There are thousands of languages spoken worldwide, and most of them are spoken in these 10 countries.
Many countries are so linguistically diverse. When a person mention they are from a particular country, it doesn’t mean they all speak the same language.
Even different villages within the same area have different languages; that’s why it’s important to embrace ethnic diversity.
However, according to the World Economic Forum, “it’s clear that a multitude of languages still exist; around 40% of the world’s languages are at risk of dying out. Even in parts of the world where immense linguistic diversity remains, languages are disappearing with each subsequent generation.”
However, here are the countries with the greatest number of languages spoken:
1. Guinea
The majority of people in Papua New Guinea—more than 80%—live in rural settings with little exposure to outside influences or other tribes. With 840 languages spoken nationwide, Papua New Guinea takes the top spot despite having a population of only 8.8 million. Approximately 12% of the languages spoken in the world is concentrated in a region roughly the size of California.
2. Indonesia
Indonesia has 711 different languages spoken nationwide.
3. Nigeria
Nigerians speak about 517 different native languages, though English is the lingua franca as a result of colonialism.
4. India
India has 456 languages, though Hindi is the one that is used the most. Some languages, though, have become extinct.
5. United States
In the US, 328 languages are spoken. According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the proportion of Americans who spoke a language other than English at home tripled from 23.1 million (about 1 in 10) in 1980 to 67.8 million (approximately 1 in 5) in 2019.
6. Australia
Australia has 312 languages, 167 of which are currently spoken by native Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
7. China
There are 309 diverse languages. Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in China, however, there are many other dialects of it. Languages like Cantonese (Yue), Hakka, Min, Wu (Shanghainese), and many others are also spoken.
8. Mexico
292 languages are spoken in Mexico. The majority of Mexican official business is conducted in Spanish, although the country also recognizes 68 indigenous languages. Nahuatl and Maya are two of the most extensively utilized indigenous languages.
9. Cameroon
There are 274 languages in Cameroon. In the ten regions of Cameroon, 274 national languages are spoken by an estimated 25 million people.
10. Brazil
221 languages are spoken in Brazil. In terms of both population and land area, Brazil is the biggest nation in South America. With a population of over 209 million, it is home to one of the world’s largest cities, São Paulo. Portuguese is spoken by 98% of the people in Brazil, though there are many more languages.
