Which country has the highest number of different languages within its borders?
Tiny Papua New Guinea is all of 462,840 square kilometres in size, about as big as the state of California. Despite its small size, it is the most linguistically diverse country on the planet. According to recent data, 841 different languages are listed for the country, although 11 of these have no known living speakers.
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What are your thoughts on this subject?
76 Comments
Cindie J. Gonzales
Obviously, they've never walked through a Target in California.
33
Feb 8, 2015 6:12PM
Bill Coe
Jack Gannon Jr., Perhaps, you could learn to read and write in your own language before you put down other people. There/they're. Your/you're. Im/I'm. And, if you look on the left side of your keyboard, you will see a key that says "Caps Lock". You may want to learn how to use that.
18
Aug 1, 2017 12:50AM
Lf Resident
"Them"? Jack Gannon, when your ancestors came here, did they speak English? I doubt that. Most likely, with the name 'Gannon' they have a French ancestry and emigrated to Canada, spoke French, and then emigrated to the US. etc. etc.......and here YOU are today....an American.
11
Apr 2, 2015 2:09PM
Noel Dsouza
India has 22 official languages. According to Census of India, the total number of mother tongues spoken in India is 1652. However, only around 150 languageshave a sizable speaking population. The Indian census of 1961 recognised 1,652 different languages in India (including languages not native to the subcontinent).
8
Aug 1, 2017 3:57PM
blawrence
Jack Gannon Jr., im sure Native Americans could say the same about whites correct?
8
Aug 1, 2017 5:58PM
Jim Hubbard
Jack Gannon Jr., after reading your comment, I'm not sure you know what "our" language is.
8
Aug 2, 2017 12:12AM
Bill Coe
John Sandherr, 250 is a little less than 841, don't you think?
7
Aug 1, 2017 12:51AM
Jim Hubbard
It would probably be helpful for those disputing the correct answer to go the link provided in the explanation and find the country you believe should be the "correct" one to see where that country ranks.
As a side note, someone who speaks a non-native language traveling to another country does not count toward the languages spoken in that country. We're discussing residents.
6
Aug 2, 2017 12:17AM
Janet Kay Julien
Were ALL the Native American languages included in that count?
6
Dec 25, 2014 2:42AM
Joann Peele
True Americans all speak many many languages
6
Feb 17, 2015 6:56PM
Howard Groopman
It would be just my luck to know 840 of those languages, then have a native ask me something in the one I didn't know.
1
Mar 30, 2019 6:33PM
Lynne Zeman
I thought Papua New Guinea would have a relatively low population, but I looked it up and in 2018 the population was more than 8,400,000.
0
Mar 22, 2019 8:45PM
Evelyn Bauc Hope Fairgrieve
Not achanceofthisbeing right
3
Dec 16, 2018 1:05PM
Christopher J Voce
Obviously never walked through Victoria Market in Melbourne, or Dalston High Street in East London !!
0
Dec 12, 2018 11:20PM
Joel Mercier
Cindie J. Gonzales, or walmart in Malton
2
Dec 12, 2018 6:34AM
Cottec
Got it.
0
Dec 12, 2018 5:40AM
Corey Taylor
Cindie J. Gonzales, you need a Target for that? You can walk down any street in L.A. and learn about 50 different languages, including liberal gibberish!
2
Dec 12, 2018 1:39AM
Terry Clark
Although I answered correctly, had difficulty deciding as the question is not very well worded. I had to decide if they were asking about diversity of languages spoken or number of indigenous languages spoken, decided it meant the 2nd interpretation therefore answered correctly.
0
Dec 11, 2018 7:36PM
Fred Keogh
Heard this through an excellent tv documentary in the UK
0
Dec 10, 2018 3:08AM
Ed Taber
Jack Gannon jr, You really stirred up the local intelligentsia!
2
Dec 10, 2018 12:32AM
Dennis Ripley
Got it, however India is right up there.
0
Dec 9, 2018 7:58AM
Michael Topliss
Process of elimination.
0
Dec 8, 2018 9:56AM
Dave Oakes
Australia has more.
0
Nov 28, 2018 12:16AM
Richard Fairbank
Dang. I'm 8 for 8 today.
0
May 8, 2018 5:37PM
Mary Pocock
Julie Cowan, very diverse cultures, a fascinating country!
0
Apr 12, 2018 9:38AM
Author:
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