The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Asia
Languages Pakistan, in 36 editions.
The entry for Pakistan published Languages in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 15 editions. Each is shown as published. Languages in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 15
- the first edition with it
- 1990
- the latest edition with it
- 2025
Published as “Language” (1990 to 1991) and “Languages” (1992 to 2025).
field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe edition shownChoose an edition on the strip beside the text, or step through them with the arrows. Mark changes compares it with the edition before: the marks are ours, words added and words removed.
2025 edition
Same as 2024Published as “Language”
- Urdu and English (official);
- total spoken languages--64% Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 8% Pashtu, 7% Urdu, 9% Balochi and other;
- English is lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu
Urdu and English (official); total spoken languages--64% Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 8% Pashtu, 7% Urdu, 9% Balochi and other; English is lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu
Published as “Language”
- Urdu and English (both official);
- total spoken languages--Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other 9%;
- English is lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu
Urdu and English (official); (both official); total spoken languages--64% Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 8% Pashtu, 7% Urdu, 9% languages--Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other; other 9%; English is lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu
- Urdu and English (both official);
- total spoken languages - Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other 9%;
- English is lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu
Urdu and English (both official); total spoken languages--Punjabi languages - Punjabi 64%,
Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other 9%; English is lingua
franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official
policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu
- Urdu (official),
- English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual replacement by Urdu),
- Punjabi 64%,
- Sindhi 12%,
- Pashtu 8%,
- Urdu 7%,
- Balochi and other 9%
Urdu and English (both official); total spoken languages - Punjabi 64%, (official), English
Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi and other 9%;is (official; lingua
most government ministries, but official
replacement by Urdu), Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu 7%, Balochi
and other 9%
- Urdu (official),
- English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries),
- Punjabi 64%,
- Sindhi 12%,
- Pashtu 8%,
- Urdu 7%,
- Balochi and other 9%
Urdu (official), English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and
and most government ministries, but official policies are promoting its gradual ministries), Punjabi 64%, Sindhi 12%, Pashtu 8%,
replacement by Urdu),
Urdu 7%, Balochi
- Urdu (official),
- English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries),
- Punjabi 64%,
- Sindhi 12%,
- Pashtu 8%,
- Urdu 7%,
- Balochi and other 9%
Urdu (official), English (official; lingua franca of
Pakistani elite
12%, Pashtu 8%,
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Rewritten: too little of the 1995 text remains to mark the changes.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant)
10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui
1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
The same text in 1997 and 1998.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant)
Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui
English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%,
1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most
government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
The same text in 7 editions, 2000 to 2006.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant)
The same text in 2007 and 2008.
- Punjabi 48%,
- Sindhi 12%,
- Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%,
- Pashtu 8%,
- Urdu (official) 8%,
- Balochi 3%,
- Hindko 2%,
- Brahui 1%,
- English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries),
- Burushaski and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official and (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, Burushaski and other 8%
The same text in 2009 and 2010.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski Burushaski, and other 8%
The same text in 3 editions, 2011 to 2013.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Siraiki Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
The same text in 7 editions, 2014 to 2020.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashtu Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
The same text in 2021 and 2022.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
- major-language sample(s):
ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੀ ਤੱਥ ਕਿਤਾਬ, ਆਧਾਰੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਲਈ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਸਰੋਤ ਹੈ (Punjabi)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Punjabi 48%, Sindhi 12%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, Urdu (official) 8%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and other 8%
major-language sample(s):
ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੀ ਤੱਥ ਕਿਤਾਬ, ਆਧਾਰੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਲਈ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਸਰੋਤ ਹੈ (Punjabi)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
The same text in 3 editions, 2023 to 2025.
- major-language sample(s):
دنیا کا قاموس، ایک لازمی زریہ بنیادی معلومات کا (Urdu)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: data represent population by mother tongue; English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries)
Punjabi 48%, 38.8%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 18.2%, Sindhi 12%, 14.6%, Saraiki (a Punjabi variant) 10%, Pashto (alternate name, Pashtu) 8%, 12.2%, Urdu (official) 8%, 7.1%, Balochi 3%, Hindko 2%, 2.4%, Brahui 1%, English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries), Burushaski, and 1.2%, other 8% 2.4%
major-language sample(s):ਸੰਸਾਰ ਦੀ ਤੱਥ ਕਿਤਾਬ, ਆਧਾਰੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਲਈ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਸਰੋਤ ਹੈ (Punjabi) دنیا کا قاموس، ایک لازمی زریہ بنیادی معلومات کا (Urdu)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
note: data represent population by mother tongue; English (official; lingua franca of Pakistani elite and most government ministries)
No edition has those words. Try a shorter word.
Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “Pakistan: Languages.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/pakistan/languages.