French is the official language of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is spoken in four other national languages: Swahili, Lingala, Tshiluba, and Kikongo. A study conducted by Target from March 18 to April 20, 2021, reveals that French remains the most widely spoken language in the DRC.
French is spoken by 74% of Congolese in all regions of the DRC. 79% of men use it to communicate in everyday life and their professional activities, compared to 68% of women. Kinshasa is where French is spoken most, followed by Haut-Lomami and Maniema provinces.
Lingala, one of the four national languages, ranks second. It is considered the language of the armed forces and is widely used in communication. Fifty-six percent of women surveyed said they spoke Lingala, compared to 62% of men. Lingala is widely used in Tshuapa, Mai-Ndombe, Central Kongo, Kwango, North and South Ubangi, Mongala, Equateur, and Kinshasa.
Swahili comes in third place with 40% of speakers. Women who use it constitute 40% and men 41%. This language is mainly spoken in the east and south of the DRC, specifically in North and South Kivu, Maniema, and the greater Katanga region.
Tshiluba and Kikongo share the fourth position of most spoken languages with 17% each. Tshiluba is spoken in the greater Kasai area and the Lomami province.
Kikongo, on the other hand, is used in Greater Bandundu and Central Kongo. English is spoken by only 7% of Congolese in the eastern part of the DRC.
Congolese who speak only one language represent 28% of the population, and bilinguals 37%. Polyglots speak three or more languages, making up 35% of the total population.
This study was carried out on a sample of 2,000 people interviewed face-to-face with the methods of representativeness of the population by age group, sex, and province. Those interested in this detailed study can contact the firm at the following address: info@target-arl.cd
Friday, October 1, 2021 - 10:45