Sudan

Arabic, Standard

[arb] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (2005, Interim Constitution, Article 8(3)). 26,900,000 in Sudan (2015 SIL), all users.

English

[eng] 1 (National). Statutory national working language (2005, Interim Constitution, Article 8(3)).

3 (Wider communication)

Arabic, Sudanese Spoken

[apd] 3 (Wider communication). De facto language of national identity. Used as an L2 by all other language groups in Sudan. 39,100,000 in Sudan, all users. L1 users: 30,100,000 in Sudan (2017). L2 users: 9,000,000 (2019). Total users in all countries: 42,332,360 (as L1: 33,332,360; as L2: 9,000,000).

5 (Dispersed)

Hausa

[hau] 5* (Dispersed). 740,000 in Sudan, all users. L1 users: 80,000 in Sudan (2007). L2 users: 660,000 (2017).

5 (Developing)

Koalib

[kib] 5* (Developing). 100,000 (Quint 2009).

Lumun

[lmd] 5* (Developing). 15,000 (2014 SIL). Home area population 9,500 (2011 census). Ethnic population: 20,000 (2014 SIL).

Acheron

[acz] 5 (Developing). 20,000 (2006 R. Norton). 9,830 speakers in home area (2006 R. Norton).

Ama

[nyi] 5 (Developing). 158,000 (2017). Elderly and young children are monolingual.

Bedawiyet

[bej] 5 (Developing). 2,220,000 in Sudan (2017). Total users in all countries: 2,498,000.

Burun

[bdi] 5 (Developing). 46,000 (2017).

Dagik

[dec] 5 (Developing). 61,000 (2017).

Daju, Dar Fur

[daj] 5 (Developing). 98,000 (2017).

Fur

[fvr] 5 (Developing). 744,000 in Sudan (2004 SIL). Ethnic population: 1,100,000 (2017). Total users in all countries: 745,800.

Gaam

[tbi] 5 (Developing). 104,000 (2017).

Gbaya

[krs] 5 (Developing). 28,000 in Sudan (2017). Total users in all countries: 48,000 (as L1: 44,000; as L2: 4,000).

Jumjum

[jum] 5 (Developing). 78,000 in Sudan (2017).

Krongo

[kgo] 5 (Developing). 49,000 (2017).

Laro

[lro] 5 (Developing). 40,000 (Kuku 2012).

Moro

[mor] 5 (Developing). 72,000 (2017).

Tira

[tic] 5 (Developing). 31,000 (2017).

Uduk

[udu] 5 (Developing). 22,000 in Sudan and South Sudan (split between the two not known). Few monolinguals (Killian 2015).

6a (Vigorous)

Bornu

[knc] 6a* (Vigorous). 348,000 in Sudan (2017).

Ganza

[gza] 6a (Vigorous). 2,600 in Sudan (2007 A. Krell). Total users in all countries: 3,000.

Gumuz

[guk] 6a* (Vigorous). 88,000 in Sudan (2017).

Komo

[xom] 6a (Vigorous). 10,000 in Sudan (1979 W. James). Total users in all countries: 37,000.

Masalit

[mls] 6a (Vigorous). 350,000 in Sudan (2011 SIL). Total users in all countries: 462,000.

Midob

[mei] 6a (Vigorous). 85,000 (2017).

Wali

[wll] 6a (Vigorous). 9,000 (2007 SIL). Many monolinguals.

Zaghawa

[zag] 6a (Vigorous). 180,000 in Sudan (Osman 2006). Total users in all countries: 348,400.

6b (Threatened)

Afitti

[aft] 6b (Threatened). 4,000 (de Voogt 2009).

Andaandi

[dgl] 6b* (Threatened). 70,000 (2014 M. Jaeger).

Berta

[wti] 6b* (Threatened). 180,000 in Sudan (Osman 2006).

Daju, Dar Sila

[dau] 6b (Threatened). 7,000 in Sudan (2009 T. Alaki).

Fulfulde, Adamawa

[fub] 6b* (Threatened). 204,000 in Sudan (2017).

Gula

[kcm] 6b (Threatened). 200 in Sudan (1987 SIL).

Kanga

[kcp] 6b (Threatened). 15,000 (2017).

Katcha-Kadugli-Miri

[xtc] 6b (Threatened). 75,000 (2004 SIL). 30,000 Katcha and Kadugli (2004), 4,000 Miri.

Katla

[kcr] 6b (Threatened). 25,000 (2009). Population for Julud.

Keiga

[kec] 6b (Threatened). 6,070 (Stevenson 1984).

[fuj] 6b (Threatened). 2,680 (Stevenson 1984).

Lafofa

[laf] 6b (Threatened). 5,140 (Stevenson 1984).

Logorik

[liu] 6b (Threatened). 2,000 (Welmers 1971a).

Nding

[eli] 6b (Threatened). 400 (Welmers 1971a).

Ngile

[jle] 6b* (Threatened). 11,700 (Stevenson 1984), including Dagik [dec] speakers.

Nobiin

[fia] 6b (Threatened). 144,000 in Sudan (2017). Total users in all countries: 546,000.

Otoro

[otr] 6b (Threatened). 10,000 (2001).

Shatt

[shj] 6b* (Threatened). 30,000 (2014 T. Stirtz).

Shwai

[shw] 6b (Threatened). 3,500 (1989).

Tagoi

[tag] 6b* (Threatened). 27,000 (2017).

Tama

[tma] 6b (Threatened). 227,000 in Sudan (2017). 155,000 Kimr and 72,000 Tama.

Tegali

[ras] 6b (Threatened). 99,000 (2017). 80,000 Tegali and 19,000 Tingal.

Temein

[teq] 6b* (Threatened). 13,000 (2006). 6,000 in home area villages; 7,000 in other towns in Sudan.

Tese

[keg] 6b (Threatened). 1,400 (Welmers 1971a).

Tigré

[tig] 6b* (Threatened). 19,000 in Sudan (2017).

Tocho

[taz] 6b (Threatened). 2,650 (2013 T. Alaki and R. Norton). Home area population: 2,000.

Tulishi

[tey] 6b (Threatened). 2,500 (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007).

Tumtum

[tbr] 6b (Threatened). 15,000 (2017).

Warnang

[wrn] 6b (Threatened). 1,100 (1956 census).

7 (Shifting)

Ghulfan

[ghl] 7 (Shifting). 37,000 (2017), decreasing. No monolinguals.

Heiban

[hbn] 7 (Shifting). 4,410 (Stevenson 1984).

Kadaru

[kdu] 7 (Shifting). 25,000 (2013 T. Alaki and R. Norton).

Karko

[kko] 7 (Shifting). 7,000 (2004 A. Farah).

Yulu

[yul] 7 (Shifting). 3,000 in Sudan (1987 SIL). Population is total for both Sudan and South Sudan. 2,000 Yulu, 1,000 Binga.

8a (Moribund)

Aka

[soh] 8a (Moribund). 300 (Bender 1983a).

Dair

[drb] 8a (Moribund). 1,000 (1978 GRN).

Dilling

[dil] 8a (Moribund). 12,000 (2017), decreasing. No monolinguals.

El Hugeirat

[elh] 8a (Moribund). 50 (2007 SIL), decreasing.

Logol

[lof] 8a (Moribund). 12,000 (2017).

Tima

[tms] 8a (Moribund). Ethnic population: 5,000 (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007).

8b (Nearly extinct)

Kelo

[xel] 8b (Nearly extinct). 200.

Molo

[zmo] 8b (Nearly extinct). 100 (1988 M. Bender), decreasing.

Talodi

[tlo] 8b (Nearly extinct). 1,500 (1989).

9 (Dormant)

Baygo

[byg] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers. The last speakers probably survived into the 1960s (Sommer 1992). Ethnic population: 850 (1978 GRN).

Gule

[gly] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers. The last speakers survived into the 1980s (Sommer 1992). Ethnic population: 1,000 (Bender 1983a).

Torona

[tqr] 9 (Dormant). No known L1 speakers. The last known proficient speaker died in January 2014 (Norton and Alaki 2015).

10 (Extinct)

Berti

[byt] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. The last speakers probably died or shifted to Arabic by the 1980s (Sommer 1992).

Birked

[brk] 10 (Extinct). No known L1 speakers. Last speakers survived into the 1970s; ethnic Birked shifted to Arabic (Sommer 1992).

Unestablished

Amharic

[amh] Unestablished. 99,000 in Sudan (2017).

Arabic, Algerian Spoken

[arq] Unestablished. 39,000 in Sudan (2017).

Arabic, North Levantine Spoken

[apc] Unestablished. 96,000 in Sudan (2017).

Oromo, West Central

[gaz] Unestablished. 96,000 in Sudan (2017).

Sulaihab

[mde] Unestablished. 25,000 in Sudan (2017).

Tigrigna

[tir] Unestablished. 48,000 in Sudan (2017).

Sudan

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