Skip to main content
25th Edition
World
Languages
Countries
Insights
About
Help
Finland
Print
Primary tabs
Country
Languages
Status
(active tab)
Maps
Expand All
Collapse All
1 (National)
Finnish
[fin]
1 (National). Statutory national language (2000, Constitution, Article 17(1,2)). 5,340,000 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 4,840,000 in Finland (2018 census). 30,000 speakers of Tornedalen Finnish. L2 users: 500,000 (2018 Institute for the Languages of Finland). Total users in all countries: 5,679,640 (as L1: 5,023,640; as L2: 656,000).
Swedish
[swe]
1 (National). Statutory national working language (2000, Constitution, Article 17(1,2)). 2,698,000 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 288,000 in Finland (2018 census). L2 users: 2,410,000 (European Commission 2012).
2 (Provincial)
Saami, Inari
[smn]
2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Sodankyla in Lapland, 3 municipalities elsewhere (2003, Sami Language Act No. 1086). 300 (2001 census). 2,000 all Saami in Finland (2018 census). Ethnic population: 700 (1995 M. Krauss).
4 (Educational)
English
[eng]
4 (Educational). 3,890,700 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 20,700 in Finland (2018 census). L2 users: 3,870,000 (European Commission 2012).
5 (Dispersed)
Estonian, Standard
[ekk]
5* (Dispersed). 49,700 in Finland (2018 census).
French
[fra]
5* (Dispersed). 440,400 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 4,400 in Finland (2018 census). L2 users: 436,000 (Beck et al 2018).
German, Standard
[deu]
5* (Dispersed). 1,001,320 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 6,320 in Finland (2018 census). L2 users: 995,000 (2020).
5 (Developing)
Romani, Kalo Finnish
[rmf]
5* (Developing). 10,000 in Finland (2001 census). Total users in all countries: 11,650.
Finnish Sign Language
[fse]
5 (Developing). Recognized language (2011, No. 61, Institute for sign language status). Recognized language (1995, Constitution, Section 17). Recognized language (2015, Sign Language Act 359/2015). 5,000 (2014 EUD). Estimates vary: 3,000 deaf, plus 6,000–9,000 hearing (some L1, some L2, Rainò 2010); 5,000 deaf and 10,000 hearing signers (2006 Institute for the Languages of Finland, 2014 EUD); 26,500 (2014 IMB).
6a (Vigorous)
Meänkieli
[fit]
6a* (Vigorous). 30,000 in Finland (1997 B. Winsa).
6b (Threatened)
Saami, North
[sme]
6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2003, Sami Language Act No. 1086). 1,700 in Finland (2001 census). 2,000 all Saami in Finland (2018 census). Ethnic population: 3,500 (1995 M. Krauss).
7 (Shifting)
Saami, Skolt
[sms]
7 (Shifting). Statutory language of provincial identity in Sodankyla in Lapland, 3 municipalities elsewhere (2003, Sami Language Act No. 1086). 300 in Finland (Salminen 2007). 2,000 all Saami in Finland (2018 census). Ethnic population: 500 (1995 M. Krauss). Total users in all countries: 320.
8a (Moribund)
Finland-Swedish Sign Language
[fss]
8a (Moribund). Recognized language (2015, Sign Language Act 359/2015). 300 in Finland (2021 EUD). 300 deaf sign language users (2021 EUD). Another estimate: approximately 150 deaf and 150 hearing, mostly middle-aged and elderly (Takkinen et al 2015). Total users in all countries: 302.
Karelian
[krl]
8a (Moribund). 5,000 in Finland (2018 Institute for the Languages of Finland).
8b (Nearly extinct)
Livvi
[olo]
8b (Nearly extinct). 5,170 in Finland (2000). Ethnic population: 140,000.
Unestablished
Amharic
[amh]
Unestablished. 1,570 in Finland (2018 census).
Arabic, Mesopotamian Spoken
[acm]
Unestablished. 14,000 in Finland (2018). Total Arabic speakers in Finland: 29,500 (2018 census).
Arabic, North Levantine Spoken
[apc]
Unestablished. 14,000 in Finland (2018). Total Arabic speakers in Finland: 29,500 (2018 census).
Bengali
[ben]
Unestablished. 3,970 in Finland (2018 census).
Bosnian
[bos]
Unestablished. 2,360 in Finland (2018 census).
Bulgarian
[bul]
Unestablished. 2,840 in Finland (2018 census).
Chinese
[zho]
Unestablished. 12,400 in Finland (2018 census).
Dutch
[nld]
Unestablished. 1,650 in Finland (2018 census).
Greek
[ell]
Unestablished. 1,640 in Finland (2018 census).
Hindi
[hin]
Unestablished. 2,370 in Finland (2018 census).
Hungarian
[hun]
Unestablished. 2,960 in Finland (2018 census).
Italian
[ita]
Unestablished. 2,860 in Finland (2018 census).
Japanese
[jpn]
Unestablished. 1,520 in Finland (2018 census).
Kurdish, Northern
[kmr]
Unestablished. 14,100 in Finland (2018 census).
Latvian, Standard
[lvs]
Unestablished. 2,060 in Finland (2018 census).
Lithuanian
[lit]
Unestablished. 1,490 in Finland (2018 census).
Nepali
[npi]
Unestablished. 3,940 in Finland (2018 census).
Persian, Iranian
[pes]
Unestablished. 13,000 in Finland (2018 census).
Polish
[pol]
Unestablished. 5,440 in Finland (2018 census).
Portuguese
[por]
Unestablished. 3,020 in Finland (2018 census).
Romanian
[ron]
Unestablished. 4,420 in Finland (2018 census).
Russian
[rus]
Unestablished. 70,000 in Finland (Arefyev 2012), all users. L1 users: 79,200 (2018 census).
Somali
[som]
Unestablished. 20,900 in Finland (2018 census).
Spanish
[spa]
Unestablished. 98,300 in Finland, all users. L1 users: 8,100 in Finland (2018 census). L2 users: 90,200 (2020).
Swahili
[swh]
Unestablished. 2,070 in Finland (2018 census).
Tagalog
[tgl]
Unestablished. 4,010 in Finland (2018 census).
Tamil
[tam]
Unestablished. 1,920 in Finland (2018 census).
Thai
[tha]
Unestablished. 9,760 in Finland (2018 census).
Tigrigna
[tir]
Unestablished. 1,240 in Finland (2018 census).
Turkish
[tur]
Unestablished. 8,130 in Finland (2018 census).
Ukrainian
[ukr]
Unestablished. 4,410 in Finland (2018 census).
Urdu
[urd]
Unestablished. 3,170 in Finland (2018 census).
Vietnamese
[vie]
Unestablished. 10,400 in Finland (2018 census).