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More People Speak French in Africa Than in France
Over 140 million people across 31 African countries speak French, compared to about 67 million in France itself. By 2050, Africa is projected to be home to 85 percent of the world's French speakers.
Why It’s Fascinating
The future of the French language is being shaped by Kinshasa, Abidjan, and Dakar more than Paris. It is a profound example of how colonial legacies evolve — the colonized are now the primary stewards and innovators of the colonizer's language.
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