German language

Geographic distribution

German is spoken primarily in Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, in two-thirds of Switzerland, in two-thirds of the South Tyrol province of Italy (in German, Südtirol), in the small East Cantons of Belgium, and in some border villages of the South Jutland County (Nordschleswig) of Denmark.

Related Topics:
Germany - Austria - Liechtenstein - Switzerland - South Tyrol - Province of Italy - East Cantons - Belgium - South Jutland County - Denmark

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In Luxembourg (in German, Luxemburg), as well as in the French régions of Alsace (in German, Elsass) and parts of Lorraine (in German, Lothringen), the native populations speak several German dialects, and some people also master standard German (especially in Luxembourg), although in Alsace and Lorraine French has for the most part replaced the local German dialects in the last 40 years.

Related Topics:
Luxembourg - Régions - Alsace - Lorraine - French

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Some German speaking communities still survive in parts of Romania, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and above all Russia, Kazakhstan and Poland, although massive relocations to Germany in the 1990s have depopulated most of these communities.

Related Topics:
Romania - Czech Republic - Hungary - Russia - Kazakhstan - Poland - 1990s

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Outside of Europe, the largest German speaking communities are to be found in the USA (with the largest concentration of German speakers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Indiana; Amish, Hutterites and some Mennonites also speak dialects of German) and in Brazil (states of Rio Grande do Sul, where Riograndenser Hunsrückisch was developed, Santa Catarina, Paraná, and Espírito Santo), where millions of Germans migrated in the last 200 years; but the great majority of their descendants no longer speak German.

Related Topics:
USA - North Dakota - South Dakota - Montana - Wisconsin - Indiana - Amish - Hutterites - Mennonites - Brazil - Rio Grande do Sul - Riograndenser Hunsrückisch - Santa Catarina - Paraná - Espírito Santo

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Additionally, German speaking communities are to be found in the former German colony of Namibia, as well as in the other countries of German emigration such as Canada, Iceland, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Peru, Venezuela (where Alemán Coloneiro developed), Thailand, and Australia.

Related Topics:
Namibia - Canada - Iceland - Argentina - Paraguay - Chile - Peru - Venezuela - Alemán Coloneiro - Thailand - Australia

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German is the main language of about 100 million people in Europe (as of 2004), or 13.3% of all Europeans, being the most spoken language in Europe excluding Russia, above French (66.5 million speakers in Europe in 2004) and English (64.2 million speakers in Europe in 2004). German is the third most taught foreign language worldwide, also in the USA (after Spanish and French); it is the second most known foreign language in the EU (after English; see http://europa.eu.int/comm/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_237.en.pdf) It is one of the official languages of the European Union.

Related Topics:
2004 - Russia - French - English - Foreign language - USA - Spanish - EU - Languages of the European Union

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