The findings, released by the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) on March 20 to mark International Francophonie Day, highlight the growing global influence of French, particularly in Africa. The language is now also the second most widely taught worldwide, after English.
France remains the country with the largest French-speaking population, at more than 66 million people. It is followed by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where around 57 million people speak French—over half of its population. Algeria ranks third, with approximately 15 million speakers, representing about one-third of its population.
The OIF projects continued strong growth in the number of French speakers in the coming decades, driven largely by expanding education systems and rapid population growth across African nations.
Globally, French now ranks behind English, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish when both native and second-language speakers are considered. In business, it is the third most commonly used language, while it ranks fourth in terms of Internet presence.
International Francophonie Day, observed annually on March 20 since 1980, celebrates the French language and cultural diversity, and promotes cooperation among member states. Nearly 400 million people worldwide now speak French, including close to one million in Vietnam.