The Languages of Pakistan THE LANGUAGES OF PAKISTAN Philologists say that there are over 300 dialects and languages spoken in the country today and each is distinctly differently from the other. Some of the common languages are: Urdu: Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. It is a mixture of Persian, Arabic and various local languages. It is similar to Hindi but written in Arabic script. English: Official language Punjabi: Mainly spoken in the province of Punjab Sindhi: Mainly spoken in the province of Sind Pashtu: Mainly spoken in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) Balochi: Mainly spoken in the province of Baluchistan South Asia Pick a Region :. . South Asia South Asia is made up of seven nations: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and Maldives (see political map ). However, these nations are not united. Linguistic and religious differences are two main reasons for the divisions among the peoples of South Asia. Languages Dozens of languages are spoken in South Asia. These languages share many characteristics such as grammatical structure and vocabulary, but they are also distinctly different.

In addition, all of the nations of South Asia, except for the Maldives, have linguistic minorities. In India English and Hindi are the two most commonly spoken languages. English, the language of the region's former colonial masters, is widely spoken by India's intellectual elite. An attempt in 1965 to make Hindi, India's most widely spoken language, the official national language failed when people from the south violently demonstrated against the new law. As a compromise, the Indian government promised to retain English as a national language. Besides Hindi and English--the now designated national languages, a number of other languages have status as official languages of the different states in India. In Pakistan five languages are mainly spoken. The chart below shows Pakistan's languages and the percent of people who speak each of them. Note that Urdu, the designated national language, is spoken by only 8% of the population. In Bangladesh 98% of the people speak Bangla. In Nepal Nepalese has been designated the national language, but more than twenty different languages are spoken there. Ethnic minorities in Nepal continue to try to gain government recognition for their particular language. In Bhutan a variety of languages is spoken.

In Sri Lanka Sinhala is spoken by the Sinhalese majority and Tamil is spoken by the Tamil minority. English is commonly spoken in government. In Maldives the national and official language is Dhivehi. English and some Indian languages are also spoken in Maldives. Most languages in South Asia are closely tied to particular nations, and as a result, further divide the people from one another. When people do not speak the same language, communicating with one another is often difficult. This lack of communication works against unity because people use their language as their principal means of expressing their deepest beliefs, values, and feelings, which are most frequently connected to their religious heritages. Religions Like language, religion has also divided the people of South Asia. The major religions in the subcontinent are Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Christianity. The chart below shows the different religions in South Asia and the percent of the more than 1.29 billion people who practice each of them. The majority of the people in South Asia practice Hinduism. Hindus have many representations of God from which they choose to worship. They also have many holy scriptures and prophets. There is no single path to salvation for Hindus.

Hindus believe that one's soul might be reborn several times before gaining enlightenment, at which time one's soul is merged with the cosmic forces and is eliminated. Through its doctrine of karma and the caste system , Hinduism explains the inequalities in human society. The second most practiced religion in South Asia is Islam. Islam teaches a belief in only one god--Allah. People who practice the Islamic faith are Muslims. Muslims have one sacred text, the Koran , which was revealed to God's final prophet, Mohammed. Muslims believe that people have one chance--one life--to achieve salvation. Furthermore, Islam stresses the spiritual equality and brotherhood of all humanity. Photo: Moslem man reading the Koran. Photo ï¿½ 1999 - Sikhism arose out of Hinduism as a reform movement in the 16th century. It stresses that people can escape rebirth by meditating on God's name. Sikhs believe in the formless concept of God and suggest that the best way to salvation is living a good family life based on the principles of work, worship, and charity. Sikhs have their own distinctive set of scriptures and religious traditions that set them apart from Hindus.

Buddhism is a religion that arose as a reform movement in Hinduism in the 5th century BCE. Its founder was Siddhartha Gautama, who believed that suffering was inherent in all life. To escape suffering, one must eliminate desire by following an eightfold path of spiritual and physical purification. Although largely eliminated in India, Buddhism flourishes in Eastern and Southeast Asia. Photo: seated Buddha statue. Photo ï¿½ 1999 - Christianity is a religion that arose about 2,000 years ago in Palestine among Jews, who believed that Jesus Christ was the son of God, the creator of all things. Christianity is practiced by Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant religious sects. All Christians view the Bible as sacred scripture. Religious diversity threatens the unity of the different nations in South Asia because religion defines people's beliefs, values, and behaviors. For example, Hindus regard the cow as sacred, and riots have occurred when other religious groups have slaughtered cows for food. Muslims, on the other hand, are permitted by the Koran to have as many as four wives while Hindus have only one wife.

People's religious differences also influence the type of government they prefer to live under (see Politics ) and the laws they follow. In the sections on Kashmir and the Punjab you will read more about the problems the people in these areas have faced due to their linguistic Privacy Statement and Copyright ï¿½ 1999-2002 by Wheeling Jesuit University/Center for Educational Technologiesï¿½. All rights reserved. ... Pakistan - Language, Religion, Culture, Customs and Etiquette Pakistan Guide Award-Winning Culture Guides 80+ country-specific guides covering country characteristics, the people, language, culture, etiquette, business protocol, communication styles and much more . Pakistan Guide A Look at Pakistani Language, Religion, Culture, Customs and Etiquette Welcome to our guide to Pakistan. This is useful for anyone researching Pakistani culture, customs, manners, etiquette, values and wanting to understand the people better. You may be going to Pakistan on business, for a visit or even hosting Pakistani colleagues or clients in your own country. Remember this is only a very basic level introduction and is not meant to stereotype all Pakistanis you may meet!

Facts and Statistics Location: Southern Asia, bordering Afghanistan 2,430 km, China 523 km, India 2,912 km, Iran 909 km Capital: Islamabad Population: 196,174,380 (2014 est.) Ethnic Make-up: Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtun (Pathan), Baloch, Muhajir (immigrants from India at the time of partition and their descendants) Muslim 97% (Sunni 77%, Shi'a 20%), Christian, Hindu, and other (inc. Sikh) 3% Language in Pakistan Urdu is the only official language of Pakistan. Although English is generally used instead of Urdu in this regard. English is the lingua franca of the Pakistani elite and most of the government ministries. Urdu is closely related to Hindi but is written in an extended Arabic alphabet rather than in Devanagari. Urdu also has more loans from Arabic and Persian than Hindi has.

Many other languages are spoken in Pakistan, including Punjabi, Siraiki, Sindhi, Pashtu, Balochi, Hindko, Brahui, Burushaski, Balti, Khawar, Gujrati and other languages with smaller numbers of speakers. Pakistani Society & Culture Islam Islam is practised by the majority of Pakistanis and governs their personal, political, economic and legal lives. Among certain obligations for Muslims are to pray five times a day - at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. Friday is the Muslim holy day. Everything is closed. During the holy month of Ramadan all Muslims must fast from dawn to dusk and are only permitted to work six hours per day. Fasting includes no eating, drinking, cigarette smoking, or gum chewing. The Family The extended family is the basis of the social structure and individual identity. It includes the nuclear family, immediate relatives, distant relatives, tribe members, friends, and neighbours. Loyalty to the family comes before other social relationships, even business. Nepotism is viewed positively, since it guarantees hiring people who can be trusted, which is crucial in a country where working with people one knows and trusts is of primary importance.

The family is more private than in many other cultures. Female relatives are protected from outside influences. It is considered inappropriate to ask questions about a Pakistani's wife or other female relatives. Families are quite large by western standards, often having up to 6 children. Hierarchical Society Pakistan is a hierarchical society. People are respected because of their age and position. Older people are viewed as wise and are granted respect. In a social situation, they are served first and their drinks may be poured for them. Elders are introduced first, are provided with the choicest cuts of meat, and in general are treated much like royalty. Pakistanis expect the most senior person, by age or position, to make decisions that are in the best interest of the group. Titles are very important and denote respect. It is expected that you will use a person's title and their surname until invited to use their first name. Etiquette & Customs in Pakistan Meeting and Greeting Greetings are therefore often between members of the same sex; however, when dealing with people in the middle class, greetings may be across sex lines. Men shake hands with each other. Once a relationship is developed, they may hug as well as shake hands. Women generally hug and kiss.

Pakistanis take their time during greetings and ask about the person's health, family, and business success. Pakistani names often include a name that denotes a person's class, tribe, occupation, or other status indicator. They may also include two names that have a specific meaning when used together, and the meaning is lost if the names are separated. . It is best to ask a person how they wish to be addressed. In general, this is not a culture where first names are commonly used, except among close friends. Gift Giving Etiquette If invited to a Pakistani's home, bring the hostess a small gift such as flowers or good quality chocolates. Men should avoid giving flowers to women. Do not give white flowers as they are used at weddings. If a man must give a gift to a woman, he should say that it is from his wife, mother, sister, or some other female relative. Do not give alcohol. Gifts are not opened when received. Gifts are given with two hands. Dining Etiquette If invited to a home you will most likely have to remove your shoes. Check to see if the host is wearing shoes. If not, remove yours at the door. Dress conservatively.

Arrive approximately 15 minutes later than the stipulated time when invited to dinner or a small gathering. You may arrive up to one hour later than the stipulated time when invited to a party. Show respect for the elders by greeting them first. In more rural areas, it is still common to eat meals from a knee-high round table while sitting on the floor. Many people in urban areas do not use eating utensils, although more westernized families do. When in doubt, watch what others are doing and emulate their behaviour. Guests are served first. Then the oldest, continuing in some rough approximation of age order until the youngest is served. Do not start eating until the oldest person at the table begins. You will be urged to take second and even third helpings. Saying "I'm full" will be taken as a polite gesture and not accepted at face value. Eat only with the right hand. Business Etiquette & Protocol in Pakistan Building Relationships & Communication Third-party introductions are a necessity in this relationship-driven culture. Pakistanis prefer to work with people they know and trust and will spend a great deal of time on the getting-to-know-you part of relationship building. You must not appear frustrated by what may appear to be purely social conversation.

Pakistanis are hospitable and enjoy hosting foreign guests. Relationships take time to grow and must be nurtured. This may require several visits. Pakistanis often ask personal questions as a way to get to know you as a person. If possible, it is best to answer these questions. Pakistanis do not require as much personal space as most western cultures. As such, they will stand close to you while conversing and you may feel as if your personal space has been violated. Do not back away. Pakistanis are generally indirect communicators. Always demonstrate deference to the most senior person in the group. In general, Pakistanis speak in a roundabout or circuitous fashion. Direct statements are made only to those with whom they have a long-standing personal relationship. They also use a great deal of hyperbole and similes, and go out of their way to find something to praise. Be prepared to flatter and be flattered. Pakistanis prefer to converse in a non-controversial manner, so they will say they "will try" rather than admit that they cannot or will not be able to do something. Therefore, it is important to ask questions in several ways so you can be certain what was meant by a vague response.

Silence is often used as a communication tool. Pakistanis prefer to do business in person. They see the telephone as too impersonal a medium for business communication. Business Meeting Etiquette Customs in Pakistan Appointments are necessary and should be made, in writing, 3 to 4 weeks in advance, although meetings with private companies can often be arranged with less notice. The best time to schedule meetings is in the late morning or early afternoon. If at all possible, try not to schedule meetings during Ramadan. The workday is shortened, and since Muslims fast, they could not offer you tea, which is a sign of hospitality. You should arrive at meetings on time and be prepared to be kept waiting. Pakistanis in the private sector who are accustomed to working with international companies often strive for punctuality, but are not always successful. It is not uncommon to have a meeting cancelled at the last minute or even once you have arrived. In general, Pakistanis have an open-door policy, even when they are in a meeting. This means there may be frequent interruptions. Other people may wander into the room and start a different discussion. Meetings are formal. Business meetings start after prolonged inquiries about health, family, etc.

Never inquire about a colleague's wife or daughters. During the first several meetings, business may not be discussed at all as the relationship is still being developed. Maintain indirect eye contact while speaking. Negotiating Companies are hierarchical. Decisions are made by the highest-ranking person. Decisions are reached slowly. If you try to rush things, you will give offense and jeopardize your business relationship. The society is extremely bureaucratic. Most decisions require several layers of approval. It often takes several visits to accomplish simple tasks. If you change negotiators, negotiations will have to start over since relationships are to the person and not the company that they represent. Pakistanis are highly skilled negotiators. Price is often a determining factor in closing a deal. Pakistanis strive for win-win outcomes. Maintain indirect eye contact while speaking. Do not use high-pressure tactics. Pakistanis can become highly emotional during negotiations. Discussions may become heated and even revert to Urdu (the national language). It is imperative that you remain calm. Business Card Etiquette Pakistan Facts, Facts about Pakistan Facts about Pakistan Death Penalty Facts Pakistan Facts The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is located in South Asia.

Find all about Pakistan facts here, including capital city, currency, flag, language, tradition, population, symbols, largest cities, goverment, history, economey and the like. Quick Facts Where is Pakistan ? The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a country located in South Asia. It is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran to the west, India to the east, Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman to the south, and China to the northeast. It lies adjacent to Tajikistan but it separated by Wakhan Corridor. Pakistan shares its marine border with Oman. What is the capital of Pakistan ? Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan, and the tenth largest city in the country. It is located on the Porthohar Plateau and was the first habitation of the Aryan community. With an estimated population of 1,330,000, it became the capital of Pakistan in 1960. How big is Pakistan ? Pakistan is the 38th largest country in the world. It covers an area of 307,374 square miles and has an estimated population of 177,163,231. What is the currency of Pakistan ?

Pakistani rupee is the official currency of Pakistan and is issued by the State Bank of Pakistan. Its ISO 4217 code is PKR. Which is the largest city of Pakistan ? Karachi is the largest city of Pakistan. It is a major seaport and the financial capital of the country. Located in the south of the country, it was the first capital of free Pakistan. It covers an area of 1,361.8 square miles and has an estimated population of 13,052,000. What is the official language of Pakistan ? Urdu is the national language, while English is the official language of Pakistan. English is used in official business, government, and legal contracts. There are more than sixty languages spoken in the country. Other recognized regional languages are Balochi, Sindhi, Pashto, Punjabi, and Saraiki. What is the religion of Pakistan ? Islam is the state religion of Pakistan. It is home to the second-largest Shia population in the world. Approximately 97% of the population is Muslim. The remaining population are Parsis, Buddhists, Bahais and Animists. What is the literacy rate of Pakistan ?

The literacy rate of Pakistan is very low. In 2004, the adult literacy rate in Pakistan was 46.6%. Female literacy was 31.5%, while male literacy was just above 60%. Who is the political leader of Pakistan ? Pakistan is a Federal Parliamentary republic. The President of the country is elected by an electoral college. He is the head of the state and the Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Asif Ali Zardari is the 11th and the current President of Pakistan. He assumed office on September 9, 2008. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf is the current and the 17th Prime Minister of Pakistan. He assumed office on 22 June 2012. When is the National Day of Pakistan celebrated ? The nation of Pakistan was created on August 14, 1947. It was granted independence from Britain and was made up of Balochistan, East Bengal, West Punjab, Sindh, and the North-West Frontier Province. Pakistan was a dominion in the Commonwealth of Nations from 1947 to 1956, when it became a republic. What is the economy of Pakistan like ?

The GDP of Pakistan in 2011 was $210.8 billion, while its per capita income in 2010 was $2,500. It has a semi-industrialized economy. Services sector accounts for 53.7% of the GDP, followed by industry 26.8%, and agriculture 19.6%. Unemployment rate stands at 6.2%. Textiles, chemicals, food processing, steel, transport equipment, beverages, clothing paper products, and construction are major industries in the country. Major trading partners are US, UK, UAE, China, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Japan. Last Updated Date: August 13, 2016 Political Map of Pakistan | Pakistan Provinces, Map Political Map of Pakistan Disclaimer Close Disclaimer : All efforts have been made to make this image accurate. However Compare Infobase Limited,its directors and employees do not own any responsibility for the correctness or authenticity of the same. Located on the Indian subcontinent in South Asia, Pakistan is home to a population of about 170 million people, making it the sixth most populous country in the world.

Known as the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, about 97 percent of Pakistanis are Muslims, with Christians and Hindus making up the other 3 percent. Pakistan is federal parliamentary republic. There are many major languages spoken in Pakistan, with English as the official language and Urdu as the national language, but the most commonly spoken languages are Punjabi, Pashto, Sindhi, Saraiki, Urdu, and Balochi. Geography of Pakistan The total area of Pakistan is about 796, 095 square kilometers (307374 square miles). The Arabian Sea borders Pakistan to the southwest. Pakistan shares international land boundaries with India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Afghanistan. Pakistan's provinces and their capitals : There are four provinces in Pakistan each shown in a different color on the political map of Pakistan. Pakistan also has two autonomous territories as well as tribal areas. The capital of Pakistan is Islamabad, which is a federal capital territory. Pakistan's provinces and their capitals: Sindh - Karachi Language Translation Arabic Translation Arabic is a native language of the majority of the countries of the Middle East. According to the 2010 census, 295 million people around the world Arabic native speakers.

The countries with the highest number of Arabic speakers include Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Iraq and Sudan. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family and is an official language of 27 countries. Other Middle Eastern countries such as Israel, Iran and Turkey also have Arabic-speaking minorities. The Arabic language is the 5th most spoken language in the world. Bengali Translation Bengali belongs to the Indo-Aryan language family and is the only official language of Bangladesh and one of the many recognised regional languages of India, where it is mainly spoken in North-East India. According to the 2010 census, 220 million people speak Bengali as their native language. There are also significant Bengali-speaking communities across the world. Bengali people account for 98% of Bangladesh ethnic groups. Bengali is the 7th most spoken language in the world. Cantonese Translation Cantonese is an official dialect of China and belongs to the Sino-Tibetan language family. In mainland China, Cantonese is widely spoken in Guangdong Province (Canton).

Outside mainland China, it is used in everyday life by the majority of people in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as in Southeast Asia by Chinese migrant communities. It is estimated that there are 70 million Cantonese speakers worldwide. Written Cantonese is one of the most developed forms of all Chinese varieties and is based on Mandarin Chinese. Chinese Translation The number of native Chinese speakers is estimated at 1.2 billion. The Chinese language includes many language varieties or dialects, some of which are not mutually intelligible. It is an official language of China, Taiwan, the unrecognised Wa State of Burma and Singapore. Chinese is also one of the six languages of the United Nations. Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin , is the most commonly spoken language in China. Cantonese is another influential dialect used in specific regions such as Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau. Some other widespread primary Chinese dialects include Wu, Yue and Min. Czech Translation Czech is the only official language of the Czech Republic and belongs to the Indo-European West Slavic language group. Croatian has been one of the 23 official languages of the European Union since 2004 and the number of native speakers is estimated at 12 million globally.

Czech is closely related to Slovak Translation and speakers of both Czech and Slovak can communicate intelligibly in both languages. Czech is also the most common foreign language in Slovakia. The Czech alphabet uses the standard Latin script to transliterate Slavic Cyrillic. Danish Translation Danish belongs to the East North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages along with Swedish and Norwegian Bokmål. According to the 2007 census, it is estimated that 5.6 million people speak Danish as their native language. Danish is the official language of Denmark and one of the two official languages of the Faroe Islands, an island group and archipelago under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. Danish is also a recognised minority language in Germany and Greenland. The Danish language has also been one of the 23 official languages of European Union since Denmark joined the Union in 1973. Dari Translation Dari is a Persian dialect, mainly spoken in Afghanistan and Eastern Iran. It belongs to the Western Indo-Aryan language group of Indo-European languages. The number of Dari native speakers is estimated at between 15 and 18 million. The Dari language is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan.

Approximately 50% of the country’s population speak Dari as their first language. Dari-speaking communities can also be found in Pakistan. The writing system used is the Persian alphabet, which is based on the Arabic script. Farsi is the mother language of Dari. English Translation The history of the English language is commonly divided into three periods known as Old English, Middle English, and Modern English. The earliest period begins with the migration of certain Germanic tribes from the continent to Britain in the fifth century, before Middle English took over. The period of Middle English extends roughly from the twelfth century through the fifteenth. The influence of French upon the lexicon continued throughout this period, before the period of Modern English that extends from the sixteenth century to the present day which has its influences in Latin through the invention of the printing press, and as the empire expanded, took influence from a range of different countries. Finnish Translation Finnish, along with Swedish , is one of the two official languages of Finland. Finnish is also recognised as minority language in Sweden. According to a 2011 census, the number of Finnish speakers is approximately 5 million globally.

Native Finnish speakers can also be found in a number of surrounding areas including Estonia, Norway, Karelia and Ingria. Finnish became one of the 23 official languages of the European Union when Finland joined in 1995. The writing system of Finnish is based on Latin script. The Finnish language belongs to the Uralic family of languages, along with Hungarian and Estonian . French Translation French belongs to the Romance language branch of the Italic languages derived from Vulgar Latin. It has official status in 29 countries and is the 18th most widely spoken language in the world, with approximately 110 million native speakers globally. It is also the fourth most widely spoken language in the European Union. Outside France, French is widely spoken in Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Monaco and some provinces of Canada. French-speaking people can also be found widely in Francophone African countries such as Cameroon, Senegal and the Republic of the Congo. As one of Europe’s founding languages, French is an official language of many EU institutions.

German Translation German belongs to the West Germanic branch of Indo-European languages – considered the largest of the three traditional branches of the Germanic family of languages and includes languages such as German, English, Dutch , Afrikaans and Yiddish. German is an official language of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Belgium and is the 11th most spoken language in the world. German is also the most widely spoken language in the European Union. It is estimated that approximately 120 million people are native German speakers. Greek Translation Greek is an official language in Greece and Cyprus and became one of the 23 official languages of the European Union when Greece joined in 1981. The Greek language belongs to an independent branch of the Indo-European language family with little in common with other Indo-European languages. Greek has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. The number of native Greek speakers is estimated at approximately 13 million worldwide. Greek-speaking minorities can be found in Albania, Armenia, Hungary, Italy, Romania, Turkey and Ukraine.

Hungarian Translation Hungarian is the official language of Hungary but is also officially recognised as a minority language in neighbouring countries such as Romania, Ukraine, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia and Austria. The Hungarian language belongs to the Ugric branch of the Uralic language family. It is the most widely spoken non-Indo-European language in Europe. The number of Hungarian native speakers is estimated to be between 13 and 15 million. Hungarian became one of the 23 official languages of the European Union in 2004. Icelandic Translation Icelandic is the official language of Iceland and belongs to the North Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family, which includes Swedish , Danish , Norwegian and Faroese. Icelandic is considered to be the most conservative of the Scandinavian languages in terms of grammar, vocabulary and orthography and retains a four-case synthetic grammar comparable to German. According to a 2011 census, there are 320,000 native Icelandic speakers in the world, the majority of which live in Iceland. Indonesian Translation Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is the official language of Indonesia. It belongs to the Malay branch of the Austronesian languages.

23 million people speak Indonesian natively and it is estimated that 140 million more people speak Indonesian as their second language. There are several loanwords from Arabic and Dutch in modern Indonesian, due to the establishment of Islam and the former Dutch colonial period. The modern Indonesian alphabet is a Latin-based alphabet used and consists of the same 26 letters as English. Italian Translation Italian belongs to the Romance language branch of the Indo-European language family and is an official language of Italy, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican City. Italian became an official language of the European Union as early as 1958. According to a 2007 census, it is estimated that approximately 61 million people around the world are Italian native speakers. In Europe, Italian-speaking minorities can be found in Malta, Monaco, France, Slovenia and Croatia. Japanese Translation According to a 2010 census, approximately 125 million people speak Japanese as their native language, making it the ninth most widely spoken language in the world. Japanese belongs to the Altaic language family, which also includes the Turkish , Mongolian and Korean languages. Although Japanese has no official status, it is the de facto national language of Japan.

Japanese is spoken almost exclusively in Japan, but Japanese-speaking people can still be found in Korea, Taiwan, China and the Philippines. The Japanese dialects comprise many regional variants, although the lingua franca of Japan is hyōjungo (“standard language”). Khmer Translation Khmer or Cambodian is the official language of Cambodia. It belongs to the Austroasiatic language family. According to the 2007 census, approximately 16 million people speak Cambodian as their native language, including nearly 13 million in Cambodia alone. It is the second most spoken Austroasiatic language behind Vietnamese. Native speakers of Khmer dialects can also be found in neighbouring Vietnam and Thailand. Southeast Asian languages such as Thai , Lao or Vietnamese have influenced, and also been influenced by the Khmer language. Korean Translation Korean belongs to the Altaic language family. It is the official language of South Korea, North Korea, and one of the two official languages of the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in China. It is the 17th most widely spoken language in the world. It is estimated that approximately 76 million people are native Korean speakers.

Despite a high number of Korean local dialects, all of them are mutually intelligible. Korean-speaking minorities can be found in China, Japan and the USA. Kurdish Translation The Kurdish language belongs to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family. It is one of the two official languages of Iraq, and a recognised minority language in Armenia and Iran. It has three standardised versions called Northern, Southern and Central Kurdish. The Kurdish language uses the Perso-Arabic script in Iraq and Iran, whereas the Latin script is the most common in Turkey, Syria and Armenia. According to the 2007 census, 21 million people speak Kurdish as their native language. Mandarin Translation Mandarin, otherwise known as Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Chinese, belongs to the Chinese branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family. It is an official language of China, Singapore and the Wa State of Burma. Although the Mandarin language is a group of varieties of Chinese mostly spoken in the north of China, not all of these dialects are mutually intelligible. According to the 2010 census, the number of Mandarin native speakers is approximately 955 million, making Mandarin the most widely spoken language in the world.

The Mandarin Chinese language uses the Simplified Chinese script. Mongolian Translation Mongolian is said to belong to the Central Mongolic branch of the Altaic language family. It is estimated that about 5.7 million people speak Mongolian as their native language. The Mongolian language is the only official language of Mongolia, and one of the official languages of China’s Inner Mongolia region. However, the use of Mongolian is in decline among Mongolian people in China. Both the Mongolian script and the Cyrillic alphabet can be used officially to write Mongolian. Norwegian Translation Norwegian belongs to the West Scandinavian branch of the Indo-European language family. Norwegian is the only official language in Norway; however, the number of Norwegian native speakers is estimated at about 5 million. The Norwegian language has two official written forms: Bokmål (used as a primary language by almost 90% of the population) and Nynorsk. The Norwegian alphabet is written using Latin script. The Norwegian vocabulary has been, and is still, widely influenced by Danish and Swedish . Polish Translation Polish is the native language of approximately 40 million people worldwide.

It is the only official language of Poland and became one of the 23 official languages of the European Union in 2004. Polish is part of the West Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. Significant Polish-speaking minorities can also be found in Lithuania, Belarus and Ukraine. The Polish language is the 2nd most widely spoken Slavic language. Portuguese Translation Portuguese is an official language in nine countries: Portugal, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde, Angola, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Guinea-Bissau and Timor-Leste (sometimes known as East Timor). Portuguese belongs to the West Iberian branch of the Indo-European language family. Sao Paulo is the city with the highest number of Portuguese speakers in the world. Sizeable Portuguese-speaking minorities can be found in Andorra, Australia and Bermuda. With about 216 million native speakers, the Portuguese language is the sixth most widely spoken language in the world. Punjabi Translation With more than 100 million native speakers worldwide, Punjabi is the tenth most widely spoken language in the world. It belongs to the Central Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European language family.

Punjabi is one of the recognised languages of both India and Pakistan. The Punjabi language is spoken natively by nearly half of the population in Pakistan and is the 11th most common language in India. Punjabi is also commonly spoken by migrant communities in the UK and Canada, with the two countries accounting for more than 3 million native Punjabi speakers. The influence of Punjabi is today increasing, due to its use in the majority of Bollywood films. Romanian Translation Romanian is the official language of Romania and Moldova and Ukraine recognises it as a minority language. It is part of the Eastern Romance branch of the Indo-European language family. The number of Romanian native speakers is about 24 million worldwide. Although the constitution of Moldova calls the national language “Moldovan”, linguists consider it as an identical language to Romanian. Significant Romanian-speaking communities can be found in Israel, Italy, Spain and Cyprus. Russian Translation Russian belongs to the East Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. According to the 2010 census, the number of Russian native speakers is about 154 million. The Russian language is the eighth most widely spoken language in the world, and the most popular native language in Europe.

Russian is the official language of Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. A sizeable Russian-speaking population can also be found in Ukraine, Latvia, Moldova, Estonia and other Caucasian territories. Russian is also the ninth most commonly used language on the Internet. Slovak Translation Slovak is the official language of Slovakia and one of the 23 official languages of the European Union. It is recognised as a minority language in Czech Republic, Ukraine and Hungary. Slovak belongs to the West Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family, alongside Czech and Polish . It is estimated that over 7 million people speak Slovak as their native language. Slovak-speaking minorities can also be found in other European countries such as Serbia, Romania and Poland. Slovenian Translation Slovenian is part of the South Slavic group of the Indo-European language family. The Slovene language is spoken by approximately 2.5 million people worldwide. It is the official language of Slovenia, one of the 23 official languages of the European Union and a recognised language in Austria, Hungary and Italy. Other Slovene-speaking people can be found in Croatia and Serbia. Slovene and some Serbo – Croatian dialects are mutually intelligible.

Spanish Translation Spanish is part of the Romance branch of the Indo-European language family. According to a 2010 census, over 407 million people around the globe speak Spanish natively, making it is the second most widely spoken language in the world. Spanish is an official language in 21 countries, the most populous of which are Mexico, Colombia, Spain and Argentina. Spanish also has official status in several international organisations such as the European Union, the United Nations and Mercosur. Apart from countries where the official language is Spanish, sizeable populations of Spanish native speakers can also be found in the USA, Brazil, France and Italy. Tagalog Translation Tagalog is part of the Central Philippine branch of the Austronesian language family. It is one of the two official languages of the Philippines, alongside English. It is estimated that over 27 million people speak Tagalog as their native language and 64 million people can speak Tagalog worldwide. According to a 2010 census, the Tagalog language was also the fourth most widely spoken language at home in the USA. Tagalog uses the Latin script writing system.

Urdu Translation Urdu is an official language of Pakistan alongside English, and one the many regional languages of India. Urdu belongs to the Western Hindi branch of the Indo-European language family. Although Urdu is largely mutually intelligible with Standard Hindi, it is written in a form of Arabic script, unlike the Hindi language which is written in the Devanagari writing system. The number of Urdu native speakers is estimated to be around 66 million. Outside Pakistan and India, Urdu-speaking communities can be found in the UK, Saudi Arabia, the USA and Bangladesh. This is not a complete list of the languages that we offer, so if you cannot see the language that you require above, contact us as we still may be able to help. The History of the Urdu Language - World Digital Library World Digital Library The History of the Urdu Language Description This work, published in Delhi in 1920, is a history of the Urdu language from its origins to the development of an Urdu literature. Urdu and Hindi share an Indo-Aryan base, but Urdu is associated with the Nastaliq script style of Persian calligraphy and reads right-to-left, whereas Hindi resembles Sanskrit and reads left-to-right.

The earliest linguistic influences in the development of Urdu probably began with the Muslim conquest of Sindh in 711. The language started evolving from Farsi and Arabic contacts during the invasions of the Indian subcontinent by Persian and Turkic forces from the 11th century onward. Urdu developed more decisively during the Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526) and the Mughal Empire (1526–1858). When the Delhi Sultanate expanded south to the Deccan Plateau, the literary language was influenced by the languages spoken in the south, by Punjabi and Haryanvi, and by Sufi and court usage. The earliest verse dates to the 15th century, and the golden period of Urdu poetry was the 18th–19th centuries. Urdu religious prose goes back several centuries, while secular writing flourished from the 19th century onward. Modern Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and is also spoken by many millions of people in India.

Question: What is the language most commonly spoken in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
Answer: Urdu