As an active French learner or someone who is into language learning, you must have heard the phrase, “Parlez vous francais?”. It designates “Do you speak French?” in English.
This question is pretty common in 28 independent nations of the world, plus 8 dependent entities where French is the official language. Most of these countries are a member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF). They are members of the OIF because the French language has had a rich history in their countries, and the influence of the French is woven into modern society.
French is an official language in 29 countries, but as a first language, it is predominantly spoken in:
7–10 countries (e.g., France, parts of Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco, Quebec in Canada, and select African nations).
In most other countries where French is official, it is commonly spoken as a second or administrative language rather than the mother tongue.
There are also many other different types of areas (like non-sovereign entities, national subdivisions, and territories) where French is officially recognized as a culturally important language, and some of these places actively try to preserve the language within their population.
Percentage of French Speakers Across The World
French is one of the most widely spoken languages globally, with its influence spanning continents due to historical colonization, diplomacy, and culture. Here's a breakdown:
Global French-Speaking Population
- Approximately 321 million people worldwide speak French as a native, second, or foreign language (2023 estimates).
- This accounts for about 4% of the world’s population.
Distribution by Region
- Europe:
- Around 40% of global French speakers.
- Includes France, Belgium, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and parts of other European countries.
- Africa:
- Nearly 60% of French speakers are in Africa.
- French serves as an official or administrative language in 29 African countries, with significant use in education, government, and media.
- Americas:
- Notable French-speaking populations in Canada (primarily Quebec), parts of the Caribbean (e.g., Haiti), and French Guiana.
- Asia-Pacific:
- Includes French Polynesia, New Caledonia, and Vietnam (historical influence).
- Middle East:
- Lebanon and parts of North Africa (e.g., Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco) have strong French-speaking communities.
Levels of Proficiency
- Native Speakers: Approximately 80 million, primarily in France, parts of Belgium, Switzerland, and Quebec (Canada).
- Secondary/Fluent Speakers: Around 141 million speak French as a second or official language, especially in Africa.
- Learners: About 100 million people are learning French as a foreign language, making it the second most-taught language worldwide after English.
So, where in all the world can you go and benefit from speaking French? Let’s find out!
European Countries That Speak French
Obviously, Europe is the place where the French dialect we are likely thinking about is mostly used: France French.
Since it’s the place where the language originates, and it’s surrounded by its cousins (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, English), you can all but guarantee that you’ll encounter a French speaker or two if you travel to Europe.
French Is The Only Official Language In…
- Monaco
- France (Metropolitan & overseas territories)
Metropolitan France simply refers to the area in Europe that you’ll see labeled on a map as “France.” (I used to think it meant that the area near Paris was considered a separate entity because it’s a metropolitan city, but it actually refers to “the parent state of a colony/colonies.”)
The 13 overseas territories of France where French is the only official language are:
- Réunion
- Guadeloupe
- Martinique
- French Guiana
- Mayotte
- French Polynesia
- Saint Barthélemy
- Saint Martin
- Saint Pierre and Miquelon
- Wallis and Futuna
- New Caledonia
- French Southern and Antarctic Lands
- Clipperton Island
Although, you won’t have much company in the last two areas, as they are both uninhabited…
And while these territories are not all located in Europe, I’m mentioning them here for the sake of clarity and flow of information.
French Is One of the Official Languages In…
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Switzerland
Each of these countries recognizes French as one of their official languages.
African Countries Where French is Spoken
France has a long, extensive history of colonizing areas of Africa. As a result, many African nations have a lot of historical French influence, but have since gained their independence from France. Even still, French is entwined within their culture, so the language lives on in local dialects and accents.
French Is The Only Official Language In…
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Congo
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Niger
- Senegal
- Seychelles
- Togo
French Is One of the Official Languages In…
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Chad
- Central African Republic
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- Equatorial Guinea
- Madagascar
- Rwanda
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North American Countries That Speak French
Like Africa, France also colonized and settled in parts of North America. First, they arrived in modern-day Canada, then the US, but their settlements failed time and time again due to bad weather, disease, lack of supplies, and hostility from the indigenous people.
Over time, they eventually managed to found Quebec, explore the Mississippi River, and make a settlement called Louisiana. Borders and territories were disputed and changed many times as the Spanish and British also fought to claim land in the New World, but the French influence remained.
While French is not the official language in many places in North America, it definitely has a presence. You can find a lot of French influence in places like French Canada (obviously), Maine, and the areas around Louisiana.
For example, in much of the USA, signs and important literature will be provided in English and Spanish, since there are a lot of Spanish speakers in the country (due to Mexico being the neighbor). But in Maine, you're more likely to find signage in English and French!
French Is One of the Official Languages In…
- Canada
Island Nations That Speak French
In the late 18th century, France began staking claims in the Caribbean.
In 1768, the French arrived at the island of Ambae, one of the Vanuatu Islands near Australia. They traded with some locals before moving on. Years later, the French returned, and in the typical fashion of Europeans, claimed the island and fought over it with the British.
French Is One of the Official Languages In…
- Haiti
- Vanuatu
Other French-Speaking Places
France was deeply involved in the colonialization of the world when it was a new thing to do. In the late 1600s and early 1700s, France had settled in 5 different parts of India.
They even set up the French East India Company, becoming competitors with other traders at the time.
Most of these territories were taken by the British in the 18th century after a series of wars weakened France.
Due to France’s global excursions and settlements, there are many other places on Earth besides the aforementioned countries and territories that speak French.
Places Where French is the Only Official Language
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Jura, Switzerland
- Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- Quebec, Canada
- Vaud, Switzerland
- Valais, Switzerland
Places Where French is One of the Official Languages
- Aosta Valley, Italy
- Bern, Switzerland
- Brussels, Belgium
- Fribourg, Switzerland
- Jersey
- New Brunswick, Canada
- Northwest Territories, Canada
- Nunavut, Canada
- Puducherry, India
- Valais, Switzerland
- Wallonia, Belgium
- Yukon, Canada
Places Where French is Not an Official Language, But is Very Present
- Guernsey
- Lebanon
- Mauritius
- Louisiana
- Algeria
- Cambodia
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Tunisia
- Vietnam
Why Should You Learn French?
As you can see, French has a global influence!
All in all, there are
- 13 countries where French is the only official language
- 15 countries where French is one of the official languages
- 13 French overseas territories where French is the official language
- 32 other cities, countries, and places where French is widely used
- In total, there are 60 places on Earth where French is recognized as an important and useful language
Even though it may not be as acknowledged as a language like English, it is still very much present in many places today. The one caveat: different areas will have different dialects!
Cajun French, Quebecois French, France French, and Senegalese French are all very different from one another; just as American English, British English, Indian English, and Australian English are all very different.
Even so, with some knowledge of French, you can make do in most places.
Overall, French is a very good choice of language to learn if you want to travel in Europe, Africa, and North America!
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