Language

The Sudan is a multilingual country with Arabic dominating in the north, and other languages in the south. In the 2005 constitution of the Republic of Sudan, the official languages of Sudan are Standard Arabic and English.

The total number of languages used or spoken in Sudan is 142; of those, 134 are currently spoken and lived languages and 8 languages are extinct.

Sudanese Arabic is the most widely spoken language in the country, and is dominant in much of the north. It is the result of a mixing of Egyptian Arabic and Arabic from the Arabian peninsula with local languages (El Rutana). This has resulted in a variety of Arabic that is unique to Sudan, reflecting the way in which the country has been influenced by both African and Arabian cultures. Other languages in the north include Nubian languages and Beja or Bedawi. Among the most spoken languages in southern Sudan, are Dinka and Nuer.