Country
|
Joined
|
Language |
Notes
|
Albania |
1999 |
Albanian |
Brief French protectorate in Korçë between 1916 and 1920. Approximately 30% of young Albanians choose French as their first foreign language.[4] Albania is home to 300,000 French speakers, and it is the second foreign language of education after English.
|
Andorra |
2004 |
Catalan |
Formerly part of First French Empire. The President of France is also a Co-Prince of Andorra.
|
Armenia |
2012 |
Armenian |
See further: Armenia-France relations
|
Belgium |
1970 |
officially trilingual, French included |
French is the native language of about 39% of the population[5] 48% are non-native speakers of French.[6] Belgium's French community is also a member separately. See also: Languages of Belgium and Belgian French
|
* French Community of Belgium[a] |
1980 |
French as official language |
A community of Belgium with its two components Wallonia (excluding the German-speaking community) and Brussels-Capital Region (its French-speaking majority)
|
Benin |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony
|
Bulgaria |
1993 |
Bulgarian |
French is spoken as a foreign language by 9% of the Bulgarian people, and taught as a main foreign language in about 25% of primary schools. Furthermore, French is studied by 7.7% of high school students.[7][8]
|
Burkina Faso |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony. Membership suspended in 2022 due to a coup.
|
Burundi |
1970 |
officially trilingual, French |
Former Belgian UN-protectorate
|
Cambodia |
1993 |
Khmer |
Former French protectorate (as a part of former French Indochina)
|
Cameroon |
1991 |
officially bilingual, French included |
Over 90% of country was a French protectorate (1945–1959)
|
Canada |
1970 |
Officially bilingual, French included
|
The provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick are participating governments; much of eastern Canada was part of the first French colonial empire. As of 2004, a government representative from Ontario also attends as part of the Canadian delegation, although Ontario is not yet a participating government in its own right.
|
* New Brunswick[b]
|
1977
|
officially bilingual, French included |
Considered a "participating government", this province of Canada is officially bilingual English-French and home to the largest community of Acadians.
|
* Quebec[b] |
1971 |
French |
Considered a "participating government", this province of Canada has French as its official language and is home to 85% of Canada's native francophones.
|
Cape Verde |
1996 |
Portuguese |
French is spoken as a foreign language by ~11% of the population as of 2014
|
Central African Republic |
1973 |
officially bilingual, French included |
Former French colony. The Central African Republic was suspended for instances of la Francophonie at the 88th session of the CPF in March 2012.[9]
|
Chad |
1970 |
officially bilingual, French included |
Former French colony
|
Comoros |
1977 |
officially trilingual, French included |
Former French colony
|
Congo-Brazzaville |
1981 |
French |
Former French colony
|
Congo-Kinshasa |
1977 |
French |
Former Belgian colony. See also: Languages of the DRC
|
Côte d'Ivoire |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony. See also: Languages of Côte d'Ivoire
|
Djibouti |
1977 |
officially bilingual, French included |
Former French colony
|
Dominica |
1979 |
English |
French and then British colony; Antillean Creole, a French-based creole language, is spoken by 90% of the population.
|
Egypt |
1983 |
Arabic |
French sees use as foreign language in education and the country was a French colony for a short period from 1798 to 1801
|
Equatorial Guinea |
1989 |
officially trilingual, French included |
Country surrounded by French-speaking countries. Former Spanish colony
|
France |
1970 |
French |
Founder, origin of the French language
|
Gabon |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony
|
Greece |
2004 |
Greek |
French spoken as a foreign language by ~7% of the population as of 2014
|
Guinea |
1981 |
French |
Former French colony. Membership suspended in 2021 due to a coup.
|
Guinea-Bissau |
1979 |
Portuguese |
Country surrounded by French-speaking countries. Former Portuguese colony. Guinea-Bissau was suspended on 18 April 2012 following a coup d'état.[10]
|
Haiti |
1970 |
officially bilingual, French included |
Former French colony
|
Laos |
1991 |
Lao |
Former French colony (as a part of former French Indochina)
|
Lebanon |
1973 |
Arabic and French[c] |
Under a French mandate from 1920 to 1943
|
Luxembourg |
1970 |
Officially trilingual, French included |
|
North Macedonia |
2001 |
Macedonian |
French spoken as a foreign language by ~11% of the population as of 2014
|
Madagascar |
1970–1977, 1989 |
officially bilingual, French included |
Former French colony
|
Mali |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony. Mali's membership was suspended in March 2012 due to a coup,[11] and again in 2020.
|
Mauritania |
1980 |
Arabic |
Former French colony, French is an administrative language. Mauritania's membership was suspended on 26 August 2008, pending democratic elections, after a military coup d'état,[12] then again in April 2009.[13]
|
Mauritius |
1970 |
Creole is the mother tongue. French and English are also widely used |
Dutch, French, and then British colony; French is widely used in commerce and by the media.[citation needed] French is also a language of instruction in schools.[citation needed]
|
Moldova |
1996 |
Romanian |
French spoken as a foreign language by ~2% of the population as of 2014
|
Monaco |
1970 |
French |
Independent country enclaved in France
|
Morocco |
1981 |
Arabic and Berber |
Former French and Spanish protectorate
|
Niger |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony. Membership suspended due to a coup in 2023.
|
Romania |
1993 |
Romanian |
French is understood and spoken by 26% of the population.[6]
|
Rwanda |
1970 |
officially quadralingual, French included |
Former Belgian UN-protectorate. In 2009, became a member of the Commonwealth, but remains a member within Francophonie.
|
Saint Lucia |
1981 |
English |
Former French and British colony. Antillean Creole, a French-based creole language, is spoken by 90% of the population.
|
São Tomé and Príncipe |
1999 |
Portuguese |
French spoken as a foreign language by ~20% of the population as of 2014
|
Senegal |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony
|
Seychelles |
1976 |
officially trilingual, French included |
Former French colony (first empire), later British colony, French is commonly used
|
Switzerland |
1996 |
Officially quadrilingual, French included |
French is the native language of about 20% of all Swiss.
|
Togo |
1970 |
French |
Former French colony
|
Tunisia |
1970 |
Arabic |
Former French protectorate
|
Vanuatu |
1979 |
officially trilingual |
Former French and British condominium of New Hebrides
|
Vietnam |
1970[d] |
Vietnamese |
Former French protectorate
|