The CIA World Factbook Every edition, 1990 to 2025 Africa
Languages South Africa, in 36 editions.
The entry for South Africa published Languages in 36 editions of 36, from 1990 to 2025. The text changed in 16 editions. Each is shown as published. Languages in every entry.
- editions changed the text
- 16
- 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”
- Afrikaans,
- English (official);
- many vernacular languages,
- including Zulu,
- Xhosa,
- North and South Sotho,
- Tswana
Afrikaans, English (official); many vernacular languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, North and South Sotho, Tswana
Published as “Language”
- Afrikaans,
- English (both official);
- many vernacular languages,
- including Zulu,
- Xhosa,
- North and South Sotho,
- Tswana
Afrikaans, English (official); (both official); many vernacular languages, including Zulu, Xhosa, North and South Sotho, Tswana
- Afrikaans,
- English (both official);
- many vernacular languages,
- including Zulu,
- Xhosa,
- North and South Sotho,
- Tswana
Afrikaans, English (both official); many vernacular languages, including
Zulu, Xhosa, North and South Sotho, Tswana
Afrikaans (official), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa, North Sotho, South Sotho, Tswana, and many other vernacular languages
Afrikaans, Afrikaans (official), English (both official); many vernacular languages, including(official), Zulu, Xhosa, North and Sotho, South
Sotho, Tswana Tswana, and many other vernacular languages
- eleven official languages,
- including Afrikaans,
- English,
- Ndebele,
- Pedi,
- Sotho,
- Swati,
- Tsonga,
- Tswana,
- Venda,
- Xhosa,
- Zulu
Afrikaans (official), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa, North Sotho, South eleven official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele,
Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Tsonga, Tswana, and many other vernacular languages Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
- eleven official languages,
- including Afrikaans,
- English,
- Ndebele,
- Pedi,
- Sotho,
- Swazi,
- Tsonga,
- Tswana,
- Venda,
- Xhosa,
- Zulu
eleven official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele,
Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swati, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
The same text in 4 editions, 1996 to 1999.
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
eleven 11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
The same text in 5 editions, 2000 to 2004.
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English,
The same text in 5 editions, 2005 to 2009.
11 official languages, including Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi 9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%, other 7.2% (2001 census)
- IsiZulu (official) 23.8%,
- IsiXhosa (official) 17.6%,
- Afrikaans (official) 13.3%,
- Sepedi (offcial) 9.4%,
- English (official) 8.2%,
- Setswana (official) 8.2%,
- Sesotho (official) 7.9%,
- Xitsonga (official) 4.4%,
- other 7.2%,
- isiNdebele (official),
- Tshivenda (official),
- siSwati (official) (2001 census)
IsiZulu (official) 23.8%, IsiXhosa (official) 17.6%, Afrikaans (official) 13.3%, Sepedi (offcial) 9.4%, English (official) 8.2%, Setswana (official) 8.2%, Sesotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga (official) 4.4%, other 7.2% 7.2%, isiNdebele (official), Tshivenda (official), siSwati (official) (2001 census)
The same text in 3 editions, 2011 to 2013.
IsiZulu (official) 23.8%, 23.82%, IsiXhosa (official) 17.6%, 17.64%, Afrikaans (official) 13.3%, 13.35%, Sepedi (offcial) 9.4%, 9.39%, English (official) 8.2%, Setswana (official) 8.2%, Sesotho (official) 7.9%, 7.93%, Xitsonga (official) 4.4%, other 7.2%, isiNdebele (official), Tshivenda (official), 4.44%, siSwati (official) 2.66%, Tshivenda (official) 2.28%, isiNdebele (official) 1.59%, other 0.5% (2001 census)
The same text in 3 editions, 2014 to 2016.
IsiZulu (official) 23.82%, 22.7%, IsiXhosa (official) 17.64%, 16%, Afrikaans (official) 13.35%, Sepedi (offcial) 9.39%, 13.5%, English (official) 8.2%, 9.6%, Sepedi (official) 9.1%, Setswana (official) 8.2%, 8%, Sesotho (official) 7.93%, 7.6%, Xitsonga (official) 4.44%, 4.5%, siSwati (official) 2.66%, 2.5%, Tshivenda (official) 2.28%, 2.4%, isiNdebele (official) 1.59%, 2.1%, sign language 0.5%, other 0.5% (2001 census) 1.6% (2011 est.)
IsiZulu isiZulu (official) 22.7%, IsiXhosa isiXhosa (official) 16%, Afrikaans (official) 13.5%, English (official) 9.6%, Sepedi (official) 9.1%, Setswana (official) 8%, Sesotho (official) 7.6%, Xitsonga (official) 4.5%, siSwati (official) 2.5%, Tshivenda (official) 2.4%, isiNdebele (official) 2.1%, sign language 0.5%, other 1.6% (2011 est.)
The same text in 3 editions, 2018 to 2020.
note: data represent language spoken most often at home
isiZulu (official) 22.7%, 24.7%, isiXhosa (official) 16%, 15.6%, Afrikaans (official) 13.5%, English (official) 9.6%, 12.1%, Sepedi (official) 9.1%, 9.8%, Setswana (official) 8%, 8.9%, English (official) 8.4%, Sesotho (official) 7.6%, 8%, Xitsonga (official) 4.5%, 4%, siSwati (official) 2.5%, 2.6%, Tshivenda (official) 2.4%, 2.5%, isiNdebele (official) 2.1%, sign language 0.5%, 1.6%, other 1.6% (2011 (includes Khoi, Nama, and San languages) 1.9% (2017 est.)
note: data represent language spoken most often at home
The same text in 2021 and 2022.
- isiZulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes Khoi, Nama, and San languages) 2%;
- note - data represent language spoken most often at home (2018 est.)
- major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
isiZulu (official) 24.7%, 25.3%, isiXhosa (official) 15.6%, 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.1%, 12.2%, Sepedi (official) 9.8%, 10.1%, Setswana (official) 8.9%, 9.1%, English (official) 8.4%, 8.1%, Sesotho (official) 8%, 7.9%, Xitsonga (official) 4%, 3.6%, siSwati (official) 2.6%, 2.8%, Tshivenda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes Khoi, Nama, and San languages) 1.9% (2017 est.) 2%; note - data represent language spoken most often at home (2018 est.)
note:
major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
- isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%,
- isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%,
- Afrikaans (official) 12.2%,
- Sepedi of Pedi (official) 10.1%,
- Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%,
- English (official) 8.1%,
- Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%,
- Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%,
- siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%,
- Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%,
- isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%,
- other (includes South African sign language (official) and Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2%;
- note - data represent language spoken most often at home (2018 est.)
- major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi of Pedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes Khoi, Nama, South African sign language (official) and San Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2%; note - data represent language spoken most often at home (2018 est.)
major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
The same text in 2024 and 2025.
- major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
note: data represent language spoken most often at home
isiZulu or Zulu (official) 25.3%, isiXhosa or Xhosa (official) 14.8%, Afrikaans (official) 12.2%, Sepedi of or Pedi (official) 10.1%, Setswana or Tswana (official) 9.1%, English (official) 8.1%, Sesotho or Sotho (official) 7.9%, Xitsonga or Tsonga (official) 3.6%, siSwati or Swati (official) 2.8%, Tshivenda or Venda (official) 2.5%, isiNdebele or Ndebele (official) 1.6%, other (includes South African sign language (official) and Khoi or Khoisan or Khoe languages) 2%; note - data represent language spoken most often at home 2% (2018 est.)
major-language sample(s):
Die Wereld Feite Boek, n’ onontbeerlike bron vir basiese informasie. (Afrikaans)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
note: data represent language spoken most often at home
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Cite this page
Central Intelligence Agency. “South Africa: Languages.” The World Factbook, 1990–2025 editions. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/south-africa/languages.