Languages of Niger
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Depending on how they are counted, Niger has between 8 and 20 indigenous languages. The discrepancy comes from the fact that several are closely related, and can be grouped together or considered apart.
French, inherited from the colonial period, is the official language. It is spoken mainly as a second/additional language by a relatively small percentage of the population.
The usual categorization of languages of Niger mentions eight national languages. These, their language families, the approximate percentage of the population that speak them, and their approximate home regions are as follows:
| Language | Family | Approx % | Main region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hausa | Afro-Asiatic / Chadic | 49.6 | South, central |
| Zarma & Songhai | Nilo-Saharan | 25.5 | Southwest |
| Tamajeq | Afro-Asiatic / Berber | 08.4 | North |
| Fulfulde | Niger-Congo / Atlantic | 08.3 | All |
| Kanuri | Nilo-Saharan | 04.8 | Southeast |
| Colloquial Arabic | Afro-Asiatic / Semitic | 01.2 | North |
| Gurmantche | Niger-Congo / Volta-Congo | 00.? | Southwest corner |
| Toubou | Nilo-Saharan | 00.? | East |
[edit] External links
- Ethnologue report on "Languages of Niger"
- PanAfriL10n page on Niger
- (French)Linguistic situation in Niger
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