Is French a language in Africa?

Is French a language in Africa?

Africa is thus the continent with the most French speakers in the world. French arrived in Africa as a colonial language; these African French speakers are now a large part of the Francophonie….

African French
Language family Indo-European Italic Romance Western Romance Gallo-Romance Oïl French African French

Why is French still an official language in Africa?

The French language was brought to the African continent through colonialism. During the 1950s and 60s, France and Belgium lost control of their African colonies, however, French is still spoken in at least 29 African countries.

Which African countries have French as an official language?

French

Regions Country Status
Africa Senegal official; Wolof most widely spoken
Seychelles co-official with English and Seychellois Creole
Togo official
Tunisia unofficial, but widely used

When did French colonize Africa?

The French presence in Africa dates to the 17th century, but the main period of colonial expansion came in the 19th century with the invasion of Ottoman Algiers in 1830, conquests in West and Equatorial Africa during the so-called scramble for Africa and the establishment of protectorates in Tunisia and Morocco in the …

When did Africa start speaking French?

As a result of French and Belgian colonialism from the 16th century onward, French was introduced to new territories in the Americas, Africa and Asia. Most second-language speakers reside in Francophone Africa, in particular Gabon, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritius, Senegal and Ivory Coast.

Does Nigerian speak French?

SOMETIMES I wonder if Nigerians are aware that the English language is not the only official language of our country Nigeria. Officially, French has been the second official language in this country for the past 19 years. …

Is French the most spoken language in Africa?

Apart from English, French is the most widely-used colonial language in Africa. It’s the official language of many countries in Africa, and spoken by over 100M people, mostly in West Africa. The biggest mostly French-speaking countries in Africa are Madagascar, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal, and Guinea.

Why did France conquer Africa?

The French goal of increasing their stake in West Africa was influenced by similar policies undertaken by their fellow Europeans in Africa culminating in the late nineteenth century with a European “scramble for Africa.” Industrialization and economic conditions in Europe influenced the expansion of European interests …

What 5 countries have French as an official language?

Belgium (the official language in Wallonie)

  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Canada (the official language in Québec)
  • Chad
  • Channel Islands (the official language in Guernsey and Jersey)
  • Comoros
  • Djibouti
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Haiti (the other official language is French Creole)
  • What are four African countries where they speak French?

    Some French-speaking countries in West Africa include: Niger Chad Mali Senegal Togo Bénin Cameroon Ivory Coast Guinea Conakry Burkina Faso

    What are the names of African countries in French?

    African countries in French. Regarding the African continent many countires are spelled the same way in English and in French, such as: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Djibouti, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sychelles, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Togo andZimbabwe.

    How many countries are speaking French in Africa?

    French is widely spoken in much of Northern, Central and Western parts of the African continent . According to Wikipedia, around 115 million people spread across 31 countries in Africa speak French as a first or second language.