Djibouti

Summary

Official Name

Republic of Djibouti

International Conventions

ACHPR (1991), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2007), ICCPR (2002), UNCRPD (2012), UNDRIP (2007)

Population

974,000

Principal Languages

French, Standard Arabic

Literacy Rate

68% (Roser and Ortiz-Ospina 2018)

General References

Welmers 1971a

Language Counts

The number of established languages listed for Djibouti is 5. All are living languages. Of these, 2 are indigenous and 3 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 2 are institutional, 2 are developing, and 1 is vigorous. Also listed are 2 unestablished languages.

Languages

Afar aar: Ali Sabieh region: southwest of regional capital; Arta region: southwest of Ghoubet Kharab; Dikhil, Obock, and Tadjoura regions; Red Sea coast. Users: 196,000 in Djibouti (2018). Ethnic population: 335,000 (2017). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Afaraf, Qafar, Qafar af, Qafaraf, ʿAfár af, “Danakil” (pej.) Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Saho-Afar
Amharic amh: Users: 3,260 in Djibouti (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, South, Ethiopian, South, Transversal, Amharic-Argobba
Arabic, Omani Spoken acx: Users: 77,200 in Djibouti (2018). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Standard arb: Users: 40,100 in Djibouti (2015 SIL), all users. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 1). Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
Arabic, Ta’izzi-Adeni Spoken acq: Scattered. Users: 71,200 in Djibouti (2018). Status: 6a* (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Djibouti Arabic Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Semitic, Central, South, Arabic
French fra: Users: 485,900 in Djibouti, all users. L1 users: 20,900 in Djibouti (2019). L2 users: 465,000 (Beck et al 2018). Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 1). Alternate Names: Français Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Somali som: Ali Sabieh, Arta, and Djibouti regions. Users: 585,000 in Djibouti (2018). Ethnic population: 524,000 (2014 World Factbook). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Af-Soomaali Classification: Afro-Asiatic, Cushitic, East, Somali

Languages by Status

1 (National)

French

[fra] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 1). 485,900 in Djibouti, all users. L1 users: 20,900 in Djibouti (2019). L2 users: 465,000 (Beck et al 2018).

Arabic, Standard

[arb] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 1). 40,100 in Djibouti (2015 SIL), all users.

5 (Dispersed)

Afar

[aar] 5* (Dispersed). 196,000 in Djibouti (2018). Ethnic population: 335,000 (2017).

Somali

[som] 5* (Dispersed). 585,000 in Djibouti (2018). Ethnic population: 524,000 (2014 World Factbook).

6a (Vigorous)

Arabic, Ta’izzi-Adeni Spoken

[acq] 6a* (Vigorous). 71,200 in Djibouti (2018).