It’s not only in France that people speak French. There are numerous countries in Africa where people speak French as a first or second language. Here is a list of African countries where people speak French.
French-speaking African countries
Because of colonization, Africa has the largest population of French-speaking people. Some countries still speak their native indigenous languages but others have really adapted French as a first language like in the Ivory Coast and in Gabon. In other countries, it depends on which social-class you fit. In Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria, it’s the upper-class who speak French as a first language. The ‘Scramble for Africa’ is a dark and sad part of African history but to know more about these countries, you need to learn all about their colonization.
Algeria
The French invaded Algeria in 1830 with the Invasion of Algiers. Algeria was under French rule until their independence. The war for their independence lasted from 1954-1962 but turmoil started during World War 1. Some have called the French invasion a genocide.
Benin (formerly known as Dahomey)
Benin’s official language is French but other local languages are commonly spoken. It was part of the huge slave trade. Europeans would kidnap Africans to sell them in North America. After slavery was abolished, France took over the country. Benin gained its independence in 1960.
Burkina Faso
The official government and business language of Burkina Faso is French. The French, English and German were all fighting to take over this country but France won in 1896. Burkina Faso stayed a French colony until 1960.
Cameroon
Cameroon is divided in French and English since both France and England colonized this country. Even though it became a German colony in 1884, after World War II, the country was divided between the French and English. Cameroon gained its independence in 1960.
Central African Republic
The two main languages in Central African Republic is French and Sango but Sango is the country’s official language. The French colonized this country from the late 19th century until 1960.
Chad
Chad’s official languages are French and Arabic but there are 20 different ethnic and linguistic groups. It was a French colony from 1900-1960. Like many colonized countries, Chad has suffered from a slow modernization.
Comoros
Comoros is a set of tiny islands in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Tanzania, Mozambique and Madagascar. The French ruled these islands from 1841 to 1978. Approximately 40% of the Comoros population were slaves.
Republic of the Congo
This central African country used to be part of the French colony but gained independence in 1960. Unfortunately, there has been a lot of instability in the country because of the political climate and because of its Marxist-Leninist state. The whole educational system is still in French.
Ivory Coast
The Ivory Coast is another one of France’s old colonies during the scramble for Africa. The country achieved their independence in 1960 but they are still very close to their colonizers and their official language is still French.
Djibouti
Djibouti is located in the Northeastern part of Africa. Since it is quite close to the Middle East, there are a lot of Arabic influences. The three official languages are Somali, Arabic and French. It was only in 1977, during their third referendum that Djibouti official gained its independence.
Equatorial Guinea
Even though Equatorial Guinea’s official language is Spanish and was a Spanish colony, it is still a French-speaking country (but mostly in some of the bordering towns). French became an official language so the country could join the International Organization of La Francophonie.
Gabon
This Central African country gained independence from France in 1960 like most of the other African countries. The official language is French and it is estimated that more than 10,000 native French people live in Gabon.
Guinea
Guinea used to be called French Guinea and is a composed of 85% of Muslims. French is the official language, used in schools, government administration, the media, etc. The country gained its independence in October 1958
Madagascar
Madagascar is an island off the Eastern coast of the continent, located in the Indian Ocean. The French first invaded the country in 1883 which started the Franco-Havo War. The two official languages are Malagasy and French. The country achieved its independence in 1960 and has since become an Independent State.
Mali
Mali is a country in the Western part of Africa and is the 8th largest country in the continent. Mali was colonized by the French during the African scramble and achieved its independence in 1960.
Mauritius
This Indian Ocean country includes both the Mauritius and Rodrigues islands. The country is part of the French overseas department. Before becoming a French colony it was a Dutch colony and the British took over from the French in 1810. The country is named after Maurice, the Prince of Orange. You’ll be able to learn some Creole!
Morocco
Morocco is a mostly Islamic country that speaks Moroccan and Hassaniya Arabic but also French. The French established a protectorate on Morocco in 1912 and controlled most of the country. Morocco gained its independence in 1956 so the French protectorate was demolished.
Niger
This landlocked country in the North Western part of Africa is mostly Islamic but the official language is French. The country became a French colony in 1922 and gained its independence in 1958.
Réunion
Réunion is a neighbouring island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It is also part of the French overseas department. The island was first populated by the French in the 17th century. The official language is still French but the inhabitants mostly speak Réunion Créole. It is part of the Eurozone which means the euro is used.
Rwanda
Rwanda is one of the smallest African countries. It has four official languages: Kinyarwanda, English, French and Swahili. Even though the country was first colonized by the Germans, the Belgians took control of Rwanda in 1916. The country achieved independence in 1962.
Senegal
This West African country gained independence from France in 1960. The two countries have kept diplomatic relations and still do a lot of trade. There are a large number of Senegalese that have immigrated to France from the Senegal River area because of climate change.
Seychelles
The Seychelles archipelago islands are located in the Indian Ocean, and the three main languages are English, French and Seychellois Creole. This country has been colonized by the Dutch, the English and the French. The name ‘Seychelles’ comes from Louis XV’s Minister of Finance, Jean Moreau de Séchelles.
Togo
Togo is one of the smallest countries in Africa and the official language is French. It was the Germans who first colonized this country but after World War I, the French took over. Togo achieved its independence from France in 1960.
Tunisia
Tunisia’s official language is Arabic because of its close ties with Algeria and the Middle East but was invaded by the French in 1881 and France made Tunisia a French protectorate. Tunisia achieved its independence in 1956.
Did you travel in one of these African countries?
