We often hear about the British Empire, but tend to forget that France also had an impressive colonial empire. The rise of France's geopolitical dominance from the 16th to the 20th century led the French language to spread across multiple continents, resulting in 29 French-speaking countries (often termed Francophone nations) today.
Here's an overview of the French-speaking countries, listed alphabetically, along with their primary continent or region.
| No | Country | Continent/Region |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belgium | Europe |
| 2 | Benin | Africa (West) |
| 3 | Burkina Faso | Africa (West) |
| 4 | Burundi | Africa (East) |
| 5 | Cameroon | Africa (Central) |
| 6 | Canada | North America |
| 7 | Central African Republic | Africa (Central) |
| 8 | Chad | Africa (Central) |
| 9 | Comoros | Africa (East/Indian Ocean) |
| 10 | Congo (Republic of) | Africa (Central) |
| 11 | Congo (DRC) | Africa (Central) |
| 12 | Côte d'Ivoire | Africa (West) |
| 13 | Djibouti | Africa (East/Horn) |
| 14 | Equatorial Guinea | Africa (Central) |
| 15 | France | Europe |
| 16 | Gabon | Africa (Central) |
| 17 | Guinea | Africa (West) |
| 18 | Haiti | Caribbean/North America |
| 19 | Luxembourg | Europe |
| 20 | Madagascar | Africa (East/Indian Ocean) |
| 21 | Mali | Africa (West) |
| 22 | Monaco | Europe |
| 23 | Niger | Africa (West) |
| 24 | Rwanda | Africa (East) |
| 25 | Senegal | Africa (West) |
| 26 | Seychelles | Africa (Indian Ocean) |
| 27 | Switzerland | Europe |
| 28 | Togo | Africa (West) |
| 29 | Vanuatu | Oceania |
🗺️ What Are Francophone Countries?
Fun Fact: Did you know that the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has designated 20th March as International Francophonie Day? 1
The term Francophone is derived from the French word Francophonie, coined by French Geographer, Onésime Reclus in 1880.
It was initially used to explain the French civilizational influence outside France, and is now used to describe countries that share a common linguistic and cultural identity.
The historical spread of the French language and culture was significant during these timelines:
Early 16th century
Shift from Latin to French as the official language of law and administration in France
Between 17th-19th centuries
Became the lingua franca in Europe due to France's diplomatic influence
Between 17th-20th centuries
Dominant colonial expansion in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific
Today, Francophone countries are grouped under the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) and are defined under these categories:
An institution established in 1970 to promote the French language, the OIF 2 came out with the following estimation of the number of global French speakers in 2018:
Source: OIF
🌍French-speaking Countries by Continent
When we think of French-speakers, we think of the modern Hexagon, of Paris, of baguette and little cafés and stone-walled houses. But there are other places in Europe where French is an official language.
🇫🇷🗼Europe
🦁Africa
Throughout French history, there were two waves of colonial expansion. The first established colonies in the Americas, of which very few survived the aftermath of the French Revolution and Napoleon’s monetary needs. The second wave did not start until after 1830, but soon became one of the largest in the world.
After wars in Vietnam and Algeria, most of the colonies were decolonized fairly peacefully during the sixties. Many of them were on the continent of Africa, and an echo remains of the old colonial power where French remains an official language.
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Congo (Republic of the)
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Côte d'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Niger
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Togo
🗣️North America
France once had extensive territories in the Americas, which it lost at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century. Their occupiers left traces in these regions in the form of the French language, still spoken there today in two different nations.
🏝️Haiti
Haiti is a sovereign nation in the Caribbean on the western end of the island of Hispaniola (the rest of the island is occupied by the Dominican Republic)
Though first claimed by Spain, many French settled on the western end of the island. In 1625, their land was ceded to the French, who imported African slaves to work on sugar plantations there. Haiti was one of the first of the French colonies to gain independence, as Charles X recognised Haiti as a sovereign nation in 1825 (though it was not the end of their worries).
Its two official languages are French and Haitian Creole.
🍁Canada
Canadians can take pride in this fact. After France, we are the world’s second-largest Francophone country. The reason behind this is due to France's colonial expansion by explorer Jacques Cartier in 1534, when he named the colony New France. After France’s defeat in the Seven Years’ War, New France was ceded to Britain in 1763. 3
Even after Canada became independent from Britain, the province of Québec retained its cultural identity, and Québécois, the French dialect spoken there, is a recognised official language.
There are also fairly large francophone communities in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Manitoba.
Thanks to the Official Languages Act, English and French are viewed and used equally in all federal institutions.
Discover France through these interesting insights.
🌊Oceania
Most of the French-speaking islands in the Pacific are still a part of France. However, Vanuatu, a Melanesian archipelago claimed by the French in 1880, became independent a hundred years later.
French is still an official language, next to English and Bislama, a pidgin language particular to Vanuatu (there is not one native language in Vanuatu, but over a hundred, which is why a pidgin is the official language)
Here are some fun facts about France and its official language.
➡️ French-Speaking Regions and Territories
There are many regions where French is widely spoken, but not an official language. Notable examples include India and America.
✨India
Though France never got the foothold in India that the British Empire managed to establish, it did control several regions of India for a time, formerly known as Pondichéry, Karikal, Mahé, and Yanaon.
In 1962, all four districts officially became a part of India as the union territory of Puducherry. The same happened for a second region called Chantannagar. French is an official language in these regions.
✨Louisiana
After the sale of the Louisiana Territory to the freshly-minted United States in 1803, a large swathe of land west of the Mississippi changed hands. The area is now English-speaking, but there are still some pockets where a form of French is spoken, called either Louisiana French or Creole French.
You can hear it spoken on YouTube, for example, in this video. Like many Creole languages, verb forms tend towards the composite forms (and some special conjugations), and greater use of the words “quoi” and “que”.
🏛️The Role of French in International Organizations
French has been widely recognized as a language of diplomacy, both written and spoken, at a global level across multiple continents.
The three key examples include:
United Nations (UN)
- One of the six official languages
- One of the two primary working languages of the Secretariat
- Used in official documents and assemblies
European Union (EU)
- One of its three working languages
- Used in the European Commission, the Court of Justice of the European Union, and the European Parliament.
African Union (AU)
- One of its six official working languages
- Acts as a unifying language for negotiations in Francophone-heavy regions
🤝The Francophonie: An International Community
Remember, we briefly mentioned the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) earlier?
Established in 1970, this is an organization that comprises nations and states that share a common use of the French language and culture. 4
The primary objectives of OIF are as follows:
- Promote the French language and cultural and linguistic diversity
- Promote peace, democracy, and human rights
- Support education, training, higher education, and research
- Develop economic cooperation in the service of sustainable development
| Participation | Number of countries | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Number of members | 53 | Albania, Canada, Congo, Monaco, Vanuatu |
| Number of associate members | 5 | United Arab Emirates, New Caledonia, Cosovo, Qatar, Serbia |
| Number of observers | 32 | Austria, Malta, South Korea, Thailand, Uruguay |
| Total | 90 |
🌐Dynamics of the French Language in the Modern World
The expansion of the French language in the 21st century is here to stay, thanks to the language's historical and global spread across major continents such as Europe, Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific.
Here's an overview of countries with the most French speakers according to OIF's latest data released in 2022. 5
| Rank | Country/Region | Speakers (millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 66 |
| 2 | Congo (DRC) | 48.9 |
| 3 | Algeria | 14.9 |
| 4 | Morocco | 13.4 |
| 5 | Germany | 12.3 |
| 6 | Italy | 11.8 |
| 7 | Cameroon | 11.5 |
| 8 | United Kingdom | 11.3 |
| 9 | Canada (total) | 11 |
| 10 | Ivory Coast | 9.3 |
| 11 | Belgium | 8.8 |
| 12 | Quebec | 8 |
| 13 | Madagascar | 6.9 |
| 14 | Tunisia | 6.3 |
| 15 | Switzerland | 5.9 |
Currently, it's also the fourth most-used language on the Internet. It still faces competition from English as the lingua franca online. However, it remains one of the most taught and learned second languages among non-native speakers both in schools and through online learning.
Do you know that Africa could represent over 85% of the Francophone world by 2050, according to OIF?
If you review the list of the present French-speaking countries (where African countries are the majority), we can expect more language growth in the African region due to higher population growth.
Here's an overview of challenges and opportunities for the French language in various regions.
| Region | Challenges | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| Europe | English dominates business, tech, and research Younger generations prefer to learn and speak English as a second/third language. | Still a major diplomatic working language among international organizations. French language is shared and spread through strong cultural institutions like literature and cinema . |
| Africa | Unequal access to quality French education across countries and locations. Local languages tend to prevail rurally . | Rapid population growth boosts speakers; where it can become lingua franca across ethnic groups .. |
| Americas | More daily usage of Spanish/English French is mostly confined to Canada, Haiti, Caribbean around the region. | Wide range of cultural promotion via music, cinema, tourism; education programs in Canada/Caribbean . |
| Asia & Pacific | English and local languages (Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean) tend to dominate business/higher education | Diplomacy, cultural exchange; tourism or even working with fashion brands. For students, there are international schools, promoting student exchange and official structured learning . |
📚 Learn To Speak French With Superprof
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A one-on-one tutor can both challenge and motivate you, rather than joining a group lesson.
However, a private language coach will be more expensive, even though you know it will come with immense benefits.
When looking for a private tutor, you should look for a native French speaker. It's fine to choose an English speaker who is fluent in French, but if you do go down this path, then be sure to pick someone who has experienced learning French like a native, perhaps attending French school from a young age, so that the French language is natural to them.
The obvious choice, since you’re here on our blog, is to try one of our Superprof tutors for French lessons near you. You can even get free French lessons - or one, at least, as most of the Superprof coaches offer their first lesson for free to ensure that you are happy with the coaching and are comfortable with the student-tutor relationship.
We hope you enjoyed reading our article. Have fun exploring French!
French is a language that makes those who speak it both calm and dynamic.
Benard Pivot
References
- International Francophonie Day | UNESCO. (n.d.). Www.unesco.org. https://www.unesco.org/en/days/francophonie
- Organisation Internationale De La Francophonie. (n.d.). Portail De l’Organisation Internationale De La Francophonie (OIF). Organisation Internationale de La Francophonie. https://www.francophonie.org/francophonie-brief-1763
- Signing of the Treaty of Paris and of the Royal Proclamation of 1763: Great Britain officially takes control of New France - Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages of Canada. (2024). Clo-Ocol.gc.ca. https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/signing-treaty-paris-royal-proclamation-1763-great-britain-officially-takes-control-new-france
- Portail de l’Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). (2022). Organisation Internationale de La Francophonie. https://www.francophonie.org/90-etats-et-gouvernements-125
- Qui parle français dans le monde – Organisation internationale de la Francophonie – Langue française et diversité linguistique. (n.d.). https://observatoire.francophonie.org/qui-parle-francais-dans-le-monde/
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