View source for Official language

{{Short description|Language given special status in a country or territory}}
{{Distinguish|national language}}

An '''official language''' is defined by the Cambridge English Dictionary as, "the [[language]] or one of the languages that is accepted by a country's government, is taught in schools, used in the courts of law, etc."<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 20, 2025 |title=official language |url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/official-language |access-date=April 20, 2025 |website=Cambridge English Dictionary}}</ref> Depending on the decree, establishment of an official language might also place restrictions on the use of other languages.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Legal Analysis of Proposals to Make English the Official Language of the United States Government |url=https://www.everycrsreport.com/reports/97-383.html |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.everycrsreport.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=CRS: Legal Analysis of Proposals to Make English the Official Language of the United States Government, March 14, 1997 - WikiLeaks |url=https://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS:_Legal_Analysis_of_Proposals_to_Make_English_the_Official_Language_of_the_United_States_Government,_March_14,_1997 |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=wikileaks.org}}</ref> Designated rights of an official language can be created in written form or by historic usage.<ref>"Official Language", ''Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language'', Ed. Tom McArthur, Oxford University Press, 1998.</ref><ref>Pueblo v. Tribunal Superior, 92 D.P.R. 596 (1965). Translation taken from the English text, 92 P. R. R. 580 (1965), p. 588–589. See also LOPEZ-BARALT NEGRON, "Pueblo v. Tribunal Superior: Español: Idioma del proceso judicial", 36 Revista Juridica de la Universidad de Puerto Rico. 396 (1967), and VIENTOS-GASTON, "Informe del Procurador General sobre el idioma", 36 Rev. Col. Ab. (P.R.) 843 (1975).</ref>

An official language is recognized by 178 countries, of which 101 recognize more than one.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} The government of Italy made [[Italian language|Italian]] their official language in 1999,<ref name="lang">{{cite web|title=Legge 15 Dicembre 1999, n. 482 "Norme in materia di tutela delle minoranze linguistiche storiche" pubblicata nella Gazzetta Ufficiale n. 297 del 20 dicembre 1999|url=http://www.camera.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm|publisher=[[Italian Parliament]]|access-date=2 December 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150512051856/http://www.camera.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm|archive-date=12 May 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Legge 482 |url=https://www.parlamento.it/parlam/leggi/99482l.htm |access-date=2025-04-20 |website=www.parlamento.it}}</ref> and some nations (such as Mexico and Australia) have never declared ''[[de jure]]'' official languages at the national level.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/05/20/us/english-us-official-language-trnd/index.html|title=FYI: English isn't the official language of the United States|date=20 May 2018 }}</ref>{{failed verification|date=April 2025}} Other nations have declared non-indigenous official languages.

Many of the world's constitutions mention one or more official or [[national language]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/search?lang=en&key=lang|title=Read about "Official or national languages" on Constitute|access-date=2016-03-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca/index.html|title=L'aménagement linguistique dans le monde: page d'accueil|website=www.axl.cefan.ulaval.ca|access-date=2016-03-28}}</ref> Some countries use the official language designation to empower indigenous groups by giving them access to the government in their native languages. In countries that do not formally designate an official language, a ''[[de facto]]'' national language usually evolves. [[English language|English]] is the most common official or co-official language, with recognized status in 52 countries. [[Arabic]], [[French language|French]], and [[Spanish language|Spanish]] are official or co-official languages in several countries.

An official language that is also an [[indigenous language]] is called ''endoglossic'', one that is not indigenous is ''exoglossic''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120722152633/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/endoglossic endoglossic] and [https://web.archive.org/web/20120720234047/http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/exoglossic exoglossic] on [[OxfordDictionaries.com]].</ref> An instance is Nigeria, which has three endoglossic [[Languages of Nigeria|official languages]]. By this, the country aims to protect the indigenous languages although at the same time recognising the English language as its lingua franca. In spatial terms, [[Indigenous language|indigenous (endoglossic) languages]] are mostly employed in the function of official languages in [[Eurasia]], while mainly non-indigenous (exoglossic) rest of the world.<ref>[https://content.sciendo.com/downloadpdf/journals/jnmlp/14/2/article-p117.xml Tomasz Kamusella. 2020. Global Language Politics: Eurasia versus the Rest (pp. 118–151). ''Journal of Nationalism, Memory & Language Politics''. Vol 14, No 2.]</ref>

==History==
Around 500&nbsp;BC, when [[Darius the Great]] annexed [[Mesopotamia]] to the [[Achaemenid Empire]], he chose a form of the [[Aramaic language]] (the so-called [[Official Aramaic]] or Imperial Aramaic) as the vehicle for written communication between the different regions of the vast empire with its different peoples and languages.<ref>{{citation|last=Shahbazi|first=Shapur|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia Iranica|year=1994|volume=7|publisher=Columbia University|location=New York|title=Darius I the Great|pages=41–50|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/darius-iii}}</ref> [[Aramaic script]] was widely employed from [[History of Achaemenid Egypt|Egypt]] in the southwest to [[Bactria]] and [[Sogdiana]] in the northeast. Texts were dictated in the native dialects and written down in Aramaic, and then read out again in the native language at the places they were received.<ref>{{citation|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/aramaic- |title=Aramaic |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica |volume=2 |pages=250–261 |access-date=14 April 2018}}</ref>

[[Qin Shi Huang]], the first [[emperor of China]], standardized the written language of China after unifying the country in 221&nbsp;BC.<ref>{{cite Shiji|6|orig-date=90s BC}}</ref> [[Literary Chinese]] would remain the standard written language for the next 2000 years. Standardization of the spoken language received less political attention, and [[Mandarin Chinese|Mandarin]] developed on an ad hoc basis from the dialects of the various imperial capitals until being officially standardized in the early twentieth century.

==Statistics==
{{see also|List of official languages#List of languages by number of countries in which they are the official language}}
The following languages are official (''de jure'' or ''de facto'') in two or more sovereign states. In some cases, a language may be defined as different languages in different countries. Examples are Hindi and Urdu, Malay and Indonesian, Serbian and Croatian, Persian and Tajik. 
*English: [[List of countries and territories where English is an official language|58 UN states and 31 dependencies]]
*French: [[List of countries and territories where French is an official language|28 UN states and 11 dependencies]]
*Arabic: [[List of countries and territories where Arabic is an official language|23 UN states and Palestine, 2 non-UN states on the same territory, and 1 dependency]]
*Spanish: [[List of countries and territories where Spanish is an official language|20 UN states and 1 dependency]]
*Portuguese: [[List of countries and territories where Portuguese is an official language|9 UN states and 1 dependency]]
*German: [[List of countries and territories where German is an official language|6 UN states]]
*Russian: [[List of countries and territories where Russian is an official language|5 UN and 4 unrecognized states]]
*Serbo-Croatian: [[Serbo-Croatian|4 UN states and 1 partially recognized state on the same territory]]
*Malay: [[List of countries and territories where Malay is an official language|4 UN states and 1 dependency]]
*Swahili: [[Swahili language|4 UN states (5 counting Comorian)]]
*Italian: [[List of countries and territories where Italian is an official language|3 UN states and Vatican City]]
*Persian: [[List of countries and territories where Persian is an official language|3 UN states and 1 dependency]]
*Dutch: [[List of countries and territories where Afrikaans or Dutch are official languages|3 UN states (4 counting Afrikaans)]]
*Somali: [[Somali language|3 UN states and 1 unrecognized state on the same territory]]
*Sotho: [[Sotho language|3 UN states]]
*Standard Chinese (Mandarin): [[List of countries and territories where Chinese is an official language|2 UN states and Taiwan]]
*Tamil: [[List of countries and territories where Tamil is an official language|2 UN states and 2 States in India]]
*Hindustani: [[List of countries and territories where Hindustani is an official language|2 UN states (counting Fijian Hindi) and 10 states in India]]

Some countries—like [[Australia]], the [[United States]] and the [[United Kingdom]]—have no official language recognized as such at a national level. On the other extreme, [[Bolivia]] officially recognizes 37 languages, the most of any country in the world. Second to Bolivia is [[India]] with [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|22 official languages]]. [[South Africa]] is the country with the third lead with 12 official languages that all have equal status;<ref name=ZAConst/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.parliament.gov.za/press-releases/na-approves-south-african-sign-language-12th-official-language#:~:text=The%20Committee%20noted%20that%20the,Board%20Act%2059%20of%201995 | title=The NA Approves South African Sign Language as the 12th Official Language - Parliament of South Africa }}</ref> Bolivia gives primacy to [[Spanish language|Spanish]], and India gives primacy to [[English language|English]] and [[Hindi language|Hindi]] .<ref name="economist.com"/>

==Political alternatives==
{{See also|List of multilingual countries and regions}}
The selection of an official language (or the lack thereof) is often contentious.<ref name=Patten /> An alternative to having a single official language is "official [[multilingualism]]", where a government recognizes multiple official languages. Under this system, all government services are available in all official languages. Each [[citizen]] may choose their preferred language when conducting business. Most countries are multilingual<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-WsDZsfTMsUC&q=%2522most%2520countries%2520are%2520multilingual%2522&pg=PR11|title=Between Natives and Foreigners: Selected Writings of Karl/Charles Follen (1796-1840)|last1=Follen|first1=Charles|last2=Mehring|first2=Frank|date=2007-01-01|publisher=Peter Lang|isbn=9780820497327|language=en}}</ref> and many are officially multilingual. [[Taiwan]], [[Canada]], the [[Philippines]], [[Belgium]], [[Switzerland]], and the [[European Union]] are examples of official multilingualism. This has been described as controversial and, in some other areas where it has been proposed, the idea has been rejected.<ref name=Patten /> It has also been described as necessary for the recognition of different groups<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t24AEb_ZY_0C|title=Representation and Democratic Theory|last=Laycock|first=David|date=2011-11-01|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=9780774841009|language=en}}</ref> or as an advantage for the country in presenting itself to outsiders.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BfGrGLY8C9kC|title=The Routledge Handbook of Multilingualism|last1=Martin-Jones|first1=Marilyn|last2=Blackledge|first2=Adrian|last3=Creese|first3=Angela|date=2012-01-01|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415496476|language=en}}</ref>

== Official languages by country and territory ==
{{Main|List of official languages by country and territory}}

===Afghanistan===
{{Main|Languages of Afghanistan}}

According to the [[Taliban]], the Afghan government gives equal status to [[Pashto language|Pashto]] and [[Dari language|Dari]] as official languages.<ref>{{cite AV media |date=2 October 2021 |title=گفت‌وگوی زهرا مشتاق، روزنامه‌نگار ایرانی با ذبیح‌الله مجاهد، سخنگوی طالبان |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wv687G7Ju0 |trans-title=Interview between Iranian journalist Zahra Mushtaq and Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid |format= |work=[[Iran International]] |language=fa |publisher=[[YouTube]] |access-date=15 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=MFA denies rumors that Taliban excludes the study of Uzbek language from school curriculum |url=https://kun.uz/en/news/2021/08/31/mfa-denies-rumors-that-taliban-excludes-the-study-of-uzbek-language-from-school-curriculum#! |access-date=16 February 2025 |work=Kun.uz |date=31 August 2021 |language=en}}</ref>

===Azerbaijan===
{{Main|Languages of Azerbaijan}}
Article 21 of [[Constitution of Azerbaijan|Azerbaijani Constitution]] designates the official language of the [[Republic of Azerbaijan]] as [[Azerbaijani Language]].<ref>[https://president.az/en/pages/view/azerbaijan/constitution The Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan]</ref>

=== Bangladesh ===
After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]], the first [[President of Bangladesh]] adopted the policy of 'one state one language'.<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://rdcu.be/bFJXM|title=English language teaching in Bangladesh today: Issues, outcomes and implications &#124; Language Testing in Asia|journal=Language Testing in Asia |date=December 2019 |volume=9 |issue=1 |page=9 |doi=10.1186/s40468-019-0085-8 |doi-access=free |last1=Rahman |first1=Mohammad Mosiur |last2=Islam |first2=Md Shaiful |last3=Karim |first3=Abdul |last4=Chowdhury |first4=Takad Ahmed |last5=Rahman |first5=Muhammad Mushfiqur |last6=Seraj |first6=Prodhan Mahbub Ibna |last7=Singh |first7=Manjet Kaur Mehar }}</ref> The ''[[de facto]]'' [[national language]], [[Bengali language|Bengali]], is the sole official language of [[Bangladesh]] according to the third article of the [[Constitution of Bangladesh]].<ref name="bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd">{{cite book|title=The Constitution of the People's Republic of Bangladesh|website=bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd|publisher=Ministry of Law, The People's Republic of Bangladesh|chapter=Article 3. The state language|access-date=2019-05-15|chapter-url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/sections_detail.php?id=367&sections_id=24550}}</ref> The government of Bangladesh introduced the [[Bangla Bhasha Procholon Ain, 1987|Bengali Language Implementation Act, 1987]] to ensure the mandatory use of Bengali in all government affairs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd/bangla_pdf_part.php?id=705|title=Bangla Bhasha Procholon Ain, 1987|website=[[Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs]]|publisher=Government of Bangladesh|script-title=bn:বাংলা ভাষা প্রচলন আইন, ১৯৮৭|trans-title=Bengali Language Implementation Act, 1987|access-date=2019-05-15}}</ref>

=== Belarus ===
{{Main| Belarusian language#History | l1=Belarusian since 1991}}

[[Belarusian language|Belarusian]] and [[Russian language|Russian]] have official status in the [[Republic of Belarus]].

=== Belgium ===
[[Belgium]] has three official languages: [[Dutch language|Dutch]], [[French language|French]] and [[German language|German]].<ref>[https://www.belgium.be/en/about_belgium/government/federale_staat Belgium, a federal state: The communities]</ref>

=== Bulgaria ===
[[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]] is the sole official language in [[Bulgaria]].<ref>[https://www.parliament.bg/en/const Constitution of the Republic Bulgaria, article 3]</ref>

===Canada===
{{Main|Official bilingualism in Canada}}

Following the Constitution Act, 1982 the (federal) [[Government of Canada]] gives equal status to English and French as official languages. The Province of [[New Brunswick]] is also officially bilingual, as is [[Yukon]]. [[Nunavut]] has four official languages: English, French, [[Inuktitut]] and [[Inuinnaqtun]]. The [[Northwest Territories]] has eleven official languages: [[Chipewyan language|Chipewyan/Dené]], [[Cree language|Cree]], [[Canadian English|English]], [[Canadian French|French]], [[Gwich’in language|Gwich’in]], [[Inuinnaqtun]], [[Inuktitut]], [[Inuvialuktun]], [[Slavey language|North Slavey]], [[Slavey language|South Slavey]], and [[Dogrib language|Tłı̨chǫ]] (Dogrib). All provinces, however, offer some necessary services in both English and French.

The Province of Quebec with the [[Official Language Act (Quebec)]] and [[Charter of the French Language]] defines French, the language of the majority of the population, as the official language of the provincial government.

===Ethiopia===
{{Main|Languages of Ethiopia}}

Ethiopia has five official languages (Amharic alone until 2020) [[Amharic language|Amharic]], [[Oromo language|Oromo]], [[Somali language|Somali]], [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]], and [[Afar language|Afar]], but Amharic is the de facto sole official language which is used by the government for issuing driving licenses, business licenses, passport, and foreign diplomacy with the addition that Court documents are in Amharic, and the constitution is written in Amharic, making Amharic a higher official language in the country.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shaban |first1=Abdurahman |title=One to five: Ethiopia gets four new federal working languages |url=https://www.africanews.com/2020/03/04/one-to-five-ethiopia-gets-four-new-federal-working-languages// |agency=Africa News}}</ref>

===Finland===
According to the Finnish constitution, [[Finnish language|Finnish]] and [[Swedish language|Swedish]] are the ''national languages'' of the republic, giving their speakers the right to communicate with, and receive official documents from, government authorities in either of the two languages in any part of the country – making those languages de facto ''official''.<ref name="FIN constitution">{{Cite act|url=https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990731_20180817.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231114105606/https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/1999/en19990731_20180817.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 14, 2023|title=The Constitution of Finland|at=s 17|publisher=[[Ministry of Justice (Finland)|Ministry of Justice]]|accessdate=7 June 2024}}</ref> Speakers of [[Sámi languages]] have those same rights in their native area (''Sámi homeland'').<ref name="FIN Sámi language act">{{Cite act|url=https://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2003/en20031086.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050213143420/http://www.finlex.fi/en/laki/kaannokset/2003/en20031086.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 13, 2005|title=Sámi Language Act|at=s 2(1)|publisher=Ministry of Justice|accessdate=7 June 2024}}</ref>

===Germany===
{{Main|Languages of Germany}}
[[German language|German]] is not in the [[German language in the Basic Law]] (the constitution of Germany). However, its [[minority language]]s include [[Sorbian language|Sorbian]] ([[Upper Sorbian]] and [[Lower Sorbian]]), [[Romani language|Romani]], [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[North Frisian language|North Frisian]], which are officially recognised.

===Hong Kong===
{{Main|Languages of Hong Kong|}}
According to the [[Basic Law of Hong Kong]] and the [[Official Languages Ordinance]], both [[Chinese language|Chinese]] and [[Hong Kong English|English]] are the official languages of [[Hong Kong]] with equal status. The variety of Chinese is not stipulated; however, [[Hong Kong Cantonese|Cantonese]], being the language most commonly used by the majority of [[Hongkongers]], forms the ''de facto'' standard. Similarly, [[Traditional Chinese characters]] are most commonly used in Hong Kong and form the ''de facto'' standard for written Chinese, however, there is an increasing presence of [[Simplified Chinese characters]] particularly in areas related to tourism.<ref>{{cite web |title= War between Traditional and Simplified |date= 7 May 2014|publisher= anthony8988 |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frLsSX_62W4| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105004927/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frLsSX_62W4| archive-date=2016-01-05 | url-status=dead}}</ref> In government use, documents written using Traditional [[Written Chinese|Chinese]] characters are authoritative over ones written with Simplified Chinese characters.<ref>{{cite web |title=Disclaimer and Copyright Notice |url=http://www.legco.gov.hk/english/disclaim.htm |publisher=[[Legislative Council of Hong Kong|Legislative Council]] |access-date=25 May 2019}}</ref>

===India===
[[File:Trilingual Signboard leading to Reservation Office.jpg|thumb|Trilingual signboard in [[Odia language|Odia]], [[English language|English]] and [[Standard Hindi|Hindi]] in [[Odisha]] state of India|200x150px]]
{{Further|Languages of India|Languages with official recognition in India}}
The [[Constitution of India]]  ([[Part XVII of the Constitution of India|part 17]]) designates the official language of the Government of India as [[Hindi]] written in the Devanagari script.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s380537a945c7aaa788ccfcdf1b99b5d8f/uploads/2023/05/2023050195.pdf |title=THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2022 |website=Legislative Department |publisher= Government of India|access-date=11 November 2023 |quote=343. Official language of the Union.—(1) The official language of the Union shall be Hindi in Devanagari script.}}
</ref> Although the original intentions of the constitution were to phase out English as an official language, provisions were provided so that "Parliament may by law provide for the use ... of ... the English language".

The [[Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India|Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution]] lists has 22 languages,<ref>[http://rajbhasha.nic.in/UI/pagecontent.aspx?pc=MTUz Languages Included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian {{sic|Const|ution|nolink=y}}] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160604094122/http://rajbhasha.nic.in/UI/pagecontent.aspx?pc=MTUz |date= 2016-06-04 }}</ref> which have been referred to as scheduled languages and given recognition, status and official encouragement. In addition, the Government of India has awarded the distinction of classical language to [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Sanskrit]], [[Kannada]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Malayalam]] and [[Odia language|Odia]].

=== Indonesia ===
{{Main|Indonesian language}}
The official language of Indonesia is the [[Indonesian language]] (''Bahasa Indonesia''). Bahasa Indonesia is regulated in Chapter XV, 1945 Constitution of Indonesia.

===Israel===
{{Main|Languages of Israel|}}
On 19 July 2018, the [[Knesset]] passed a [[Basic Laws of Israel|basic law]] under the title [[Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People|Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People]], which defines [[Hebrew]] as "the State's language" and Arabic as a language with "a special status in the State" (article 4). The law further says that it should not be interpreted as compromising the status of the [[Arabic]] language in practice before the enactment of the basic law, namely, it preserves the status quo and changes the status of Hebrew and Arabic only nominally.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/19/world/middleeast/israel-law-jews-arabic.html|title=Israeli Law Declares the Country the 'Nation-State of the Jewish People'|last1=Halbfinger|first1=David M.|date=19 July 2018|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=2018-07-24|last2=Kershner|first2=Isabel|language=en}}</ref>

Before the enactment of the aforementioned basic law, the status of official language in Israel was determined by the 82nd paragraph of the "[[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] [[Order in Council]]" issued on [https://web.archive.org/web/20081221030238/http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/361eea1cc08301c485256cf600606959/c7aae196f41aa055052565f50054e656!OpenDocument 14 August 1922], for the [[Mandate for Palestine|British Mandate of Palestine]], as amended in 1939:<ref>''The Palestine Gazette'', No. 898 of 29 June 1939, Supplement 2, pp. 464–465.</ref>

:"All Ordinances, official notices and official forms of the Government and all official notices of local authorities and municipalities in areas to be prescribed by order of the High Commissioner, shall be published in English, Arabic, and Hebrew."

This law, like most other laws of the British Mandate, was adopted in the State of Israel, subject to certain amendments published by the provisional legislative branch on 19 May 1948. The amendment states that:

:"Any provision in the law requiring the use of the English language is repealed."<ref name=IL1>Law and Administration Ordinance No 1 of 5708—1948, clause 15(b). Official Gazette No. 1 of 5th Iyar, 5708; as per authorised translation in ''Laws of the State of Israel'', Vol. I (1948) p. 10.</ref>

In most [[State school|public schools]], the main teaching language is Hebrew, English is taught as a second language, and most students learn a third language, usually Arabic but not necessarily. Other public schools have Arabic as their main teaching language, and they teach Hebrew as a second language and English as a third one. There are also bilingual schools which aim to teach both Hebrew and Arabic equally.

Some languages other than Hebrew and Arabic, such as English, Russian, [[Amharic]], [[Yiddish]] and [[Judaeo-Spanish|Ladino]] enjoy a somewhat special status but are not official languages. For instance, at least 5% of the broadcasting time of privately owned TV channels must be translated into Russian (a similar privilege is granted to Arabic), warnings must be translated to several languages, and signs are mostly trilingual (Hebrew, Arabic and English), and the government supports Yiddish and Ladino culture (alongside Hebrew culture and Arabic culture).

===Latvia===
{{Main|Languages of Latvia}}
[[File:Street sign. Lenin street. Riga (1991).png|thumb|right|250px|A former [[street name sign|name sign]] on "Lenin Street" in the two official languages at the time of the 1945–1991 [[Latvian SSR|Soviet]] [[Occupation of the Baltic states|occupation of]] [[Latvia]]: [[Latvian language|Latvian]] (above) and [[Russian language|Russian]] (below, in [[Cyrillic alphabet]])]]
The Official Language Law recognizes [[Latvian language|Latvian]] as the sole official language of Latvia, while [[Latgalian language|Latgalian]] is protected as "a historic variant of Latvian" and [[Livonian language|Livonian]] is recognized as "the language of the indigenous (autochthonous) population".<ref name="language law">{{Cite web|url=https://likumi.lv/ta/en/en/id/14740-official-language-law|title=Official Language Law|website=[[likumi.lv]]|access-date=9 January 2018}}</ref> Latvia also provides national minority education programmes in [[Russian language|Russian]], [[Polish language|Polish]], [[Hebrew]], [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], [[Estonian language|Estonian]], [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]], and [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/policy/society-integration/minority-education-in-latvia/minority-education-statistics-and-trends|title=Minority education: statistics and trends|date=5 June 2018|publisher=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia]]|accessdate=9 January 2018}}</ref> In 2012 there was a [[2012 Latvian constitutional referendum|constitutional referendum]] on elevating [[Russian language|Russian]] as a co-official language, but the proposal was rejected by nearly three-quarters of the voters.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://valoda.lv/en/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/LSL_ENG_2017_web.pdf#page=229|title=Language situation in Latvia: 2010–2015|publisher=Latvian Language Agency|date=2017|isbn=978-9984-829-47-0|pages=229–230}}</ref>

=== Malaysia ===
{{Main|Malay language}}
The official language of Malaysia is the [[Malay language|Malay]] (''Bahasa Melayu''), also known as Bahasa Malaysia or just Bahasa for short. Bahasa Melayu is being protected under Article 152 of the Constitution of Malaysia.

===Netherlands===
[[Dutch language|Dutch]] is the official language of the [[Netherlands]] (a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands). In the province of [[Friesland]], [[West Frisian language|Frisian]] is the official second language. While Dutch is therefore the official language of the [[Caribbean Netherlands]] (the islands [[Bonaire]], [[Saba (island)|Saba]] and [[Sint Eustatius]]), it is not any of the three islands' main spoken language: [[Papiamento]] is the most often spoken language on Bonaire, while [[English language|English]] is on both Saba and Sint Eustatius. These languages can be used in official documents (but do not have the same status as Frisian). [[West Low German|Low Saxon]] and [[Limburgish]], languages acknowledged by the [[European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages|European Charter]], are spoken in specific regions of the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/erkende-talen/vraag-en-antwoord/erkende-talen-nederland |title=Welke erkende talen heeft Nederland? |date=11 January 2016 |publisher=Ministerie van Binnenlandse Zaken en Koninkrijksrelaties}}</ref>

===New Zealand===
{{Main|Languages of New Zealand}}
[[New Zealand]] has three official languages. English is the ''[[de facto]]'' official language, accepted as such in all situations. The [[Māori language]] and [[New Zealand Sign Language]] both have restricted ''[[de jure]]'' official status under the [[Māori Language Act 1987]] and New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006.<ref>[http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2006/0018/latest/whole.html ''New Zealand Sign Language Act 2006.''] New Zealand Legislation. Retrieved 24 July 2013.</ref><ref>[http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/nz-sign-language-be-third-official-language ''NZ Sign Language to be third official language.''] Ruth Dyson. 2 April 2006. Retrieved 24 July 2013.</ref>

In 2018, [[New Zealand First]] MP [[Clayton Mitchell (New Zealand politician)|Clayton Mitchell]] introduced a bill to parliament to [[statute|statutorily]] recognise English as an official language. As of May 2020, the bill had not progressed.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/02/nz-first-submits-bill-for-english-to-be-recognised-as-official-language.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180215101032/http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2018/02/nz-first-submits-bill-for-english-to-be-recognised-as-official-language.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 15, 2018 |title=NZ First submits Bill for English to be recognised as official language |date=15 February 2018 |website=[[Newshub]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1802/S00143/nz-first-bill-english-set-to-become-official.htm |title=NZ First Bill: English set to become official |date=15 February 2018 |website=Scoop}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=English an Official Language of New Zealand Bill - New Zealand Parliament|url=https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/bills-and-laws/proposed-members-bills/document/52HOH_MEMBILL071_1/english-an-official-language-of-new-zealand-bill|website=www.parliament.nz|language=en|access-date=2020-05-28}}</ref> During the [[2023 New Zealand general election]], New Zealand First leader [[Winston Peters]] promised to make English an official language of New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.1news.co.nz/2023/08/20/winston-peters-proposes-to-make-english-an-official-language/ |title=Winston Peters proposes to make English an official language|author=McGuire, Casper|date=20 August 2023|accessdate=20 August 2023|work=[[1News]]}}</ref>

===Nigeria===
{{Main|Languages of Nigeria}}
The official language of Nigeria is English, which was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the country. [[Colonial Nigeria|British colonial rule]] ended in 1960.

===Norway===
{{Main|Languages of Norway|Norwegian language conflict}}

===Pakistan===
{{Main|Languages of Pakistan}}
[[Urdu]] and English both are official languages in Pakistan. Pakistan has more than 60 other languages.

===Philippines===
{{Main|Languages of the Philippines}}
[[Filipino language|Filipino]] and English both are official languages of the Philippines.

===Poland===
{{Main|Languages of Poland}}
[[Polish language|Polish]] is the official language of [[Poland]].

===Russia===
{{Main|Languages of Russia}}
[[Russian language|Russian]] is the official language of the [[Russian Federation]] and in all [[federal subjects of Russia|federal subjects]], however many minority languages have official status in the areas where they are indigenous. One type of federal subject in Russia,
[[Republics of Russia|republics]], are allowed to adopt additional official languages alongside Russian in their constitutions. Republics are often based around particular native ethnic groups and are often areas where ethnic [[Russian people|Russians]] and native Russian-language speakers are a minority.

===South Africa===
{{Main|Languages of South Africa}}

[[South Africa]] has twelve official languages<ref name=ZAConst>{{cite web|url=http://www.constitutionalcourt.org.za/site/constitution/english-web/ch1.html|title=Chapter 1, Article 6 of the South African Constitution|website=constitutionalcourt.org.za|access-date=18 February 2018}}</ref> that are mostly indigenous. Due to limited funding, however, the government rarely produces documents in most languages. Accusations of mismanagement and [[Corruption in South Africa|corruption]] have been leveled<ref name=Sowetan>{{cite web|url=https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011-09-02-language-board-to-be-probed/|title=Language board to be probed|last1=Xaba|first1=Vusi|website=[[The Sowetan|SowetanLive.co.za]]|date=2 September 2011|access-date=28 February 2018}}</ref> against the [[Pan South African Language Board]], established to promote multilingualism, develop the 11 official languages, and protect language rights in the country.<ref name="economist.com">{{cite news|title= Language in South Africa: An official mess|date=July 5, 2013|newspaper= The Economist|url= https://www.economist.com/blogs/johnson/2012/07/language-south-africa|access-date= August 25, 2013}}</ref> In practice, government is conducted in English.

=== Switzerland ===
{{Main|Languages of Switzerland}}

The four national languages of [[Switzerland]] are [[Swiss Standard German|German]], [[French language|French]], [[Italian language|Italian]] and [[Romansh language|Romansh]]. At the federal level German, French and Italian are official languages, the official languages of individual cantons depend on the languages spoken in them.

===Taiwan===
[[Taiwanese Mandarin|Mandarin]] is the most common language used in government. After [[World War II]] the mainland Chinese-run government made Mandarin the official language, and it was used in the schools and government. Under the Development of National Languages Act, political participation can be conducted in any national language, which is defined as a "natural language used by an original people group of Taiwan",<ref>{{cite web |title=國家語言發展法 |url=https://law.moj.gov.tw/LawClass/LawAll.aspx?pcode=H0170143 |website=law.moj.gov.tw |access-date=22 May 2019 |language=zh}}</ref> which also includes [[Formosan languages]], the [[Taiwanese Hokkien|Taiwanese variety of Hokkien]] and [[Taiwanese Hakka|Hakka]]. According to Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, amendments were made to the Hakka Basic Act to make [[Taiwanese Hakka|Hakka]] an official language of [[Taiwan]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://languagehat.com/hakka-now-an-official-language-of-taiwan/|title=HAKKA NOW AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE OF TAIWAN.|work=languagehat|author=languagehat|date=January 4, 2018}}</ref>

=== Timor-Leste ===
According to the [[constitution of Timor-Leste]], [[Tetum language|Tetum]] and [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]] are the official languages of the country, and every official document must be published in both languages; [[Indonesian language|Indonesian]] and [[English language|English]] hold "working language" status in the country.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Timor-Leste |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/951960238 |title=Constituição da República de Timor-Leste = Konstituisaun Repúblika Timor-Leste nian. |date=2015 |isbn=978-989-611-449-7 |location=Díli |oclc=951960238}}</ref>

===Ukraine===
{{See also|Languages of Ukraine|Russification of Ukraine|Language policy in Ukraine|Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"}}
The official language of [[Ukraine]] is [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]].

===United Kingdom===

{{See also|Languages of the United Kingdom}}

The de facto official language of the United Kingdom is [[English language|English]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Mac Síthigh |first=Daithí |date=March 2018 |title=Official status of languages in the United Kingdom and Ireland |journal=Common Law World Review |volume=47 |issue=1 |pages= 77–102|doi= 10.1177/1473779518773642|url=https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/files/141540053/Status_OA_Feb_2018.pdf }}</ref> In [[Wales]], the [[Welsh language]], spoken by approximately 20% of the population, has ''[[de jure]]'' official status, alongside English.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Welsh-Language/WelshSpeakers-by-LocalAuthority-Gender-DetailedAgeGroups-2011Census |title=Welsh speakers by local authority, gender and detailed age groups, 2011 Census |publisher=statswales.gov.wales |date=11 December 2012 |access-date=22 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616234714/https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Welsh-Language/WelshSpeakers-by-LocalAuthority-Gender-DetailedAgeGroups-2011Census |archive-date=16 June 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/mwa/2011/1/section/1/enacted |publisher=[[The National Archives (United Kingdom)|The National Archives]] |work=[[legislation.gov.uk]] |title=Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 |access-date=30 May 2016}}</ref>

===United States===
[[File:USA states english official language.svg|thumb|alt=Map of United States Official Language Status By State|Map of US official language status by state before 2016. Blue: English declared the official language; light-blue: English declared a co-official language; gray: no official language specified.
]]
{{See also|Languages of the United States}}

[[English language|English]] is the predominant language of [[the United States]]. [[Executive Order 14224]] issued in March 2025 designated English as the nation's official language for the first time.<ref name="EOWP">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2025/03/01/trump-english-official-language-explainer/ |title=A Trump order made English the official language of the U.S. What does that mean? |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |author1=Vivian Ho |author2=Rachel Pannett |date=March 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/designating-english-as-the-official-language-of-the-united-states/ | title=Designating English as the Official Language of the United States | date=2 March 2025 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/01/nx-s1-5313883/trump-english-official-language-executive-order | title=Trump signs executive order making English the official language of the U.S. | work=NPR | date=March 2025 | last1=Moore | first1=Elena }}</ref> Most states have designated English as their official language; 32 of the 50 [[U.S. states]]<ref>[http://usenglish.org/u-s-english-efforts-lead-west-virginia-to-become-32nd-state-to-recognize-english-as-official-language] - US English: West Virginia Becomes 32nd State to Adopt English as Official Language</ref> and all five inhabited [[territories of the United States|U.S. territories]] have designated English as one, or the only, official language, while courts have found that residents in the 50 states do not have a right to government services in their preferred language.<ref name=Scholastic /> Public debate in the last few decades has focused on whether [[Spanish language|Spanish]] should be recognized by the government, or whether all business should be done in English.<ref name=Patten>{{cite journal|title= Political Theory and Language Policy|author= Alan Patten|journal= Political Theory|volume= 29|number= 5|date= October 2011|pages= 691–715|url= http://www.princeton.edu/~apatten/languagepolicy_politicaltheory.pdf|access-date= August 25, 2013|doi=10.1177/0090591701029005005|s2cid= 143178621}}</ref>

[[California]] allows people to take their [[Driver's license in the United States|driving test]] in the following 32 languages: Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Croatian, English, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, [[Japanese language|Japanese]], Khmer, Korean, Laotian, [[Persian language|Persian]], Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Spanish, Tagalog/Filipino, Thai, Tongan, Turkish, and Vietnamese.<ref>{{cite web|title= Available Languages|publisher= California DMV|url= https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/dl/dl_info#languages|access-date= November 26, 2014}}</ref>

[[New York (state)|New York]] state provides voter-registration forms in the following five languages: [[Bengali language|Bengali]], [[Chinese language|Chinese]], [[English language|English]], [[Korean language|Korean]] and [[Spanish language|Spanish]]. The same languages are also on ballot papers in certain parts of the state (namely, [[New York City]]).<ref>{{cite web|title= New York State Voter Registration Form|url= http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/download/voting/voteform.pdf|website= New York State Board of Elections|access-date= 2017-09-05|archive-date= 2018-01-27|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180127085322/http://www.elections.ny.gov/NYSBOE/download/voting/voteform.pdf|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Opponents of an official English language policy in the United States argue that it would hamper "the government's ability to reach out, communicate, and warn people in the event of a natural or man-made disaster such as a hurricane, pandemic, or...another terrorist attack".<ref name=Scholastic>{{cite web|title= Should English be declared America's national language?|author= James M. Inhofe|author2= Cecilia Muñoz|url= http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/debate/index.asp?article=d1023|access-date= August 25, 2013|work= The New York Times upfront|publisher= Scholastic|author-link= James M. Inhofe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219104322/http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/indepth/upfront/debate/index.asp?article=d1023|archive-date=February 19, 2015}}</ref> Professor of politics Alan Patten argues that disengagement (officially ignoring the issue) works well in religious issues but that it is not possible with language issues because it must offer public services in some language.<ref name=Patten /><ref>{{cite book|title= Effective Language Education Practices and Native Language Survival|chapter= Language Freedom and Restriction: A Historical Approach to the Official Language Controversy|author= James Crawford|pages= 9–22|chapter-url= http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jar/NALI2.html|access-date= August 26, 2013}}</ref>

===Yugoslavia===
Sometimes an official language definition can be motivated more by national identity than by linguistic concerns. Prior to the [[Breakup of Yugoslavia|breakup in early 1990s]], although [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|SFR Yugoslavia]] had no official language on the federal level, its six constituent republics including two autonomous provinces accounted for four official languages—[[Serbo-Croatian]], [[Slovene language|Slovene]], [[Macedonian language|Macedonian]] and [[Albanian language|Albanian]]. Serbo-Croatian served as the ''[[lingua franca]]'' for mutual understanding and was also the language of [[Yugoslav People's Army|the military]], as official in four republics and taught as a [[second language]] in the other two.

When [[Croatia]] declared independence in 1991, it defined its official language as [[Croatian language|Croatian]], while the confederate union of [[Serbia and Montenegro]] likewise defined its official language as [[Serbian language|Serbian]] in 1992. [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] defined three official languages: [[Bosnian language|Bosnian]], Croatian, and Serbian. From the linguistic point of view, the different names refer to national varieties of the same language, which is known under the appellation of Serbo-Croatian.<ref>{{cite book|last=Mørk |first=Henning |year=2002 |language=da |title=Serbokroatisk grammatik: substantivets morfologi |trans-title=Serbo-Croatian Grammar: Noun Morphology |series=Arbejdspapirer; vol. 1 |location=Århus |publisher=Slavisk Institut, Århus Universitet |page=unpaginated (Preface) |oclc=471591123}}</ref><ref>Václav Blažek, "On the Internal Classification of Indo-European Languages: Survey" [http://www.phil.muni.cz/linguistica/art/blazek/bla-003.pdf retrieved 20 Oct 2010], pp. 15–16.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Kordić |first=Snježana |author-link=Snježana Kordić |editor1-last=Madelain |editor1-first=Anne |title=Au sud de l'Est |series=vol. 3 |publisher=Non Lieu |pages=71–78 |language=fr |chapter=La langue croate, serbe, bosniaque et monténégrine |trans-chapter=Croatian, Serbian, Bosniakian, and Montenegrin |chapter-url=http://bib.irb.hr/datoteka/429734.LA_LANGUE_CROATE_SERBE.PDF |location=Paris |year=2007 |isbn=978-2-35270-036-4 |oclc=182916790 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601174651/http://bib.irb.hr/datoteka/429734.LA_LANGUE_CROATE_SERBE.PDF|url-status=live|archive-date=1 June 2012|url=http://bib.irb.hr/datoteka/429734.LA_LANGUE_CROATE_SERBE.PDF }}</ref> 
The language used in [[Montenegro]] became standardized as the [[Montenegrin language]] upon Montenegro's declaration of independence from [[Serbia and Montenegro]] in 2006.

=== Zimbabwe ===
Since the adoption of the [[Constitution of Zimbabwe|2013 Constitution]], Zimbabwe has 16 [[official languages]], namely<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-04-25 |title=What Languages Are Spoken In Zimbabwe? |url=https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-languages-are-spoken-in-zimbabwe.html |access-date=2024-02-29 |website=WorldAtlas |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=newsday |url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2012/07/2012-07-21-16-official-languages-for-zimbabwe}}</ref> 
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
* [[Chewa language|Chewa]]
* [[Sena language|Chibarwe]]
* [[English language|English]]
* [[Kalanga language|Kalanga]]
* [[Khoisan languages|Koisan]]
* [[Nambya language|Nambya]]
* [[Ndau dialect|Ndau]]
* [[Northern Ndebele language|Ndebele]] 
* [[Tsonga language|Shangani]]
* [[Shona language|Shona]]
* [[sign language]]
* [[Sesotho language|Sotho]]
* [[Tonga language (Zambia and Zimbabwe)|Tonga]]
* [[Tswana language|Tswana]]
* [[Venda language|Venda]]
* [[Xhosa language|Xhosa]]
}}

== See also ==
*[[Language policy]]
*[[List of official languages by country and territory]]
*[[List of official languages by institution]]
*[[Medium of instruction]]
*[[Minority language]]
*[[National language]]
*[[Official script]]
*[[Regional language]]
*[[Working language]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

== Further reading ==
* {{cite book | last=Nakanishi | first=Akira | title=Writing systems of the world: alphabets, syllabaries, pictograms | publisher=Tuttle | place=Rutland, Vermont | date=2003 | isbn=0-8048-1654-9}}{{snd}}lists official languages of the countries of the world, among other information.

==External links==
{{Wikidata property|P37}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070613004519/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2098.html Languages by country] in ''[[The World Factbook]]''

{{Portal bar|Languages}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Official languages| ]]
[[Category:Countries and territories by official language]]