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Why do people speak French in Rwanda?
Kinyarwanda is the national language of Rwanda, and the first language of almost the entire population of the country. French had been the language of administration from the country’s time under Belgian administration, between the First World War and independence in 1962.
Is French spoken in Rwanda?
In 2018, French was spoken by 724,000 of Rwanda’s 12.5 million people — or roughly six percent of the population, according to the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF). It remains the most spoken foreign language in the country.
What do Rwanda people speak?
Kinyarwanda
Rwanda language, Rwanda also spelled Ruanda, also called Kinyarwanda, a Bantu language spoken by some 12 million people primarily in Rwanda and to a lesser extent in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Does Rwanda speak English or French?
The majority of Rwandans speak Kinyarwanda primarily or exclusively, but in 2015, the OIF estimated that 700,000 Rwandans (6% of the population) were French speaking, making it more widely used than English. French news and satellite television channels are popular.
Is Rwanda English or French?
Rwanda
| Republic of Rwanda Repubulika y’u Rwanda (Kinyarwanda) République du Rwanda (French) Jamhuri ya Rwanda (Swahili) | |
|---|---|
| Official languages | Kinyarwanda French English Swahili |
| Ethnic groups | 99% Banyarwanda —85% Hutu —14% Tutsi —1% Twa 1% Others |
| Religion | 93.8% Christianity 3.0% No religion 2.2% Islam 1.0% Others |
Where in Africa is French spoken?
It is also the main or only language of instruction in schools in Benin, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, the Comoros, Congo-Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Which African country speak French?
French
| Regions | Country | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | Congo | official |
| Ivory Coast | official | |
| Djibouti | co-official with Arabic | |
| Equatorial Guinea | co-official with Spanish and Portuguese |
Do Nigerians speak French?
SOMETIMES I wonder if Nigerians are aware that the English language is not the only official language of our country Nigeria. Officially, French has been the second official language in this country for the past 19 years.
Does Senegal speak French?
And as a result of that colonial history, French remains the official language of Senegal, as well as 19 other countries across Africa.
What kind of language do people in Rwanda speak?
Rwanda is a small landlocked country located in East Africa. Language is central to the culture and belief system of the Rwandese people. The people of Rwanda mainly speak three major languages: Kinyarwanda, French, and English. These three languages are also official.
Why did Rwanda switch from French to English?
The transition from French to English in Rwanda was triggered by the desire to break the influence of French and to align Rwanda with the East African community, where English is the official language.
How did the Rwandan genocide affect the language?
The Rwandan genocide of 1994 negatively affected the status of the language among the Rwandese people, leading to its slow replacement by English. The involvement of the French in the genocide triggered efforts by the Rwandese people to detach themselves completely from the French and francophone influences.
Why are English and Swahili so important in Rwanda?
Language is also important in record keeping for administrative and commercial purposes. In Rwanda, the adoption and focus on some languages, such as English and Swahili, serve to promote the economy of the nation by improving trade and communication with other nations.