Demographics of Ethiopia - Languages

Languages

There are 90 individual languages of Ethiopia according to Ethnologue, with the 1994 Ethiopian census indicating that some 77 tongues were spoken locally. Most of these languages belong to the Afro-Asiatic family (Semitic and Cushitic). Omotic languages are also spoken, though their classification is uncertain. Additionally, Nilo-Saharan languages are spoken by the nation's Nilotic ethnic minorities.

Amharic 32.7% (as a first language), Oromigna 31.6%, Tigrinya 6.1%, Somali 6.0%, Guragigna 3.5%, Sidamo 3.5%, other local languages; Arabic, English (major foreign language taught in schools),

Amharic is the official national language. It was also the language of primary school instruction, but has been replaced in many areas by local languages such as Oromifa and Tigrinya. English is the most widely spoken foreign language and is taught in all secondary schools.

Read more about this topic:  Demographics Of Ethiopia

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