Languages of the Comoros
| Languages of The Comoros | |
|---|---|
| Official languages | French, Comorian and Arabic |
The official languages of the Comoros are Comorian, French and Arabic. Comorian (or Shikomor) is a Bantu language closely related to Swahili. It is by far the most spoken language in the country, 96.9%.[1] However, Comorian is confined almost exclusively for oral use. Before and during the colonial period, no official recognition was granted at all to Comorian. Before the French colonization, Arabic and Swahili were the languages used by the political powers (the sultans) and by education. Arabic was the language of religion, and a language of commerce. As a consequence of the colonialization, administration and education are now in French.[2] The Comoros is a full member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and of the Arab League.
