Gambia

Languages

Bambara bam

Users: 20,500 in Gambia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-East, Northeastern Manding, Bamana

English eng

Widespread. Users: 67,700 in Gambia, all users. L1 users: 2,000 in Gambia (Biel 2014). L2 users: 65,700 (2019). Status: 1 (National). De facto national language. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English

Guinea-Bissau Creole pov

Users: 21,300 in Gambia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, Portuguese based

Jola-Fonyi dyo

West Coast division: southwest. Users: 117,000 in Gambia (2018). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Diola-Fogny, Jola, Jola-Fogny, Jóola fóoñi, Kujamataak, Kújoolaak Kati Fooñi, Yola Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Bak, Jola, Jola Proper, Jola Central, Jola-Fonyi

Karon krx

West Coast division: south coast, from Senegal border north to Brikama. Users: 10,800 in Gambia (2016), increasing. No monolinguals. Ethnic population: 60,000. Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Kaloon, Karone, Karoninka, Kulonay Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Bak, Jola, Jola Proper, Karon-Mlomp

Krio kri

Banjul region. Users: 16,200 in Gambia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Creole, English based, Atlantic, Krio

Mandinka mnk

Widespread. Users: 879,000 in Gambia (2014). Status: 3 (Wider communication). The secondary LWC of commerce and the media, after Wolof [wof] (Biel 2014). Alternate Names: Manding, Mandingo, Mandinque, Mandé, Socé Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-West

Mandjak mfv

West Coast division: south of Gambia river. Users: 37,700 in Gambia (2018). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Kanyop, Mandjaque, Mandyak, Manjaca, Manjack, Manjaco, Manjacu, Manjago, Manjiak, Ndyak Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Bak, Manjaku-Papel

Maninkakan, Western mlq

Upper River division. Users: 4,260 in Gambia (2016). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Malinka, Malinke, Northwestern Maninka Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-West

Mankanya knf

Users: 1,960 in Gambia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Bak, Manjaku-Papel

Mansoanka msw

Users: 2,130 in Gambia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Southern, Sua

N’ko nqo

Scattered. Users: No known L1 speakers in Gambia. Ethnic population: No ethnic community. Status: 9 (Second language only). Classification: Mixed language

Pulaar fuc

Central River, Lower River, North Bank, and Upper River divisions. Users: 377,000 in Gambia (2018). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Fulani, Fulbe Jeeri, Fulfulde-Pulaar, Peul, Peulh, Pulaar Fulfulde Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fula-Wolof, Fula, Western

Serahule snk

Southeast corner, mainly MacCarthy Island and Upper River divisions. 17 villages. Users: 130,000 in Gambia (2018), increasing. Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: Sarakole, Sarakule, Sarakulle, Saraxuli, Soninke, Sooninkanxanne Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Northwestern, Soninke-Bobo, Soninke-Boso, Soninke

Serer-Sine srr

North Bank division: northwest. Users: 52,300 in Gambia (2018). Status: 6a (Vigorous). Alternate Names: Seereer, Serer, Serer-Sin, Serrer, Sine-Saloum Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Serer

Wolof, Gambian wof

North Bank division: Kombo north of Saint Mary’s district, Serekunda and Bakau, Banjul; Central River and Upper River divisions. Users: 314,000 (2018). Status: 3 (Wider communication). The main LWC in The Gambia, used extensively in commerce and the media (Biel 2014). In Serekunde, the largest town in Gambia, 70% of the population uses Wolof as an L2 despite the small number of ethnic Wolof in the town. Autonym: Wolof Classification: Niger-Congo, Atlantic-Congo, Atlantic, Northern, Senegambian, Fula-Wolof, Wolof

Xasonga kao

Users: 2,130 in Gambia (2016). Status: Unestablished. Alternate Names: Khassonké Classification: Niger-Congo, Mande, Western, Central-Southwestern, Central, Manding-Jogo, Manding-Vai, Manding-Mokole, Manding, Manding-West