Official status records whether a government or body has formally recognized a language. Wikipedia notes that Spanish "is the official language of 21 countries, as well as one of the six official languages of the United Nations," a formal standing well beyond how widely it is merely spoken. This dimension separates languages with formal recognition from those spoken without any official status.
Facts
Comparison
Estimated Speakers (Millions) Official Status
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Indo-Aryan Languages
WikipediaLead section, first paragraphQuote, Lead section, first paragraph
As of the early 21st century, there were 800 million speakers, primarily concentrated east of the Indus River in South Asia, spread across Eastern Pakistan, Northern India, southern Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.