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Statistical Summaries

Part I, “Languages of the World,” provides language-by-language information. This section steps back from the detail to offer a summary view of the world language situation. Specifically, it offers numerical tabulations of languages and number of speakers

Summary by language family

The genetic classifications given in the language entries of Part I name 116 different language families (that is, top-level genetic groups). Six of these, each of which has at least 5% of the world’s languages, stand out as the major language families of the world. Together they account for nearly two-thirds of all languages and five-sixths of the world’s population. Table 4 summarizes the distribution of languages and their populations within these six families. The columns are as for table 1, with the addition of a final column listing the countries under which the main entries for the languages of that family are found in Part I.

In addition to the other 110 language families, the genetic classification scheme also includes special categories for constructed languages, creoles, deaf sign languages, language isolates, mixed languages, pidgins, and unclassified languages. Table 5 summarizes the distribution of languages and their populations for these other language families and special categories. In most cases the population as a percentage of the world population is negligible; a figure is shown in that column only when the value is at least one-hundredth of one percent. Together tables 4 and 5 account for all known living languages of the world.

Table 4. Major language families of the world

Language family Living languages Number of speakers Countries
Count Percent Count Percent Mean Median
Afro-Asiatic 353 5.11 359,495,289 6.03 1,018,400 21,300 Algeria, Bahrain, Cameroon, Chad, Cyprus, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen
Austronesian 1,231 17.82 353,585,905 5.93 287,235 3,650 Brunei, Cambodia, Chile, China, Cook Islands, East Timor, Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Kiribati, Madagascar, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Mayotte, Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Suriname, Taiwan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, United States, Vanuatu, Viet Nam, Wallis and Futuna
Indo-European 426 6.17 2,721,969,619 45.67 6,389,600 152,370 Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Fiji, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela
Niger-Congo 1,510 21.86 382,257,169 6.41 253,150 25,600 Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Sino-Tibetan 445 6.44 1,259,227,250 21.13 2,829,724 15,700 Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Thailand, Viet Nam
Trans-New Guinea 475 6.88 3,334,267 0.06 7,020 1,500 East Timor, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Totals 4,440 64.26 5,079,869,499 85.24

Table 5. Other language families of the world

Language family Living languages Number of speakers Countries
Count Percent Count Percent Mean Median
Alacalufan 1 0.01 12 12 12 Chile
Algic 31 0.45 215,963 6,967 4,500 Canada, United States
Altaic 64 0.93 139,525,936 2.34 2,180,093 65,000 Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Russian Federation, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan
Amto-Musan 2 0.03 520 260 220 Papua New Guinea
Andamanese 4 0.06 454 114 94 India
Arafundi 3 0.04 1,960 653 400 Papua New Guinea
Arai-Kwomtari 10 0.14 5,940 594 350 Papua New Guinea
Arauan 5 0.07 4,300 860 480 Brazil
Araucanian 2 0.03 302,039 151,020 2,000 Chile
Arawakan 46 0.67 688,063 0.01 14,958 1,800 Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Honduras, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
Arutani-Sape 2 0.03 47 24 5 Brazil, Venezuela
Australian 153 2.21 38,552 252 40 Australia
Austro-Asiatic 169 2.45 103,703,873 1.74 613,632 10,000 Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam
Aymaran 3 0.04 2,482,640 0.04 827,547 219,000 Bolivia, Peru
Barbacoan 5 0.07 57,304 11,461 9,500 Colombia, Ecuador
Basque 1 0.01 658,960 0.01 658,960 658,960 Spain
Bayono-Awbono 2 0.03 200 100 100 Indonesia
Border 15 0.22 17,080 1,139 410 Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Caddoan 4 0.06 66 16 20 United States
Cahuapanan 2 0.03 13,900 6,950 2,500 Peru
Carib 26 0.38 80,891 3,111 870 Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
Central Solomons 4 0.06 14,810 3,702 1,870 Solomon Islands
Chapacura-Wanham 3 0.04 2,035 678 100 Brazil
Chibchan 21 0.30 258,864 12,327 2,000 Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama
Chimakuan 1 0.01 10 10 10 United States
Choco 7 0.10 96,300 13,757 5,510 Colombia, Panama
Chon 2 0.03 6 3 2 Argentina
Chukotko-Kamchatkan 4 0.06 11,770 2,942 380 Russian Federation
Constructed language 1 0.01 Unknown Poland
Creole 77 1.11 25,512,323 0.43 331,329 32,000 Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Cameroon, Cape Verde Islands, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Micronesia, Netherlands Antilles, New Caledonia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norfolk Island, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Réunion, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, São Tomé e Príncipe, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Uganda, United States, United States Virgin Islands, Vanuatu
Deaf sign language 126 1.82 4,260,560 0.07 33,814 5,000 Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chad, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Estonia, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Korea, South, Laos, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, Viet Nam, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Dravidian 84 1.22 222,682,100 3.74 2,650,977 26,000 India, Nepal, Pakistan
East Bird's Head-Sentani 8 0.12 71,730 8,966 3,750 Indonesia
East Geelvink Bay 11 0.16 7,806 710 400 Indonesia
East New Britain 6 0.09 12,390 2,065 800 Papua New Guinea
Eastern Trans-Fly 4 0.06 6,870 1,718 1,050 Australia, Papua New Guinea
Eskimo-Aleut 10 0.14 96,891 9,689 2,420 Canada, Greenland, Russian Federation, United States
Guahiban 5 0.07 40,280 8,056 2,000 Colombia
Harakmbet 2 0.03 810 405 310 Peru
Hmong-Mien 38 0.55 8,258,015 0.14 217,316 61,000 China, Laos, Viet Nam
Hokan 16 0.23 4,177 261 28 Mexico, United States
Huavean 4 0.06 18,340 4,585 900 Mexico
Iroquoian 8 0.12 20,770 2,596 90 Canada, United States
Japonic 12 0.17 123,090,950 2.07 10,257,579 5,000 Japan
Jivaroan 4 0.06 99,330 24,832 9,330 Ecuador, Peru
Kartvelian 5 0.07 4,883,320 0.08 976,664 79,800 Georgia, Israel, Turkey
Katukinan 3 0.04 1,661 554 10 Brazil
Kaure 4 0.06 985 246 200 Indonesia
Keres 2 0.03 7,970 3,985 3,390 United States
Khoisan 22 0.32 502,409 0.01 22,837 5,630 Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania
Kiowa Tanoan 5 0.07 6,260 1,252 1,300 United States
Lakes Plain 20 0.29 6,646 332 230 Indonesia
Language isolate 45 0.65 66,624,571 1.12 1,480,546 900 Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, South, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russian Federation, United States, Venezuela
Left May 2 0.03 365 182 85 Papua New Guinea
Lower Mamberamo 2 0.03 800 400 200 Indonesia
Lule-Vilela 1 0.01 20 20 20 Argentina
Macro-Ge 24 0.35 41,096 1,712 800 Bolivia, Brazil
Mairasi 3 0.04 4,385 1,462 1,000 Indonesia
Maku 6 0.09 2,653 442 300 Brazil, Colombia
Mascoian 4 0.06 23,770 5,942 1,680 Paraguay
Mataco-Guaicuru 11 0.16 91,678 8,334 4,000 Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay
Mayan 68 0.98 6,038,172 0.10 88,797 35,000 Belize, Guatemala, Mexico
Maybrat 2 0.03 25,000 12,500 5,000 Indonesia
Misumalpan 2 0.03 190,400 95,200 7,400 Nicaragua
Mixe-Zoque 17 0.25 153,320 9,019 5,200 Mexico
Mixed language 19 0.28 897,770 0.02 47,251 7,000 Armenia, China, Ecuador, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Malawi, Micronesia, Niger, Norway, Russian Federation, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Tanzania, United Kingdom, United States
Mongol-Langam 3 0.04 1,970 657 420 Papua New Guinea
Mura 1 0.01 360 360 360 Brazil
Muskogean 6 0.09 17,400 2,900 400 United States
Na-Dene 40 0.58 187,384 4,685 50 Canada, United States
Nambiquaran 6 0.09 1,502 250 20 Brazil
Nilo-Saharan 198 2.87 38,257,502 0.64 193,220 40,000 Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda
Nimboran 5 0.07 8,500 1,700 2,000 Indonesia
North Bougainville 4 0.06 10,020 2,505 1,200 Papua New Guinea
North Brazil 1 0.01 200 200 200 Brazil
North Caucasian 33 0.48 6,620,325 0.11 200,616 8,440 Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation
Oto-Manguean 175 2.53 2,016,121 0.03 11,521 4,350 Mexico
Panoan 21 0.30 41,686 1,985 390 Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
Pauwasi 5 0.07 3,710 742 230 Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Peba-Yaguan 1 0.01 5,690 5,690 5,690 Peru
Penutian 23 0.33 6,879 299 12 Canada, United States
Piawi 2 0.03 2,600 1,300 600 Papua New Guinea
Pidgin 5 0.07 100 20 100 Canada, India, Liberia, Nauru, Papua New Guinea
Quechuan 45 0.65 10,127,900 0.17 225,064 25,000 Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Ramu-Lower Sepik 32 0.46 63,005 1,969 1,080 Papua New Guinea
Salishan 19 0.28 3,134 165 64 Canada, United States
Salivan 3 0.04 16,340 5,447 2,500 Colombia, Venezuela
Senagi 2 0.03 2,960 1,480 1,270 Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Sepik 56 0.81 170,554 3,046 550 Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Siouan 12 0.17 32,760 2,730 85 Canada, United States
Sko 7 0.10 5,665 809 640 Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Somahai 2 0.03 2,200 1,100 200 Indonesia
South Bougainville 9 0.13 67,700 7,522 3,000 Papua New Guinea
South-Central Papuan 21 0.30 16,300 776 380 Indonesia, Papua New Guinea
Tacanan 6 0.09 9,651 1,608 1,180 Bolivia
Tai-Kadai 90 1.30 80,278,295 1.35 891,981 50,400 China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam
Tarascan 2 0.03 175,850 87,925 40,850 Mexico
Tequistlatecan 2 0.03 4,550 2,275 950 Mexico
Tor-Kwerba 24 0.35 16,195 675 400 Indonesia
Torricelli 56 0.81 111,145 1,985 740 Papua New Guinea
Totonacan 12 0.17 282,440 23,537 3,000 Mexico
Totonacan 19 0.28 27,220 1,433 700 Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
Tupi 59 0.85 5,043,747 0.08 85,487 320 Bolivia, Brazil, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru
Unclassified 38 0.55 395,114 10,398 360 Afghanistan, Angola, Brazil, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Colombia, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Mauritania, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Spain, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Viet Nam
Uralic 35 0.51 21,415,040 0.36 611,858 5,750 Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden
Uru-Chipaya 2 0.03 1,202 601 2 Bolivia
Uto-Aztecan 56 0.81 1,984,795 0.03 35,443 6,200 El Salvador, Mexico, United States
Wakashan 4 0.06 795 199 200 Canada
West Papuan 23 0.33 265,425 11,540 3,310 Indonesia
Witotoan 6 0.09 18,306 3,051 150 Colombia, Peru
Yanomam 4 0.06 33,620 8,405 6,410 Brazil, Venezuela
Yele-West New Britain 3 0.04 6,300 2,100 2,000 Papua New Guinea
Yeniseian 2 0.03 192 96 2 Russian Federation
Yuat 6 0.09 7,700 1,283 840 Papua New Guinea
Yukaghir 2 0.03 120 60 30 Russian Federation
Zamucoan 2 0.03 4,870 2,435 1,800 Paraguay
Zaparoan 4 0.06 91 23 5 Ecuador, Peru
Totals 2,469 35.74 879,642,218 14.76

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Part of the Ethnologue, 16th Edition, M. Paul Lewis, Editor.
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