In our increasingly connected world, it’s more important than ever to be able to communicate with others. That’s why it’s no surprise that the number of languages spoken around the world is on the rise. But which countries have the most languages? And how is this changing? In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the top 10 countries with the most languages in 2022, according to data from Ethnologue. We’ll also explore how these rankings have changed over time and what factors might be driving these changes.
10. Brazil
Total Languages Spoken in Brazil 2022: 238
Brazil is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and with that comes an influx of tourists from all over the world. While English is the most widely spoken language in the world, it’s important to know a few phrases in Portuguese, the official language of Brazil, to make your trip go more smoothly.
Here are some helpful Portuguese phrases to know for your trip to Brazil:
Hello/Good morning – Olá
Good afternoon – Boa tarde
Good evening – Boa noite
Please – Por favor
Thank you – Obrigado/Obrigada*
(*Thank you changes depending on if you’re a man or woman)
Yes – Sim No – Não
I’m sorry – Desculpe-me
Portugal was colonized by the Portuguese Empire starting in the 16th century, so it’s no surprise that Portuguese is spoken throughout Brazil. However, due to Brazil’s size, there is significant regional variation in the language. In fact, there are over 180 different languages spoken in Brazil! The most common languages after Portuguese are Spanish, English, French, Italian, and German. So whether you’re looking to brush up on your Portuguese before your trip or want to learn a new language, Brazilian Portuguese is a great option.
9. Cameroon
Total Languages Spoken in Cameroon 2022: 277
Cameroon is one of the top countries in the world with the most languages. In fact, there are over 270 languages spoken in Cameroon! This is because Cameroon is such a culturally diverse country, with many different ethnic groups. Each group has its own language, which contributes to the huge number of languages spoken in Cameroon.
Interestingly, French and English are both official languages in Cameroon. However, only about a quarter of the population speaks either of these languages as their first language. This means that there are many people in Cameroon who are bilingual or even multilingual!
With so many different languages spoken in Cameroon, it can be difficult to communicate with everyone. However, this diversity also makes Cameroon a very interesting and unique place to visit. If you’re planning a trip to Cameroon, make sure to brush up on your language skills so you can experience all that this fascinating country has to offer!
8. Mexico
Total Languages Spoken in Mexico 2022: 301
As of 2022, Mexico is expected to have the most languages spoken within its borders. This is due to the country’s large population and diverse history. While Spanish is the official language of Mexico, there are over 30 other languages spoken throughout the country. These include indigenous languages such as Nahuatl and Maya, as well as immigrant languages such as Arabic and Chinese.
The number of languages spoken in Mexico is expected to continue to grow in the future, as the country remains a destination for immigrants from all over the world. This diversity of language is one of the things that makes Mexico such a unique and interesting place to live.
7. China
Total Languages Spoken in China 2022: 307
As of 2022, China is home to the most languages spoken in the world with over 300 different dialects. The top five languages spoken in China are Mandarin, Wu, Yue, Min, and Hakka. Of these five, Mandarin is by far the most common language spoken, with over 1 billion speakers. Wu is the second most common language spoken in China with around 77 million speakers. Yue is the third most common language spoken in China with around 50 million speakers. Min is the fourth most common language spoken in China with around 30 million speakers. Hakka is the fifth most common language spoken in China with around 20 million speakers.
6. Australia
Total Languages Spoken in Australia 2022: 317
There are over 250 languages spoken in Australia, with English being the most common. However, there is no official language of Australia.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are the earliest surviving languages in Australia, with some dating back over 50,000 years. There are around 120 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages still spoken today.
The most common non-English languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Italian, Arabic, Cantonese, and Greek.
5. USA
Total Languages Spoken in USA 2022: 337
There are currently around 317 living languages spoken in the USA, according to Ethnologue. This number is expected to grow to around 322
by 2022. The most common language spoken in the USA is English, followed by Spanish, Chinese (including Mandarin and Cantonese), Hindi, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Korean, Arabic, Russian, and Portuguese.
The USA is a linguistically diverse country with many different languages represented. Most of the world’s major languages are spoken here, making it a great place for language learning. English is the most common language spoken in the USA, but there are also many speakers of other languages.
Spanish is the second most common language spoken in the USA. There are about 41 million Spanish speakers in the country. Spanish is official in Puerto Rico and many other areas with large Hispanic populations. It is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
Chinese is another widely spoken language in the USA. There are about 3 million Chinese speakers in the country. Mandarin and Cantonese are both commonly used varieties of Chinese. Chinese is an official language of Taiwan and an official working language of the United Nations.
Hindi is another major language spoken in the USA. There are about 2 million Hindi speakers in the country. Hindi is an official language of India and an official working language of UNESCO. It is also one of the twenty-two scheduled languages of India with official status in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar.
4. India
Total Languages Spoken in India 2022: 456
India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 780 languages spoken. Hindi is the official language of the country, but there are many regional languages spoken as well. English is also widely spoken in India. In 2022, it is estimated that there will be over 1.3 billion people living in India, and the number of languages spoken is expected to increase.
3. Nigeria 2022
Total Languages Spoken in Nigeria 2022: 527
Nigeria is set to become the country with the most languages spoken by 2022. This is due to the high number of languages spoken in the country, as well as the high rate of population growth. The majority of Nigerians speak English, but there are also large numbers of speakers of Nigerian pidgin, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Fulani.
2. Indonesia
Total Languages Spoken in Indonesia 2022: 715
Indonesia is a country with more than 700 languages spoken. The most widely spoken language in the country is Indonesian, which is the official language. Other widely spoken languages include Javanese, Sundanese, and Madurese.
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia and is spoken by the majority of the population. It is a standardized form of Malay, which is also spoken in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore. Indonesian has been influenced by other languages such as Dutch, Sanskrit, Arabic, Chinese, and English.
Javanese is the second most widely spoken language in Indonesia and is predominantly spoken on the island of Java. It is related to Sundanese and Malay but is not mutually intelligible with them. Javanese has been influenced by Arabic, Sanskrit, and Dutch.
Sundanese is mainly spoken on the island of Java in Indonesia. It is closely related to Javanese but is not mutually intelligible with it. Sundanese has been influenced by Dutch and Javanese.
Madurese is primarily spoken on the island of Madura off the coast of Java. It is not mutually intelligible with any other language but has similarities with Javanese and Sundanese. Madurese has been influenced by Arabic and Sanskrit.
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1. Papua New Guinea
Total Languages Spoken in Papua New Guinea 2022: 840
Papua New Guinea is home to an incredible 848 languages, making it the country with the most languages in the world.
The vast majority of these languages are spoken by just a few hundred people each, and around two-thirds of them are only spoken by a single tribe. However, some of Papua New Guinea’s languages are more widely spoken. These include Tok Pisin, which is one of the country’s three official languages, as well as Hiri Motu and English.
Tok Pisin is a pidgin language that was originally developed by speakers of English and various Melanesian languages in order to communicate with each other. It has since become the first language of around four million people in Papua New Guinea.
Hiri Motu is another pidgin language that was developed for trade between colonists and the indigenous people of Papua New Guinea. It is now used as a lingua franca by around 700,000 people in the country.
English is also widely spoken in Papua New Guinea, thanks to its history as a British colony. Around two million people in the country use English as their first or second language.
