Over 333.5 million people in the world speak French, making it the sixth most-spoken language. And if you’re one of those people, you’ll be right at home in France, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, and any of the many French-speaking countries around the world!
Discover how many countries speak French as you plan your next trip, explore French culture, or connect with new friends. You may just find your next destination with a continent-by-continent list of the places French is spoken.
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How many countries speak French?
Listing the countries that speak French isn’t as straightforward as it seems. Today, more than 25 countries list French as their official language (also known as the de jure language). But many more countries and territories have significant French-speaking populations, even when French isn’t considered an official language (known as the de facto language, or commonly spoken language). The International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF) lists 95 member states with substantial French-speaking populations, plus another 22 countries and territories outside the OIF, for a total of 117.
The number of official French-speaking countries changes as countries shift their official languages in legislation and in their constitutions. For example, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali have recently changed their official languages and replaced French with Indigenous or other majority languages.
To create our list of French-speaking countries, we included all 26 countries that currently name French as an official language, as well as the 23 countries and territories where more than 20% of the population speaks French, for a total of 49 countries and territories.
French-speaking countries list
Today, there are 26 countries that claim French as an official language.
- Belgium (co-official with Dutch and German)
- Benin
- Burundi (co-official with Kirundi and English)
- Cameroon (co-official with English)
- Canada (co-official with English)
- Central African Republic (co-official with Sango)
- Chad (co-official with Arabic)
- Comoros (co-official with Comorian and Arabic)
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti (co-official with Arabic)
- Equatorial Guinea (co-official with Spanish and Portuguese)
- France
- Gabon
- Guinea (co-official with 40 national languages)
- Haiti (co-official with Haitian Creole)
- Luxembourg (co-official with Luxembourgish and German)
- Madagascar (co-official with Malagasy)
- Monaco
- Republic of the Congo
- Rwanda (co-official with Kinyarwanda, English, and Swahili)
- Senegal
- Seychelles (co-official with Seychellois Creole and English)
- Switzerland (co-official with German, French, and Romansh)
- Togo
- Vanuatu (co-official with Bislama, English, and French)
French-speaking countries in Africa
There are 18 official French-speaking countries in Africa, making it home to the highest number of French speakers in the world.
| Country* | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Gabon | 1.7 million | 66% | Yes |
| Republic of the Congo | 3.9 million | 61% | Yes |
| Seychelles | 70,000 | 53% | Yes |
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 57 million | 51% | Yes |
| Djibouti | 592,000 | 50% | Yes |
| Cameroon | 12 million | 41% | Yes |
| Togo | 4 million | 41% | Yes |
| Comoros | 333,000 | 38% | Yes |
| Côte d’Ivoire | 12 million | 36% | Yes |
| Benin | 4.9 million | 34% | Yes |
| Equatorial Guinea | 560,000 | 29% | Yes |
| Senegal | 5.2 million | 28% | Yes |
| Guinea | 4.2 million | 28% | Yes |
| Madagascar | 8.7 million | 27% | Yes |
| Central African Republic | 1.3 million | 24% | Yes |
| Chad | 2.6 million | 13% | Yes |
| Burundi | 1.25 million | 9% | Yes |
| Rwanda | 748,000 | 5% | Yes |
Two major French-speaking overseas departments and regions of France are also located in Africa:
| French Territory | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Mayotte | 212,000 | 63% | Yes |
| Réunion | 777,000 | 68% | Yes |
Additionally, French remains a popular language in African countries like Morocco, which does not list French as a national language, and Burkina Faso, where French is a working language in business and education.
| Country* | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Mauritius | 921,000 | 73% | No |
| Tunisia | 6.5 million | 53% | No |
| Morocco | 13.9 million | 36% | No |
| Burkina Faso | 5.5 million | 23% | No |
| Mali | 5 million | 20% | No |
| São Tomé and Príncipe | 49,000 | 20% | No |
*Data from www.francophonie.org, worlddata.info, and worldpopulationreview.com
French-speaking countries in Europe
The second-highest concentration of French speakers is in Europe. Five French-speaking countries in Europe list it as an official language, and the highest number is in France, where over 93% of the population speaks French. The OIF also includes French-speaking communities within other countries, such as the French Community of Belgium (or Wallonia-Brussels Federation) and Saarland within Germany.
| Country | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Monaco | 37,000 | 97% | Yes |
| France | 66.8 million | 96% | Yes |
| Luxembourg | 616,000 | 90% | Yes |
| Belgium | 9 million | 77% | Yes |
| Switzerland | 6 million | 67% | Yes |
If your next trip is to one of these countries where French isn’t an official language, you’ll still find many French speakers!
| Country | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Andorra | 58,000 | 70% | No |
| Algeria | 15.5 million | 33% | No |
| Netherlands | 5 million | 28% | No |
| Portugal | 2.5 million | 24% | No |
| Italy | 12.4 million | 21% | No |
French-speaking countries in the Americas and the Caribbean
Nearly 10 million French speakers live in Canada, making North America home to the third-highest number of French speakers in the world. With 11 million French speakers located mainly in the province of Quebec, Canada is one of the two most prominent francophone countries in the Americas and the Caribbean.
| Country | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Haiti | 5 million | 42% | Yes |
| Canada | 11 million | 27% | Yes |
Six territories and overseas departments of France also have large populations of French speakers. While Sint Maarten is a mainly Dutch-speaking country, the French collectivity of Saint Martin on the other side of the island uses French as an official language.
| Territory | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Saint Pierre and Miquelon | 6,000 | 100% | Yes |
| Saint Martin | 23,000 | 100% | Yes |
| Guadeloupe | 314,000 | 84% | Yes |
| Saint Barthélemy | 10,000 | 84% | Yes |
| Martinique | 276,000 | 81% | Yes |
| French Guiana | 194,000 | 62% | Yes |
French-speaking countries in Asia and Oceania
Like many areas of Africa and the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania have countries where French is spoken due to centuries of French exploration and colonization. While most of the countries have official languages other than French, you’ll be able to find many people who speak French in Lebanon and Vanuatu.
| Country | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| Lebanon | 2.2 million | 38% | No |
| Vanuatu | 80,000 | 24% | Yes |
In three special collectivities of France located in Oceania, French is the official language and is spoken by the majority of people living there.
| French Territory | Number of Speakers | Population Percentage | Official Language? |
| New Caledonia | 292,000 | 99% | Yes |
| French Polynesia | 276,000 | 98% | Yes |
| Wallis and Futuna | 10,000 | 88% | Yes |
Are there different French dialects?
As one of the most widely spoken languages, it’s no surprise that there are numerous French dialects within countries that speak French. No matter which dialect you’ll need to speak or understand, Rosetta Stone can help you learn French all in one program.
Dialects present certain nuances specific to each region. For example, native French speakers in Haiti not only sound slightly different from native French speakers in Belgium, but they also have their own slang. One of the most distinct French dialects is Haitian Creole, and it is the most popular of the French-based Creole languages.
French dialects in Canada
In Canada, there are five regional dialects of French: Acadian French, Chiac, Newfoundland French, Quebec French, and Ontario French. Some are influenced by global standard French, the kind taught in schools and spoken in France, while others are influenced by Creole populations or colonial French settlers.
French dialects in the US and the Caribbean
Within the US (primarily the state of Louisiana) and French-speaking countries in the Caribbean, you’ll hear a number of French dialects, including French Creole languages. Louisiana French is a mixture of colonial and French Creole, which is a collection of languages that combines aspects of French, Indian, and African languages, a result of French colonization in the 17th century. Louisiana Creole and Cajun communities still speak a distinct Louisiana Creole language alongside the Louisiana French that remains a widely spoken and unofficial language for the state.
French dialects in Africa
In Africa, there are multiple regional differences influenced by native languages and former colonial powers. One of the larger distinctions is between the French spoken along the Ivory Coast and the French spoken in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Ivory Coast French uses many loanwords from regional African languages, and standard French terms have evolved to take on new meanings. On the other hand, French used in the Congo is heavily influenced by the four national languages— Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, and Tshiluba—that are spoken more often in the country.
How else is French used around the world?
If you’ve ever watched an international sporting event, you’ve likely heard announcements made in French. That’s because French is an official language for multiple international organizations, such as the United Nations, the European Union, the International Association Football Federation, the International Olympic Committee, Doctors Without Borders, and more. It’s considered a lingua franca (common tongue) in many international settings.
Key takeaways about French-speaking countries
Now that you’ve seen how far French stretches around the globe, you’re ready to plan your next trip to a French-speaking country!
- Populations of French speakers can be found on every continent on Earth, even in areas where French isn’t an official language.
- Countries and territories with the largest percentages of French speakers include Saint Pierre and Miquelon (100%), New Caledonia (99%), French Polynesia (98%), Monaco (97%), France (96%), Luxembourg (90%), Saint Martin (84%), and Mauritius (73%).
- Other regions with large numbers of French speakers include Quebec in Canada, the French Community of Belgium, and the state of Saarland in Germany.
- Although French is one of the most popular languages spoken in the world, it exists in many areas as French dialects or French creoles.
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