Even for a continent with 54 very different countries, Africa has a lot of languages. It is estimated that between 1,500 and 2,000 languages are spoken here, many with their own set of varying dialects. To make things even more confusing, in many countries the official language is not the same as the lingua franca - that is, the language spoken by the majority of its citizens.
If you're planning a trip to Africa, it's a good idea to research both the official language and the lingua franca of the country or region you're traveling to. In this way, you can attempt to learn a few key words or phrases before you go. This can be difficult - especially when a language isn't written phonetically (like Afrikaans), or includes click consonants (like Xhosa) - but making an effort will be greatly appreciated by the people that you meet on your travels.
If you're traveling to an ex-colony (like Mozambique, Namibia or Senegal), you'll find that European languages can also come in handy - although be prepared for the Portuguese, German or French that you hear there to sound quite different than it would in Europe. In this article, we look at the official and most widely spoken languages for some of Africa's top travel destinations, arranged in alphabetical order.
Algeria
Official Languages: Modern Standard Arabic and Tamazight (Berber)
The most widely spoken languages in Algeria are Algerian Arabic and Berber.
Angola
Official Language: Portuguese
Portuguese is spoken as a first or second language by just over 70% of the population. There are approximately 38 African languages in Angola, including Umbundu, Kikongo, and Chokwe.
Benin
Official Language: French
There are 55 languages in Benin, the most popular of which are Fon and Yoruba (in the south) and Beriba and Dendi (in the north). French is spoken by only 35% of the population.
Botswana
Official Language: English
Although English is the primary written language in Botswana, the vast majority of the population speak Setswana as their mother tongue.
Cameroon
Official Languages: English and French
There are almost 250 languages in Cameroon. Of the two official languages, French is by far the most widely spoken, while other important regional tongues include Fang and Cameroonian Pidgin English.
Cote d'Ivoire
Official Language: French
French is the official language and the lingua franca in Cote d'Ivoire, although approximately 78 indigenous languages are also spoken.
Egypt
Official Language: Modern Standard Arabic
The lingua franca of Egypt is Egyptian Arabic, which is spoken by most of the population. English and French are also common in urban areas.
Ethiopia
Official Language: Amharic
Other important languages in Ethiopia include Oromo, Somali and Tigrinya. English is the most popular foreign language taught in schools.
Gabon
Official Language: French
More than 80% of the population can speak French, but most use one of 40 indigenous languages as their mother tongue. Of these, the most important are Fang, Mbere, and Sira.
Ghana
Official Language: English
There are around 80 different languages in Ghana. English is the lingua franca, but the government also sponsors eight African languages, including Twi, Ewe, and Dagbani.
Kenya
Official Languages: Swahili and English
Both of the official languages serve as a lingua franca in Kenya, but of the two, Swahili is the most widely spoken.
Lesotho
Official Languages: Sesotho and English
More than 90% of Lesotho's residents use Sesotho as a first language, although bilingualism is encouraged.
Madagascar
Official Languages: Malagasy and French
Malagasy is spoken throughout Madagascar, although many people also speak French as a second language.
Malawi
Official Language: English
There are 16 languages in Malawi, of which Chichewa is the most widely spoken.
Mauritius
Official Languages: French and English
The vast majority of Mauritians speak Mauritian Creole, a language that is based predominantly on French but also borrows words from English, African and Southeast Asian languages.
Morocco
Official Language: Modern Standard Arabic and Amazigh (Berber)
The most widely spoken language in Morocco is Moroccan Arabic, although French serves as a second language for many of the country's educated citizens.
Mozambique
Official Language: Portuguese
There are 43 languages spoken in Mozambique. The most widely spoken is Portuguese, followed by African languages like Makhuwa, Swahili, and Shangaan.
Namibia
Official Language: English
Despite its status as the official language of Namibia, less than 1% of Namibians speak English as their mother tongue. The most widely spoken language is Oshiwambo, followed by Khoekhoe, Afrikaans, and Herero.
Nigeria
Official Language: English
Nigeria is home to more than 520 languages. The most widely spoken include English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.
Rwanda
Official Languages: Kinyarwanda, French, English, and Swahili
Kinyarwanda is the mother tongue of most Rwandans, although English and French are also widely understood throughout the country.
Senegal
Official Language: French
Senegal has 36 languages, of which the most widely spoken is Wolof.
South Africa
Official Languages: Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Ndebele, Venda, Swati, Sotho, Northern Sotho, Tsonga, and Tswana
Many South Africans are bilingual and can speak at least two of the country's 11 official languages. Zulu and Xhosa are the most common mother tongues, although English is understood by the most people.
Tanzania
Official Languages: Swahili and English
Both Swahili and English are lingua francas in Tanzania, although more people can speak Swahili than can speak English.
Tunisia
Official Language: Literary Arabic
Almost all Tunisians speak Tunisian Arabic, with French as a common second language.
Uganda
Official Language: English and Swahili
Swahili and English are the lingua francas in Uganda, although most people use an indigenous language as their mother tongue. The most popular include Luganda, Soga, Chiga, and Runyankore.
Zambia
Official Language: English
There are more than 70 different languages and dialects in Zambia. Seven are officially recognized, including Bemba, Nyanja, Lozi, Tonga, Kaonde, Luvale, and Lunda.
Zimbabwe
Official Languages: Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, sign language, Sotho, Tonga, Tswana, Venda and Xhosa
Of Zimbabwe's 16 official languages, Shona, Ndebele and English are the most widely spoken.
This article was updated by Jessica Macdonald on July 19th, 2017.