Skip to main content
Search form
Search
Ethnologue
World Languages
Development
Endangerment
Statistics
About
Ghana
Print
Primary tabs
Country
Languages
Status
(active tab)
Maps
Expand All
Collapse All
1 (National)
English
[eng]
1 (National). De facto national language.
2 (Provincial)
Farefare
[gur]
2 (Provincial). De facto provincial language in Upper East Region. 820,000 in Ghana (2003), increasing. Up to 656,000 in Upper East region, and at least 164,000 in various towns and cities in other regions (2003). Population total all countries: 845,100.
Mampruli
[maw]
2 (Provincial). De facto provincial language in northeast North Region. 220,000 in Ghana (2004 SIL), increasing.
3 (Wider communication)
Akan
[aka]
3 (Wider communication). De facto national working language. 8,300,000 in Ghana (2004 SIL). Population includes 2,800,000 Asante Twi, 1,900,000 Fante, 555,000 Akuapem Twi (2004). Population total all countries: 8,314,600.
Éwé
[ewe]
3 (Wider communication). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 2,250,000 in Ghana (2003), increasing. Population total all countries: 3,112,000.
Ghanaian Pidgin English
[gpe]
3 (Wider communication). 5,000,000 (2011 V. Velupillai).
Hausa
[hau]
3 (Wider communication).
4 (Educational)
Dagaare, Southern
[dga]
4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 700,000 (2003), increasing. 1,000,000 including Northern Dagara in Burkina Faso (2003).
Dagbani
[dag]
4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 800,000 (2004 SIL), increasing.
Dangme
[ada]
4 (Educational). Language of recognized nationality (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 800,000 (2004 SIL).
Fulfulde, Maasina
[ffm]
4 (Educational). 7,300 in Ghana (1991).
Ga
[gaa]
4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 600,000 (2004 SIL).
Gonja
[gjn]
4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 230,000 (2004 SIL), increasing.
Kabiyè
[kbp]
4 (Educational).
Kasem
[xsm]
4 (Educational). Recognized language (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 130,000 in Ghana (2004 SIL), increasing.
Nzema
[nzi]
4 (Educational). Language of recognized nationality (1951, Laws of the Gold Coast, Vernacular Literature Board Ordinance, as amended by Ordinance No. 44). 262,000 in Ghana (2004 SIL). Population total all countries: 328,700.
5 (Developing)
Abron
[abr]
5 (Developing). 1,050,000 in Ghana (2003). Population total all countries: 1,182,700.
Adele
[ade]
5 (Developing). 11,000 in Ghana (2003).
Ahanta
[aha]
5 (Developing). 142,000 (2003).
Akposo
[kpo]
5 (Developing). 7,500 in Ghana (2003).
Anufo
[cko]
5 (Developing). 66,000 in Ghana (2003). Population total all countries: 137,600.
Anyin
[any]
5 (Developing). 250,000 in Ghana (2003).
Avatime
[avn]
5 (Developing). 24,000 (2003).
Awutu
[afu]
5 (Developing). 180,000 (2003).
Birifor, Southern
[biv]
5 (Developing). 125,000 in Ghana (2003), increasing. Population total all countries: 129,310.
Bisa
[bib]
5 (Developing). 166,000 in Ghana (2003).
Buli
[bwu]
5 (Developing). 150,000 (2003 GILLBT), increasing.
Chumburung
[ncu]
5 (Developing). 69,000 (2004 SIL), increasing. 2,700 Yeji.
Deg
[mzw]
5 (Developing). 26,400 in Ghana (2003). Population total all countries: 27,500.
Delo
[ntr]
5 (Developing). 10,900 in Ghana (2003), increasing. Population total all countries: 16,300.
Ghanaian Sign Language
[gse]
5 (Developing).
Gikyode
[acd]
5 (Developing). 10,400 (2003), increasing.
Hanga
[hag]
5 (Developing). 6,800 (2003 GILLBT), increasing. 4,100 in the traditional area, 2,700 elsewhere.
Konkomba
[xon]
5 (Developing). 500,000 in Ghana (2003), increasing. Population total all countries: 550,100.
Konni
[kma]
5 (Developing). 3,800 (2003 GILLBT), increasing.
Krache
[kye]
5 (Developing). 58,000 (2004 SIL), increasing.
Kulango, Bondoukou
[kzc]
5 (Developing). 27,000 in Ghana (2003 GILLBT).
Kusaal
[kus]
5 (Developing). 420,000 in Ghana (2004 SIL), increasing. 350,000 Agole, 70,000 Toende. Population total all countries: 437,000.
Lama
[las]
5 (Developing). Several hundred or perhaps thousands in Ghana (1996).
Lelemi
[lef]
5 (Developing). 48,900 (2003), increasing.
Nafaanra
[nfr]
5 (Developing). 61,000 in Ghana (2003 GILLBT), increasing.
Nawdm
[nmz]
5 (Developing).
Nawuri
[naw]
5 (Developing). 14,000 (2003 GILLBT), increasing.
Nkonya
[nko]
5 (Developing). 28,000 (2004 SIL).
Ntcham
[bud]
5 (Developing). 57,000 in Ghana (2004 SIL).
Paasaal
[sig]
5 (Developing). 36,000 (2003 GILLBT), increasing.
Safaliba
[saf]
5 (Developing). 4,000 (2003), increasing.
Sehwi
[sfw]
5 (Developing). 250,000 (2003).
Sekpele
[lip]
5 (Developing). 23,400 (2003).
Selee
[snw]
5 (Developing). 11,300 (2003 GILLBT).
Sisaala, Tumulung
[sil]
5 (Developing). 105,000 (2003 GILLBT).
Sisaala, Western
[ssl]
5 (Developing). 30,000 (2003 GILLBT).
Siwu
[akp]
5 (Developing). 27,000 (2003).
Tampulma
[tpm]
5 (Developing). 16,000 (2003).
Tem
[kdh]
5 (Developing). 53,000 in Ghana.
Tuwuli
[bov]
5 (Developing). 11,400 (2003 GILLBT).
Vagla
[vag]
5 (Developing). 13,500 (2003 GILLBT), increasing.
Wali
[wlx]
5 (Developing). 138,000 (2003).
Wasa
[wss]
5 (Developing). 309,000 (2003).
6a (Vigorous)
Chala
[cll]
6a (Vigorous). 3,000 (2003 GILLBT).
Cherepon
[cpn]
6a (Vigorous). 111,000 (2003).
Dwang
[nnu]
6a (Vigorous). 8,200 (2003 GILLBT). 1,600 Bekye, 3,300 Kenyen, 3,300 Wiase.
Gua
[gwx]
6a (Vigorous). 60,200 (2003).
Jwira-Pepesa
[jwi]
6a (Vigorous). 18,000 (2003 GILLBT).
Kamara
[jmr]
6a (Vigorous). 3,000 (2003 GILLBT), increasing. Ethnic population: 5,000 in Ghana (2003 GILLBT).
Kplang
[kph]
6a (Vigorous). 1,600 (2003 GILLBT).
Kulango, Bouna
[nku]
6a (Vigorous). 15,500 in Ghana (1991).
Larteh
[lar]
6a (Vigorous). 74,000 (2003 GILLBT).
Ligbi
[lig]
6a (Vigorous). 15,000 in Ghana (2003 GILLBT). Population total all countries: 19,000.
Logba
[lgq]
6a (Vigorous). 7,500 (2003).
Nchumbulu
[nlu]
6a (Vigorous). 1,800 (2003 SIL).
Nkami
[nkq]
6a (Vigorous). 7000 (2009 SIL).
Nyangbo
[nyb]
6a (Vigorous). 6,400 (2003).
Tafi
[tcd]
6a (Vigorous). 4,400 (2003).
6b (Threatened)
Adamorobe Sign Language
[ads]
6b (Threatened). 35 deaf in 2001 (Nyst 2007); total population: 1,360 in Adamorobe village (2000 census); most hearing people also sign, to varying degrees of proficiency (2010 A. Bickford).
Adangbe
[adq]
6b (Threatened). 200 in Ghana (2006). Population total all countries: 2,200.
Bimoba
[bim]
6b (Threatened). 120,000 (2004 SIL). Ethnic population: 200,000.
Chakali
[cli]
6b (Threatened). 6,000 (2003 GILLBT).
Kantosi
[xkt]
6b (Threatened). 2,300 (2003 GILLBT). 280–400 in Sandema District, probably about 280 in Kpaliwongo.
7 (Shifting)
Animere
[anf]
7 (Shifting). 700 (2003). Only a few fluent speakers left in an ethnic group of several hundred (Dimmendaal and Voeltz 2007).
Dompo
[doy]
7 (Shifting). 65 (Blench 1999), decreasing. Ethnic population: 970 (2000).