Burundi

Languages

Burundian Sign Language lsb

Scattered. Users: 58,000 (2021 DBS/DOOR/SIL). Estimated 35,000–70,000 deaf signers, assuming 0.3%–0.6% of the total population. Another estimate: 5,000 (2020 ANSB). Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: LSB, Langue des Signes Burundaise Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language

French fra

Major cities. Users: 941,870 in Burundi, all users. L1 users: 1,870 in Burundi (2019). L2 users: 940,000 (Beck et al 2018). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. Alternate Names: Français Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French

Gujarati guj

Users: 2,700 in Burundi (2017). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Gujarati

Kinyarwanda kin

Users: 30,000 in Burundi (2017). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Ruanda-Rundi (D.61)

Rundi run

Widespread. Users: 10,420,000 in Burundi (2017), increasing. 4,000,000 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 10,000,000. Total users in all countries: 11,253,950. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (2005, Constitution, Article 5). Alternate Names: Hima, Kirundi, Urundi Autonym: Ikirundi Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, J, Ruanda-Rundi (D.62)

Swahili swh

Widespread in the capital. L1 in Buyenzi, Quartier asiatique, Muslim and Congolese neighborhoods (probably Congo Swahili [swc]). Spoken by Muslims in other cities like Gitega. Users: 11,800 in Burundi (2017), increasing. Status: 3 (Wider communication). Alternate Names: Kiswahili Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Volta-Congo, Benue-Congo, Bantoid, Southern, Narrow Bantu, Central, G, Swahili (G.42)