27 Countries Where French Is the Official Language in 2024

Even though it originated in the country from which it takes its name (France), the French language is spoken in many regions around the world. Some have direct ties to France and even share borders. Others were former French colonies or settlements that brought the language from France when people immigrated. Today, 29 countries in the world have French as an official language plus others that speak French or a French dialect without it being one of the official languages.

Keep in mind that not all of these countries only speak French. Many have other frequently spoken languages within their borders. French might not even be the primary language! Find out just which countries in the world have French as one of their official languages.

France

French first appeared in the 9th Century. The language developed over many years into what is spoken today. It is the dominant language spoken in France. It is the only official language of the country, although many residents can speak or understand other languages as well.

Belgium

There are actually three official languages of Belgium. These are Dutch, German, and French. Many Belgian citizens can speak multiple languages, which comes in handy since the country shares borders with four others, including France and Luxembourg.

Switzerland

Switzerland has four languages spoken throughout the country: French, German, Italian, and Romansh. But only French, German, and Italian count as official languages according to government documents. Depending on the region, different languages are more common or dominant.

Luxembourg

Luxembourgish, a Germanic language, is the national language of Luxembourg. But German and French are also recognized official languages of this small European nation.

Monaco

French is the only official language of Monaco. However, Monégasque is the traditional native language of the country and dates back to its settlement by the Republic of Genoa in the 13th Century. Monégasque almost died out when it was no longer taught. But modern efforts preserved the language.

Canada

Both English and French count as the official languages of Canada. Some regions, such as Quebec, speak more French than English.

Cameroon

Both France and England colonized parts of Cameroon so the country speaks French and English. Countless native languages also exist in various regions of Cameroon.

Central African Republic

In addition to French, the Central African Republic also has Sango as an official language. This language is more common, especially in everyday conversation. It is the lingua franca that allows various groups with different native tongues to communicate.

Republic of Congo

French, Lingala, and Swahili are the three most common languages in Congo. The Republic of Congo is west of its neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Democratic Republic of Congo

In addition to French, the Democratic Republic of Congo has three other national languages. These are Kikongo, Lingala, and Swahili. Throughout the country, French is the lingua franca. It allows native speakers of other regional languages to talk to each other.

Chad

Arabic and French are the official languages of Chad. Central and Southern Chad has its own dialect known as Chadian Arabic. Some of the surrounding countries also speak this dialect.

Djibouti

Arabic and French might be the official languages of Djibouti but Somali and Afar are much more common. Arabic was introduced primarily in religious settings and texts. The introduction of French dates back to colonization.

Guinea

There are six indigenous national languages in Guinea. These are Pular (or Fula), Maninka, Susu, Kissi, Kpelle, and Toma. French is the only official language, however.

Madagascar

Malagasy, a language native to Madagascar, and French are the official languages of the country. The majority of the population speaks Malagasy as its primary language. Malagasy dates back to the 5th Century.

Niger

French is the official language of Niger. Residents use it for business and trade. National languages spoken in the country include Hausa and Djarma.

Rwanda

The majority of Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda, the national language of the country. It is closely related to Kirundi, which is spoken in the neighboring country of Burundi. The official languages of Rwanda include Kinyarwanda, French, English, and Swahili.

Senegal

French is the only official language in Senegal. But there are numerous other languages spoken in various regions of the country, including Wolof, Pulaar, Serer, Diola, and Mandingo.

Benin

Benin is a country in West Africa where French is the only official language. It is located between Togo and Nigeria.

Burkina Faso

Another West African country, Burkina Faso shares a border with Benin to the southeast. French is the official language due to colonization in the early 20th Century.

Burundi

Kirundi, a Bantu language, and French were the official languages of Burundi until English was added in 2014. Today, the country has three official languages but Kirundi is the most widely spoken by far.

Comoros

There are three official languages of Comoros: French, Arabic, and Comorian. Comorian actually includes four Bantu languages, all of which are spoken on the Comoros islands. The country has four major islands in the Indian Ocean, between Mozambique and Madagascar.

Cote d’Ivoire

There are over 70 languages spoken in Ivory Coast, however, only French is recognized as the country’s official language.

Gabon

The vast majority of residents of Gabon speak French. It is the only recognized official language of the country.

Togo

In addition to French, which is the only official language of Togo, both Ewe and Kabiyé are spoken. Togo is actually an Ewe word, which means “behind the river.”

Vanuatu

French is the least spoken of the three official languages of Vanuatu, a chain of South Pacific Islands. Bislama, a creole language with its origins in English, is the most common followed by English. Interestingly, Vanuatu is home to more than 125 languages even though there are only around 300,000 residents in the chain of islands.

Haiti

Haitian Creole is the most popular and dominant language in Haiti. The country shares a border with the Dominican Republic on the large island of Hispaniola. Because of settlements by France and Spain, the western part of the island (Haiti) speaks French and the eastern part of the island (Dominican Republic) speaks Spanish.

Seychelles

Seychellois Creole is based on French and is the most widely spoken language in Seychelles. The other languages are English and French.