Compare Languages (2004) - Languages (2001)

Compare Languages (2004) with Languages (2001)

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	Languages (2004)	Languages (2001)
Afghanistan	Pashtu (official) 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism	Pashtu 35%, Afghan Persian (Dari) 50%, Turkic languages (primarily Uzbek and Turkmen) 11%, 30 minor languages (primarily Balochi and Pashai) 4%, much bilingualism
Albania	Albanian (official - derived from Tosk dialect), Greek, Vlach, Romani, Slavic dialects	Albanian (Tosk is the official dialect), Greek
American Samoa	Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual	Samoan (closely related to Hawaiian and other Polynesian languages), English note: most people are bilingual
Andorra	Catalan (official), French, Castilian, Portuguese	Catalan (official), French, Castilian
Austria	German (official nationwide), Slovene (official in Carinthia), Croatian (official in Burgenland), Hungarian (official in Burgenland)	German
Bahamas, The	English (official), Creole (among Haitian immigrants)	English, Creole (among Haitian immigrants)
Belarus	Belarusian, Russian, other	Byelorussian, Russian, other
Belgium	Dutch (official) 60%, French (official) 40%, German (official) less than 1%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)	Dutch 58%, French 32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French)
Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian	Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian
Central African Republic	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), Arabic, Hunsa, Swahili
Chad	French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects	French (official), Arabic (official), Sara and Sango (in south), more than 100 different languages and dialects
Christmas Island	English (official), Chinese, Malay	English, Chinese, Malay
Cocos (Keeling) Islands	Malay (Cocos dialect), English	English, Malay
Comoros	Arabic (official), French (official), Shikomoro (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)	Arabic (official), French (official), Comoran (a blend of Swahili and Arabic)
Congo, Republic of the	French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo is the most widespread)	French (official), Lingala and Monokutuba (lingua franca trade languages), many local languages and dialects (of which Kikongo has the most users)
Costa Rica	Spanish (official), English	Spanish (official), English spoken around Puerto Limon
Denmark	Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language	Danish, Faroese, Greenlandic (an Inuit dialect), German (small minority) note: English is the predominant second language
East Timor	Tetum (official), Portuguese (official), Indonesian, English note: there are about 16 indigenous languages; Tetum, Galole, Mambae, and Kemak are spoken by significant numbers of people	-
Eritrea	Afar, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages	Afar, Amharic, Arabic, Tigre and Kunama, Tigrinya, other Cushitic languages
Estonia	Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, Finnish, other	Estonian (official), Russian, Ukrainian, English, Finnish, other
European Union	Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Maltese, Polish, Portuguese, Slovak, Slovene, Spanish, Swedish; note - only official languages are listed	-
Finland	Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Sami- and Russian-speaking minorities	Finnish 93.4% (official), Swedish 5.9% (official), small Lapp- and Russian-speaking minorities
Gabon	French (official), Fang, Myene, Nzebi, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi	French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi
Georgia	Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia	Georgian 71% (official), Russian 9%, Armenian 7%, Azeri 6%, other 7% note: Abkhaz is the official language in Abkhazia
Gibraltar	English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese	English (used in schools and for official purposes), Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian
Guatemala	Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (23 officially recognized Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)	Spanish 60%, Amerindian languages 40% (more than 20 Amerindian languages, including Quiche, Cakchiquel, Kekchi, Mam, Garifuna, and Xinca)
Iceland	Icelandic, English, Nordic languages, German widely spoken	Icelandic
India	English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication; Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people; there are 14 other official languages: Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit; Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language	English enjoys associate status but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication, Hindi the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people, Bengali (official), Telugu (official), Marathi (official), Tamil (official), Urdu (official), Gujarati (official), Malayalam (official), Kannada (official), Oriya (official), Punjabi (official), Assamese (official), Kashmiri (official), Sindhi (official), Sanskrit (official), Hindustani (a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India) note: 24 languages each spoken by a million or more persons; numerous other languages and dialects, for the most part mutually unintelligible
Ireland	English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic or Gaeilge) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard	English is the language generally used, Irish (Gaelic) spoken mainly in areas located along the western seaboard
Jamaica	English, patois English	English, Creole
Kazakhstan	Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)	Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 40%, Russian (official, used in everyday business) 66%
Kiribati	I-Kiribati, English (official)	English (official), I-Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan	Kyrgyz - official language, Russian - official language note: in December 2001, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an official language, equal in status to Kyrgyz	Kirghiz (Kyrgyz) - official language, Russian - official language note: in May 2000, the Kyrgyzstani legislature made Russian an official language, equal in status to Kirghiz
Latvia	Latvian (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other	Latvian or Lettish (official), Lithuanian, Russian, other
Macedonia	Macedonian 68%, Albanian 25%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 2%, other 2%	-
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of	-	Macedonian 70%, Albanian 21%, Turkish 3%, Serbo-Croatian 3%, other 3%
Malaysia	Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest are Iban and Kadazan	Bahasa Melayu (official), English, Chinese dialects (Cantonese, Mandarin, Hokkien, Hakka, Hainan, Foochow), Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Panjabi, Thai; note - in addition, in East Malaysia several indigenous languages are spoken, the largest of which are Iban and Kadazan
Marshall Islands	English (widely spoken as a second language, both English and Marshallese are official languages), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese	English (universally spoken and is the official language), two major Marshallese dialects from the Malayo-Polynesian family, Japanese
Mauritania	Arabic (official), Pulaar, Soninke, French, Hassaniya, Wolof	Hasaniya Arabic (official), Pular, Soninke, Wolof (official), French
Mauritius	English (official), Creole, French (official), Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bhojpuri	English (official), Creole, French, Hindi, Urdu, Hakka, Bojpoori
Micronesia, Federated States of	English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean, Ulithian, Woleaian, Nukuoro, Kapingamarangi	English (official and common language), Trukese, Pohnpeian, Yapese, Kosrean
Mozambique	Makhuwa, Tsonga, Lomwe, Sena, numerous other indigenous languages, Portuguese (official; spoken by 27% of population as a second language)	Portuguese (official), indigenous dialects
Netherlands	Dutch (official language), Frisian (official language)	Dutch
New Zealand	English (official), Maori (official)	English (official), Maori
Nicaragua	Spanish (official) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast	Spanish (official) note: English and indigenous languages on Atlantic coast
Niue	Niuean, a Polynesian language closely related to Tongan and Samoan; English	Polynesian closely related to Tongan and Samoan, English
Northern Mariana Islands	English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home	English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home
Norway	Bokmal Norwegian (official), Nynorsk Norwegian (official) note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities	Norwegian (official) note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Palau	English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral (Sonsoralese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)	English and Palauan official in all states except Sonsoral (Sonsorolese and English are official), Tobi (Tobi and English are official), and Angaur (Angaur, Japanese, and English are official)
Panama	Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual	Spanish (official), English 14% note: many Panamanians bilingual
Papua New Guinea	Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages -- many unrelated	English spoken by 1%-2%, pidgin English widespread, Motu spoken in Papua region note: 715 indigenous languages
Peru	Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara, and a large number of minor Amazonian languages	Spanish (official), Quechua (official), Aymara
Philippines	two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense	two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English, eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense
Portugal	Portuguese (official), Mirandese (official - but locally used)	Portuguese
Romania	Romanian (official), Hungarian, German	Romanian, Hungarian, German
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	French (official)	French
Serbia and Montenegro	Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%	-
Slovenia	Slovenian 92%, Serbo-Croatian 6.2%, other 1.8%	Slovenian 91%, Serbo-Croatian 6%, other 3%
Solomon Islands	Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca; English is official but spoken by only 1%-2% of the population note: 120 indigenous languages	Melanesian pidgin in much of the country is lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2% of population note: 120 indigenous languages
Spain	Castilian Spanish 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2% note: Castilian is the official language nationwide; the other languages are official regionally	Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%
Sri Lanka	Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population	Sinhala (official and national language) 74%, Tamil (national language) 18%, other 8% note: English is commonly used in government and is spoken competently by about 10% of the population
Sudan	Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of "Arabization" in process	Arabic (official), Nubian, Ta Bedawie, diverse dialects of Nilotic, Nilo-Hamitic, Sudanic languages, English note: program of "Arabization" in process
Svalbard	Norwegian, Russian	Russian, Norwegian
Sweden	Swedish note: small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities	Swedish note: small Lapp- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Switzerland	German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch (official) 0.6%, other 8.9%	German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.2%, Italian (official) 7.6%, Romansch 0.6%, other 8.9%
Tanzania	Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages	Kiswahili or Swahili (official), Kiunguju (name for Swahili in Zanzibar), English (official, primary language of commerce, administration, and higher education), Arabic (widely spoken in Zanzibar), many local languages note: Kiswahili (Swahili) is the mother tongue of the Bantu people living in Zanzibar and nearby coastal Tanzania; although Kiswahili is Bantu in structure and origin, its vocabulary draws on a variety of sources, including Arabic and English, and it has become the lingua franca of central and eastern Africa; the first language of most people is one of the local languages
Tuvalu	Tuvaluan, English, Samoan, Kiribati (on the island of Nui)	Tuvaluan, English
Vanuatu	three official languages: English, French, pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama), plus more than 100 local languages	English (official), French (official), pidgin (known as Bislama or Bichelama)
World	Chinese, Mandarin 14.37%, Hindi 6.02%, English 5.61%, Spanish 5.59%, Bengali 3.4%, Portuguese 2.63%, Russian 2.75%, Japanese 2.06%, German, Standard 1.64%, Korean 1.28%, French 1.27% (2000 est.) note: percents are for "first language" speakers only	-
Yugoslavia	-	Serbian 95%, Albanian 5%