Official Languages by Country

Tool Guide

Introduction to the Directory of Official Languages of the World's Countries

This page provides a complete list of the official languages of countries worldwide. You can quickly look up the official language of a country by country or language name, along with information on the world's 8 most widely used languages.

What Is an Official Language?

An official language is the formal, common language designated by a country or regional government for use in formal occasions, legal documents, government affairs, and international exchange. An official language is usually one of the most widely used languages in that country or region. For example:

China: the official language is Chinese (Mandarin). The United Kingdom: the official language is English. France: the official language is French. Germany: the official language is German (only one official language).

India: official languages include Hindi and English (multiple official languages). The designation of official languages may vary due to historical, political, and cultural factors—for example, some countries may use multiple official languages simultaneously.

How to Use the Official Languages Table

Use Ctrl+F to search for a country name and quickly find that country's official language.

Use a language name to find in which countries it is officially adopted.

Learn which languages are the most widely used official languages worldwide.

The data in this table is based on each country's officially recognized information. If there are changes, please refer to the latest policies.

The 8 Most Widely Used Languages in the World

The following are the 8 languages adopted as official languages by the most countries worldwide:

English —— official language of about 67 countries, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, etc.

French (Français) —— official language of about 29 countries, such as France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.

Arabic (العربية) —— official language of about 26 countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, etc.

Spanish (Español) —— official language of about 21 countries, such as Spain, Mexico, Argentina, etc.

Portuguese (Português) —— official language of about 10 countries, such as Brazil, Portugal, Angola, etc.

Russian (Русский) —— mainly an official language in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and other countries.

Chinese (Mandarin) —— mainly used in China and Singapore (one of the official languages).

German (Deutsch) —— mainly an official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other countries.