,296 5,000 0.390 100%
Saudi Arabia 20 0.29 5 15 16,140,720 896,707 66,000 0.613 90%
Senegal 46 0.67 37 9 10,557,840 234,619 16,100 0.775 98%
Serbia 21 0.30 14 7 7,885,960 415,051 80,000 0.626 90%
Seychelles 3 0.04 3 0 75,280 25,093 1,600 0.067 100%
Sierra Leone 26 0.38 24 2 4,885,380 203,558 40,000 0.822 92%
Singapore 31 0.45 21 10 3,060,430 117,709 9,500 0.773 84%
Slovakia 13 0.19 10 3 5,311,080 482,825 10,800 0.237 85%
Slovenia 10 0.14 4 6 1,911,260 238,908 4,020 0.174 80%
Solomon Islands 71 1.03 71 0 368,786 5,268 2,770 0.967 99%
Somalia 15 0.22 13 2 10,590,659 882,555 23,000 0.349 80%
South Africa 40 0.58 24 16 44,645,309 1,240,147 18,000 0.874 90%
Spain 21 0.30 14 7 43,551,910 3,110,851 25,000 0.509 67%
Sri Lanka 7 0.10 7 0 19,326,330 3,221,055 10,000 0.319 86%
Sudan 134 1.94 133 1 22,325,960 197,575 15,000 0.543 84%
Suriname 20 0.29 16 4 629,365 41,958 7,010 0.788 75%
Swaziland 8 0.12 5 3 1,106,500 138,312 7,500 0.210 100%
Sweden 30 0.43 12 18 8,558,850 356,619 4,000 0.145 80%
Switzerland 26 0.38 12 14 7,548,830 471,802 53,000 0.577 62%
Syria 22 0.32 16 6 13,170,010 693,158 53,000 0.527 86%
Taiwan 28 0.41 22 6 22,073,704 1,003,350 4,750 0.488 79%
Tajikistan 33 0.48 12 21 4,823,660 178,654 7,000 0.485 82%
Tanzania 129 1.87 128 1 28,383,210 240,536 87,800 0.947 91%
Thailand 85 1.23 74 11 51,668,997 807,328 18,000 0.740 75%
Togo 43 0.62 39 4 3,978,800 104,705 40,000 0.897 88%
Tokelau 2 0.03 2 0 1,450 725 40 0.054 100%
Tonga 3 0.04 3 0 96,990 48,495 690 0.014 67%
Trinidad and Tobago 7 0.10 6 1 74,300 10,614 4,100 0.696 100%
Tunisia 10 0.14 6 4 9,052,500 1,131,562 3,000 0.012 80%
Turkey 45 0.65 34 11 55,574,680 1,543,741 20,000 0.300 80%
Turkmenistan 27 0.39 4 23 4,419,690 176,788 5,290 0.386 93%
Turks and Caicos Islands 3 0.04 2 1 11,620 5,810 920 0.146 67%
Tuvalu 2 0.03 2 0 11,570 5,785 870 0.139 100%
Uganda 45 0.65 43 2 23,692,900 550,998 260,000 0.928 96%
Ukraine 42 0.61 13 29 46,609,190 1,370,859 21,000 0.495 81%
United Arab Emirates 36 0.52 7 29 1,773,670 65,691 5,000 0.777 75%
United Kingdom 56 0.81 12 44 62,408,140 1,356,699 29,000 0.133 82%
United States 364 5.27 176 188 262,728,296 855,792 1,100 0.319 84%
United States Virgin Islands 5 0.07 2 3 66,150 13,230 4,440 0.354 100%
Uruguay 12 0.17 2 10 3,150,200 525,033 28,000 0.092 50%
Uzbekistan 39 0.56 8 31 21,988,220 646,712 29,000 0.427 87%
Vanuatu 114 1.65 108 6 188,549 1,683 700 0.974 98%
Vatican State 1 0.01 1 0 1,000 1,000 1,000 0.000 100%
Venezuela 47 0.68 40 7 22,068,213 565,852 2,000 0.051 83%
Viet Nam 108 1.56 106 2 75,650,099 804,788 13,500 0.242 87%
Wallis and Futuna 3 0.04 3 0 13,340 4,447 3,600 0.407 100%
Yemen 14 0.20 10 4 15,720,600 1,572,060 70,600 0.579 71%
Zambia 50 0.72 43 7 10,913,380 242,520 54,400 0.878 90%
Zimbabwe 22 0.32 19 3 15,712,470 924,263 137,000 0.518 77%

Table 7. Linguistic diversity of countries (from highest to lowest)

Country Diversity Living languages Number of speakers
Index Coverage Total Percent Indigenous Immigrant Count Mean Median
Papua New Guinea 0.990 100% 830 12.01 830 0 3,833,255 4,624 1,200
Vanuatu 0.974 98% 114 1.65 108 6 188,549 1,683 700
Solomon Islands 0.967 99% 71 1.03 71 0 368,786 5,268 2,770
Central African Republic 0.959 91% 82 1.19 71 11 3,478,795 46,384 15,000
Democratic Republic of the Congo 0.948 93% 217 3.14 215 2 40,099,030 199,498 26,000
Tanzania 0.947 91% 129 1.87 128 1 28,383,210 240,536 87,800
Cameroon 0.946 96% 279 4.04 278 1 10,751,460 39,968 8,500
Chad 0.944 91% 133 1.93 131 2 6,573,351 54,325 12,000
India 0.940 96% 445 6.44 438 7 1,040,676,464 2,425,819 30,000
Mozambique 0.932 98% 53 0.77 43 10 19,326,700 371,667 90,000
Uganda 0.928 96% 45 0.65 43 2 23,692,900 550,998 260,000
Benin 0.921 96% 56 0.81 54 2 6,743,340 124,877 62,000
Côte d’Ivoire 0.917 86% 93 1.35 77 16 9,220,990 115,262 26,400
Liberia 0.916 97% 31 0.45 30 1 2,716,980 90,566 53,200
East Timor 0.897 95% 19 0.28 19 0 531,510 29,528 20,000
Togo 0.897 88% 43 0.62 39 4 3,978,800 104,705 40,000
Bhutan 0.884 94% 35 0.51 25 10 1,134,500 34,379 8,200
Zambia 0.878 90% 50 0.72 43 7 10,913,380 242,520 54,400
Kenya 0.877 82% 74 1.07 69 5 27,872,508 456,926 121,000
Mali 0.874 92% 60 0.87 56 4 8,996,950 163,581 45,300
South Africa 0.874 90% 40 0.58 24 16 44,645,309 1,240,147 18,000
Guinea-Bissau 0.871 92% 25 0.36 21 4 1,754,220 76,270 15,500
Nigeria 0.869 91% 521 7.54 514 7 89,618,571 188,274 12,000
Ethiopia 0.864 95% 88 1.27 85 3 58,433,608 695,638 32,100
Philippines 0.855 96% 181 2.62 171 10 100,221,395 575,985 18,000
Congo 0.836 94% 66 0.96 62 4 3,942,950 63,596 9,600
New Caledonia 0.834 100% 41 0.59 39 2 147,467 3,597 950
Iran 0.822 75% 79 1.14 75 4 61,208,340 1,037,429 60,000
Sierra Leone 0.822 92% 26 0.38 24 2 4,885,380 203,558 40,000
Indonesia 0.816 98% 722 10.45 719 3 222,699,476 314,992 3,390
Angola 0.813 98% 41 0.59 41 0 12,042,130 301,053 39,400
Namibia 0.810 97% 37 0.54 28 9 2,112,460 58,679 9,540
Ghana 0.805 87% 84 1.22 79 5 20,119,465 275,609 30,000
Suriname 0.788 75% 20 0.29 16 4 629,365 41,958 7,010
Gambia 0.780 87% 23 0.33 10 13 1,372,890 68,644 11,500
United Arab Emirates 0.777 75% 36 0.52 7 29 1,773,670 65,691 5,000
Senegal 0.775 98% 46 0.67 37 9 10,557,840 234,619 16,100
Burkina Faso 0.773 93% 70 1.01 68 2 11,025,870 169,629 24,000
Singapore 0.773 84% 31 0.45 21 10 3,060,430 117,709 9,500
Micronesia 0.772 95% 19 0.28 18 1 117,600 6,533 1,630
Belize 0.769 100% 12 0.17 8 4 289,450 24,121 8,460
Gabon 0.762 95% 43 0.62 42 1 1,275,110 31,100 6,000
Pakistan 0.762 87% 77 1.11 72 5 137,480,330 2,051,945 50,000
Guinea 0.754 84% 38 0.55 34 4 6,729,390 210,293 13,000
Belgium 0.747 72% 29 0.42 10 19 17,240,500 820,976 63,600
Malaysia 0.747 82% 145 2.10 137 8 19,465,720 163,577 4,000
Afghanistan 0.741 90% 52 0.75 48 4 12,164,970 258,829 4,000
Thailand 0.740 75% 85 1.23 74 11 51,668,997 807,328 18,000
Nepal 0.737 93% 127 1.84 124 3 22,828,857 193,465 7,500
Madagascar 0.721 90% 20 0.29 17 3 15,237,000 846,500 330,000
Kazakhstan 0.699 81% 43 0.62 8 35 15,119,240 431,978 22,900
Trinidad and Tobago 0.696 100% 7 0.10 6 1 74,300 10,614 4,100
Oman 0.693 76% 21 0.30 15 6 1,553,400 97,088 22,000
Guatemala 0.690 98% 53 0.77 53 0 9,120,012 175,385 30,000
Bolivia 0.681 93% 41 0.59 37 4 8,501,091 223,713 1,300
Iraq 0.674 88% 26 0.38 22 4 22,916,020 996,349 40,000
Laos 0.674 92% 89 1.29 84 5 5,349,894 65,243 6,000
Kyrgyzstan 0.670 84% 32 0.46 3 29 5,062,800 187,511 14,000
Israel 0.665 83% 48 0.69 33 15 8,672,085 216,802 45,000
Bahrain 0.663 75% 12 0.17 3 9 557,600 61,956 25,000
Bosnia and Herzegovina 0.659 75% 8 0.12 4 4 4,223,000 703,833 400,000
Guam 0.655 62% 8 0.12 2 6 151,000 30,200 24,000
Northern Mariana Islands 0.642 57% 7 0.10 4 3 26,800 6,700 4,400
Niger 0.640 100% 21 0.30 21 0 10,010,900 476,710 30,000
Eritrea 0.627 61% 18 0.26 12 6 4,540,300 412,755 100,000
Serbia 0.626 90% 21 0.30 14 7 7,885,960 415,051 80,000
Saudi Arabia 0.613 90% 20 0.29 5 15 16,140,720 896,707 66,000
Fiji 0.608 62% 21 0.30 10 11 810,100 62,315 5,300
Qatar 0.608 83% 6 0.09 3 3 205,700 41,140 20,000
Cook Islands 0.602 100% 6 0.09 5 1 12,440 2,073 840
Canada 0.599 90% 169 2.45 86 83 33,399,367 219,733 6,330
French Polynesia 0.596 91% 11 0.16 9 2 192,790 19,279 3,400
Nauru 0.596 67% 9 0.13 3 6 10,010 1,668 710
Moldova 0.590 69% 13 0.19 5 8 4,395,860 488,429 138,000
Mauritius 0.587 85% 13 0.19 6 7 1,357,840 123,440 31,000
Italy 0.586 90% 42 0.61 33 9 87,915,330 2,313,561 70,000
Brunei 0.585 82% 17 0.25 15 2 343,195 24,514 7,060
Latvia 0.584 92% 13 0.19 5 8 2,544,715 212,060 8,000
Georgia 0.582 96% 25 0.36 13 12 6,183,840 257,660 20,000
Yemen 0.579 71% 14 0.20 10 4 15,720,600 1,572,060 70,600
Macedonia 0.578 80% 10 0.14 9 1 2,359,000 294,875 33,300
Albania 0.577 100% 7 0.10 7 0 5,277,000 753,857 150,000
Switzerland 0.577 62% 26 0.38 12 14 7,548,830 471,802 53,000
Andorra 0.574 100% 5 0.07 3 2 60,870 12,174 2,400
Djibouti 0.571 90% 10 0.14 5 5 484,900 53,878 10,200
Montenegro 0.567 67% 6 0.09 5 1 332,810 83,202 48,000
Kuwait 0.556 71% 7 0.10 3 4 819,400 163,880 85,000
Cayman Islands 0.547 100% 3 0.04 1 2 43,010 14,337 20,000
Comoros 0.545 86% 7 0.10 6 1 594,100 99,017 1,700
Sudan 0.543 84% 134 1.94 133 1 22,325,960 197,575 15,000
Egypt 0.536 89% 27 0.39 11 16 82,130,100 3,422,088 116,000
Austria 0.535 80% 20 0.29 9 11 15,049,070 940,567 18,000
Myanmar 0.535 91% 116 1.68 111 5 47,319,800 450,665 20,000
Syria 0.527 86% 22 0.32 16 6 13,170,010 693,158 53,000
Malawi 0.525 71% 24 0.35 16 8 10,389,500 611,147 70,000
Monaco 0.521 100% 3 0.04 3 0 27,000 9,000 5,100
Zimbabwe 0.518 77% 22 0.32 19 3 15,712,470 924,263 137,000
Botswana 0.512 95% 40 0.58 29 11 1,551,320 40,824 5,000
China 0.509 98% 296 4.28 292 4 1,211,179,642 4,190,933 28,000
Spain 0.509 67% 21 0.30 14 7 43,551,910 3,110,851 25,000
Libya 0.500 91% 32 0.46 9 23 5,733,770 197,716 12,200
Gibraltar 0.498 67% 3 0.04 2 1 6,200 3,100 2,900
Jordan 0.496 81% 16 0.23 10 6 5,084,210 391,093 44,300
Ukraine 0.495 81% 42 0.61 13 29 46,609,190 1,370,859 21,000
San Marino 0.494 100% 2 0.03 2 0 45,100 22,550 20,100
Luxembourg 0.489 100% 6 0.09 3 3 363,400 60,567 13,100
Taiwan 0.488 79% 28 0.41 22 6 22,073,704 1,003,350 4,750
Tajikistan 0.485 82% 33 0.48 12 21 4,823,660 178,654 7,000
Morocco 0.466 80% 10 0.14 9 1 26,448,930 3,306,116 80,000
Mayotte 0.459 100% 4 0.06 4 0 136,990 34,248 2,740
Azerbaijan 0.455 94% 34 0.49 16 18 8,385,510 262,047 5,210
Estonia 0.454 94% 18 0.26 2 16 1,402,170 82,481 1,390
French Guiana 0.450 73% 15 0.22 12 3 68,490 6,226 800
Uzbekistan 0.427 87% 39 0.56 8 31 21,988,220 646,712 29,000
Equatorial Guinea 0.417 93% 14 0.20 14 0 393,439 30,265 5,000
Malta 0.412 75% 4 0.06 4 0 420,400 140,133 118,000
Wallis and Futuna 0.407 100% 3 0.04 3 0 13,340 4,447 3,600
Belarus 0.397 82% 11 0.16 2 9 8,800,600 977,844 231,000
São Tomé e Príncipe 0.390 100% 5 0.07 4 1 91,480 18,296 5,000
Peru 0.388 98% 93 1.35 92 1 25,681,710 282,217 5,500
Aruba 0.387 80% 5 0.07 3 2 77,990 19,498 5,290
Bangladesh 0.387 93% 46 0.67 42 4 142,283,460 3,308,918 21,600
Bahamas 0.386 100% 4 0.06 2 2 295,100 73,775 20,000
Turkmenistan 0.386 93% 27 0.39 4 23 4,419,690 176,788 5,290
Germany 0.369 71% 69 1.00 27 42 95,349,200 1,945,902 26,000
United States Virgin Islands 0.354 100% 5 0.07 2 3 66,150 13,230 4,440
Paraguay 0.352 96% 27 0.39 20 7 5,839,140 224,582 6,810
Somalia 0.349 80% 15 0.22 13 2 10,590,659 882,555 23,000
Lithuania 0.341 83% 12 0.17 4 8 3,684,730 368,473 5,100
Mongolia 0.332 67% 15 0.22 13 2 2,871,300 287,130 27,000
Cyprus 0.331 67% 6 0.09 4 2 870,040 217,510 2,740
Russian Federation 0.331 97% 135 1.95 100 35 142,089,904 1,084,656 12,200
Panama 0.324 72% 18 0.26 14 4 2,580,043 198,465 3,000
Sri Lanka 0.319 86% 7 0.10 7 0 19,326,330 3,221,055 10,000
United States 0.319 84% 364 5.27 176 188 262,728,296 855,792 1,100
Algeria 0.317 64% 22 0.32 18 4 24,934,100 1,781,007 70,000
Dominica 0.313 100% 3 0.04 3 0 52,800 17,600 10,000
Norfolk Island 0.311 100% 2 0.03 2 0 2,080 1,040 400
Turkey 0.300 80% 45 0.65 34 11 55,574,680 1,543,741 20,000
Netherlands 0.291 61% 38 0.55 15 23 19,520,120 848,701 45,000
Netherlands Antilles 0.281 100% 7 0.10 4 3 212,200 30,314 4,000
Ecuador 0.267 96% 25 0.36 23 2 11,167,601 465,317 8,000
France 0.267 60% 62 0.90 23 39 62,236,150 1,682,058 70,000
Bulgaria 0.263 88% 16 0.23 11 5 9,362,100 668,721 11,000
Lesotho 0.260 67% 6 0.09 5 1 2,079,000 519,750 43,000
Antigua and Barbuda 0.248 100% 4 0.06 2 2 78,000 19,500 1,600
Greenland 0.242 100% 2 0.03 2 0 55,630 27,815 7,830
Viet Nam 0.242 87% 108 1.56 106 2 75,650,099 804,788 13,500
Slovakia 0.237 85% 13 0.19 10 3 5,311,080 482,825 10,800
Argentina 0.233 88% 40 0.58 25 15 37,755,711 1,078,735 15,000
Croatia 0.211 95% 22 0.32 7 15 4,488,450 213,736 4,710
Swaziland 0.210 100% 8 0.12 5 3 1,106,500 138,312 7,500
Palestinian West Bank and Gaza 0.208 67% 6 0.09 4 2 1,812,000 453,000 10,000
Mauritania 0.183 70% 10 0.14 6 4 3,073,730 439,104 39,000
Slovenia 0.174 80% 10 0.14 4 6 1,911,260 238,908 4,020
Cambodia 0.169 88% 25 0.36 23 2 13,511,970 614,180 6,060
Romania 0.169 83% 23 0.33 15 8 21,668,300 1,140,437 22,000
British Virgin Islands 0.167 100% 2 0.03 2 0 21,700 10,850 2,000
Ireland 0.165 80% 5 0.07 5 0 4,116,000 1,029,000 100,000
Lebanon 0.161 89% 9 0.13 6 3 4,266,900 533,362 18,000
Armenia 0.159 92% 12 0.17 7 5 3,431,030 311,912 3,500
Finland 0.148 74% 23 0.33 12 11 5,102,260 300,133 4,500
Czech Republic 0.146 95% 20 0.29 10 10 10,019,810 527,358 10,900
Turks and Caicos Islands 0.146 67% 3 0.04 2 1 11,620 5,810 920
Sweden 0.145 80% 30 0.43 12 18 8,558,850 356,619 4,000
Anguilla 0.141 67% 3 0.04 2 1 12,450 6,225 950
Tuvalu 0.139 100% 2 0.03 2 0 11,570 5,785 870
Greece 0.137 79% 24 0.35 14 10 11,527,730 606,723 20,000
Mexico 0.137 98% 297 4.30 291 6 92,806,584 320,023 5,000
Saint Pierre and Miquelon 0.134 100% 3 0.04 2 1 5,500 1,833 200
United Kingdom 0.133 82% 56 0.81 12 44 62,408,140 1,356,699 29,000
Liechtenstein 0.128 75% 4 0.06 3 1 31,100 10,367 1,300
Australia 0.124 86% 207 3.00 161 46 18,595,570 103,886 50
American Samoa 0.116 83% 6 0.09 2 4 60,350 12,070 1,250
New Zealand 0.107 68% 22 0.32 4 18 3,398,100 226,540 3,970
Brazil 0.103 91% 193 2.79 181 12 172,228,296 984,162 330
Uruguay 0.092 50% 12 0.17 2 10 3,150,200 525,033 28,000
Barbados 0.091 67% 3 0.04 2 1 272,000 136,000 13,000
Guadeloupe 0.084 100% 4 0.06 4 0 449,500 112,375 7,300
Bermuda 0.081 100% 2 0.03 1 1 61,410 30,705 2,610
Nicaragua 0.081 71% 7 0.10 7 0 4,540,724 908,145 30,000
Guyana 0.080 68% 19 0.28 16 3 677,674 52,129 480
Palau 0.078 60% 5 0.07 4 1 15,422 5,141 600
Norway 0.072 75% 20 0.29 10 10 4,818,670 321,245 6,000
Niue 0.071 67% 3 0.04 2 1 2,108 1,054 78
Cape Verde Islands 0.070 100% 2 0.03 2 0 408,800 204,400 14,800
Seychelles 0.067 100% 3 0.04 3 0 75,280 25,093 1,600
Réunion 0.066 78% 9 0.13 3 6 574,400 82,057 3,000
Grenada 0.064 100% 3 0.04 3 0 92,250 30,750 2,300
Poland 0.064 75% 20 0.29 14 6 37,827,910 2,521,861 38,000
Puerto Rico 0.058 54% 13 0.19 3 10 3,546,270 506,610 1,560
Honduras 0.056 92% 13 0.19 10 3 5,763,760 480,313 990
Denmark 0.055 77% 13 0.19 7 6 5,606,300 560,630 10,000
Tokelau 0.054 100% 2 0.03 2 0 1,450 725 40
Dominican Republic 0.053 75% 8 0.12 4 4 7,083,500 1,180,583 8,000
Venezuela 0.051 83% 47 0.68 40 7 22,068,213 565,852 2,000
Costa Rica 0.050 77% 13 0.19 10 3 3,385,390 338,539 4,500
Martinique 0.043 100% 3 0.04 2 1 427,330 142,443 9,000
Chile 0.035 56% 16 0.23 9 7 14,049,503 1,561,056 3,390
Colombia 0.034 93% 83 1.20 80 3 34,596,247 449,302 1,500
Kiribati 0.033 100% 3 0.04 2 1 59,290 19,763 500
Japan 0.028 75% 16 0.23 15 1 122,750,865 10,229,239 5,000
Montserrat 0.026 100% 2 0.03 2 0 7,670 3,835 100
Portugal 0.022 89% 9 0.13 8 1 10,112,000 1,264,000 15,000
Saint Lucia 0.020 100% 2 0.03 2 0 159,600 79,800 1,600
Hungary 0.018 76% 17 0.25 9 8 9,637,050 741,312 3,390
Tonga 0.014 67% 3 0.04 3 0 96,990 48,495 690
Tunisia 0.012 80% 10 0.14 6 4 9,052,500 1,131,562 3,000
Jamaica 0.011 57% 7 0.10 3 4 2,685,000 671,250 5,000
Saint Kitts and Nevis 0.010 100% 2 0.03 2 0 39,200 19,600 200
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 0.009 100% 3 0.04 2 1 138,600 46,200 400
Maldives 0.008 100% 2 0.03 1 1 357,400 178,700 1,400
Burundi 0.004 100% 4 0.06 3 1 4,609,460 1,152,365 2,200
El Salvador 0.004 71% 7 0.10 5 2 5,912,830 1,182,566 500
Rwanda 0.004 60% 5 0.07 3 2 6,503,000 2,167,667 10,700
Korea, South 0.003 50% 4 0.06 2 2 42,063,600 21,031,800 63,600
Samoa 0.002 100% 2 0.03 2 0 199,200 99,600 200
Cuba 0.001 50% 4 0.06 2 2 10,003,500 5,001,750 3,500
Haiti 0.000 100% 2 0.03 2 0 6,960,600 3,480,300 600
British Indian Ocean Territory 0.000 100% 1 0.01 1 0 3,500 3,500 3,500
Falkland Islands 0.000 100% 1 0.01 1 0 1,990 1,990 1,990
Korea, North 0.000 100% 1 0.01 1 0 20,000,000 20,000,000 20,000,000
Saint Helena 0.000 100% 1 0.01 1 0 5,400 5,400 5,400
Vatican State 0.000 100% 1 0.01 1 0 1,000 1,000 1,000

Part of the Ethnologue, 16th Edition, M. Paul Lewis, Editor.
Copyright © 2009, SIL International. All rights reserved.

Copies of the Ethnologue may be obtained from the online Publications Catalog or

SIL International Publications*
7500 West Camp Wisdom Road
Dallas, Texas 75236-5629 USA
Tel: (972) 708-7404
Fax: (972) 708-7433
E-mail:
*formerly the International Academic Bookstore

If you have questions, comments, or updates on the Ethnologue, see the Feedback page.