International Organization of la Francophonie

The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF) is an international organization that designates the community of one billion people and countries in the world whose population uses the language French. Forty-nine states are full members, in addition to four associate members and ten observer members. Most member states are French-speaking.

Its activities are not exclusively focused on language, but also on the dissemination of culture, education, extension of democracy and reduction of differences as a consequence of new technologies. It is organized in Summits of Heads of State and Government that are held every two years, the Conference of Ministers and the Permanent Commission that acts as executive body.

Since 2019, the Rwandan Louise Mushikiwabo has been in charge of the General Secretariat of La Francophonie. In January 2021, the Parliament of Catalonia has been incorporated as an associate member of it.

History

It was founded on March 20, 1970 in Niamey, Niger. The initiative arose, especially, from the French-speaking countries of Africa. Its main promoters were the heads of state Habib Bourguiba (Tunisia), Norodom Sihanouk (Cambodia), Hamani Diori (Niger), Charles Hélou (Lebanon) and Léopold Sédar Senghor (Senegal). Currently the headquarters is in Paris and brings together French-speaking States that have a cultural link.

We must distinguish between countries where French is the official language, those where it is the mother tongue of a large part of the population, those where it is the language of cultural diffusion, those where it is used by certain social classes, etc. These categories do not have to coincide: in many of the countries where French is the official language, it is not the mother tongue of the population.

In 2008, La Francophonie was made up of forty-nine member states that are home to 10% of the world's population. Its activities are not exclusively focused on language, but also on the dissemination of culture, education, extension of democracy and reduction of differences as a consequence of new technologies. It is organized in Summits of Heads of State and Government that are held every two years, the Conference of Ministers and the Permanent Commission that acts as executive body.

Operators

It maintains five international agencies with a combined budget of 230 million euros:

1. Intergovernmental Agency of la Francophonie;
2. University Agency of La Francophonie;
3. International Association of Mayors and Heads of French Metropolis.

Principles

La Francophonie proclaims among its fundamental principles and values the following:

• Democracy and human rights.
• Respect for and promotion of cultural and linguistic diversity.
• Solidarity and sustainable development.

The word was coined by Onésime Reclus.

Areas of greatest and least French-speaking influence in the World

Continent/Region	Country/Territory	Languages	Ethnic groups	Religion	References
Europe	France (Metropolitan France and Corsica)	French (Officer). Breton, Catalan, Corso, Occitan, Euskera, Alsaciano, Tahitiano and 4 Melanesian languages.	Ethnic groups: Franceses (Mayria), Arabs, Berbers, Africans, Mestizos, Jews, Corsians, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, German, Eastern European, Gypsies, among others.	CatholicProtestant, Jewish, Islamic.
	AndorraAndorra	Catalan 38.1% (Official), Spanish, French 5.4% and Portuguese.	Spanish, Andorran, French and Portuguese.	Catholic.
	BelgiumBelgium	Dutch, French and German (Offices).	Ancient Civilizations (Celtas or Gallos, Romans, Goths or Germans and among others), Current ethnic groups (Flamencos and Valones).	Catholic, Protestant.
	LuxembourgLuxembourg	Luxemburg, French and German (Offices).	Ancient Civilizations (Celtas or Gallos, Romans, Goths or Germans and among others).	CatholicProtestant.
	MonacoMonaco	French (Officer). Monegasco.	Franceses and Italians.	Catholic.
	SwitzerlandSwitzerland	German (official) 63.7%, French (official) 19.6%, Italian (official) 6.6%, romanche (official) 0.5% and Spanish 1.7%.	Germans, French, Italians, Romansh and Spanish.	ProtestantCatholic.
	Aosta Valley Region with special status ItalyItaly	Italian and French (Offices).	Italian and French.	Catholic.
	Guernsey Unit United KingdomUnited Kingdom	English (predominant) and French (legislative) (Official).	British and French.	AnglicanCatholic.
	Jersey Unit United KingdomUnited Kingdom	English and French (Offices). (Jèrriais recognized as a regional language).	British and French.	AnglicanCatholic.
	Llivia Municipality SpainSpain	English and Catalan (Official) and French (Minoritarian).	Spanish.	Catholic.

Continent/Region	Country/Territory	Languages	Ethnic groups	Religion	References
America	Guadalupe Overseas Department France	French (Officer).	African Americans (black and mulatto: 75%), Indians (mainly Pondicherry: 14%), Whites (9%), Arabs (2%).	Catholic.
	French GuianaFrench Guiana Overseas Department France	French (Officer).	African Americans (black and mulatto: 72%), White (12%), Brazilian Pardos (10%), Asian (3%), Indigenous (3%).	Catholic.
	MartiniqueMartinique Overseas Department France	French (Officer).	African Americans (black and mulatto: 80%), Afro-indians (15%), Whites (5%)	Catholic.
	San Bartolomé Overseas Collectivity France	French (Officer).	Whites (95%), African Americans (5%).	Catholic.
	San Martín Overseas Collectivity France	French (Officer).	African Americans (88%), Whites (10%), Asians (2%).	CatholicProtestant.
	San Pedro and Miquelón Overseas Collectivity France	French (Officer).	Europeans of French origin (100%).	CatholicProtestant.
	CanadaCanada	English 57.2% and French 21.8% (Officials). Other non-official languages 20.6%: Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Italian, German, punjabi, believes, inuktitut, ojibwa and inuktitut.	White 90% (mainly British and French), mixed, African American, Amerindians and Asian.	Protestant, Catholic.
	HaitiHaiti	French and Haitian Creole (Offices), Spanish and English.	Black (95%), Mulates (4%), less than 1% (Arabs, Whites, and others).	CatholicVoodoo.
	DominicaDominica	English (Officer). French (De facto).	African Americans: Black and mulatto, mixed and white (minority).	ProtestantCatholic.
	GrenadaGrenada	English (Official), French, Creole and Haitian Creole.	African Americans: Black and mulatto, mixed and white (minority).	ProtestantCatholic.
	Saint LuciaSaint Lucia	English (Official), French, kweyol and some other Creole languages derived from French.	African Americans: Black and mulatto, mixed and white (minority).	ProtestantCatholic.
	Louisiana State of United States	English and French (Official), Spanish.	62.7% are white (Europeans or descendants of Europeans) mainly British, French, Spanish and Italian, 31.6% are black, 2.9% are Latin American (including Hondurans and Mexicans) and 1.3% are Asian.	Protestant, Catholic.
	United States Virgin Islands Non-incorporated Territory United States	English 80% (Officer). Spanish 15%, French 6.6% and Creole.	African Americans (mulats and Blacks), Mestizos, Native Americans and American, Puerto Rican and Dominican immigrants.	ProtestantCatholic.
	San Martín Autonomous country of the NetherlandsNetherlands	Dutch 8% and English 68% (Officials). English 13%, Papiamento 2%, French and other languages 4%.	African Americans (mulats and blacks), mestizos, European Creoles (mainly of Dutch, Spanish and French ancestry) and natives of Arahuacos.	ProtestantCatholic.

Continent/Region	Country/Territory	Languages	Ethnic groups	Religion	References
Africa	Island Meeting Overseas Department France	French and Creole Meeting (Officials).	Fines (38%), Indians (25%)), Whites (24%), Blacks (10%), Chinese (3%).	CatholicAnimism.
	Mayotte Overseas Department France	French and shimaore (Suaheli dialect) (Officials).	Black (99%), Whites (1%).	CatholicAnimism.
	Benin	French (Officer).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismCatholic.
	Burkina Faso	French (Officer). Moore and Diula (Bambara)	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismCatholic.
	Burundi	French and Kyrundi (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and Belgian).	AnimismCatholic, Protestant.
	CameroonCameroon	French and English (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismCatholic, Protestant.
	Chad	French and Arabic (Officer).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African, French and Arab).	IslamicAnimism, Christians.
	Ivory Coast	French (Officer).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismCatholic,
	GabonGabon	French (Officer). Spanish (Official in the city of Cocobeach), fang, bubi.	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	CatholicProtestant, animism.
	Guinea	French (Officer).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	IslamicAnimism, Christians.
	Equatorial GuineaEquatorial Guinea	English 67.6%, French 32.4%, Portuguese, fang, bubi, bioko, annobonés, annobo, balengue, ibo y ndowé (All official). English and Portuguese Creole (Censo 1994).	Black: (Fangs 85.7%, bubis 6.5%, mdowes 3.6%, annobon 1.6%, bujebas 1.1% and others 1.4%) (Censo 1994) and mulatos (mestizos - African and Spanish).	CatholicAnimism.
	Comoros	French, Suahelí (comorano) and Arabic (Official).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African, French and Arab).	Islamic.
	Mali	French and Bambara (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismIslamic, Christian.
	Madagascar	Malagasy and French (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismChristian, Islamic.
	Mauritania	Arabic, French, fula, wólof and soninké (All official).	Arab, Black and Mulatual (Mestizos - African, French and Arab).	Islamic.
	Mauritius	English, French and Mauritian Creole (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African, French and British).	HinduismIslamic, Catholic.
	Niger	French, hausa, Fulfulde, gurma, kanuri, zarma and tuareg (all officers). Arab.	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African, French and Arab).	AnimismIslamic, Catholic.
	Central African Republic	Sango and French (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismIslamic, Christian.
	Democratic Republic of the Congo	French, lingala, kikongo, suajili and tshiluba (All official).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and Belgian).	AnimismIslamic, Catholic, Protestant.
	Republic of the Congo	French, lingala and kituba (All official).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismChristian.
	Rwanda	Kinyarwanda, French and English (Official).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and Belgian).	AnimismCatholic, Protestant.
	Senegal	French and Wolof (Offices).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	IslamicCatholic.
	Seychelles	Criollo seychelense, French and English (Officials).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African, French and British).	CatholicAnimism.
	Togo	French (Officer). Ewe.	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African and French).	AnimismCatholic religion-
	Djibouti	Arabic and French (Official).	Black and mulatto (mestizos - African, French and Arab).	Islamic.
	AlgeriaAlgeria	Arab 72% and tamazight 27.4% (Officials). French 70% and Spanish.	Arabs and Berbers.	IslamicCatholic, Jewish.
	EgyptEgypt	Arabic (Officer). French and English.	Arabs, Jews and Berbers.	IslamicCoptic, Jewish.
	MoroccoMorocco	Arab and Berber (Offices). French 9.2% and Spanish.	Arabs, Berbers, Jews (sefed mainly), Moorish and European (Spanish and French mainly).	IslamicJewish, Catholic.
	Saharawi Democratic RepublicSaharawi Democratic Republic	Arabic and Spanish (Offices). French (De facto).	Arabs, Berbers, Jews and Europeans (Spanish and French mainly).	IslamicCatholic, Jewish.
	TunisiaTunisia	Arabic (Officer). French (De facto).	Arabs, Berbers, Jews and Europeans (Frenches, Spanish and Italians mainly).	IslamicJewish, Catholic.

Continent/Region	Country/Territory	Languages	Ethnic groups	Religion	References
Asia	CambodiaCambodia	Jemer (Officer). French, Chinese and Sanskrit and Palí dialects.	Jemeres, Chinese and mestizos (indigenous and French).	Buddhist.
	Laos	Lao (official). French, Chinese and other indigenous languages.	Laosians, Chinese and mestizos (indigenous and French).	Buddhist.
	LebanonLebanon	Arabic and French (Official). English, Armenian and Spanish.	Arabs, Jews, Armenians, Turks and Europeans (French mainly).	IslamicJewish, Christian.
	Vietnam	Vietnamese (Officer). French, Chinese and other indigenous languages.	Vietnamese, Chinese and Mestizos (indigenous and French).	BuddhistCatholic.
	IsraelIsrael	Hebrew and Arabic (Offices). English, Russian, French (700,000 speakers), German, Spanish, Amharic, Yidis, Judeo-Spanish or Ladino and among others.	Hebrews, Arabs, Arameans, Chaldeans, Ashkenazis, Sephardic and among others.	JewishIslamic, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox.
	Guangdong Province of ChinaChina	Chinese (Officer). French and chaoshanhua.	Chinese cantons and mandarins.	Confuciator, Buddhist.
	Puducherry State of the India	Tamil, French and Malayalam (Offices).	Indians, Tamils and Malayalams.	HinduismIslamic, Sikh, Buddhist, Christian, Jewish.
	Syria	Arabic (Officer). French and Syriac, Kurdish and other languages.	Arabs, Turks and Jews.	IslamicJewish, Christian.

Continent/Region	Country/Territory	Languages	Ethnic groups	Religion	References
Oceania	VanuatuVanuatu	English, French and Spanish.	Austronesians, Polynesians, Melanesians and Mestizos.	AnimismProtestant, Catholic.
	New Caledonia Special Collective France	French and Kanak (Offices).	Kanaks (40.34%), Whites (29.2%), Polynesians (10.69%), Mestizos (8.3%), Asians (3.34%), Others (8.13%).	CatholicProtestant, aboriginal beliefs.
	French Polynesia Special Collective France	French and Tahitian (Offices).	Polynesians (78%), Whites (12%), Asian (10%).	CatholicProtestant, aboriginal beliefs.
	Wallis and Futuna Overseas Collectivity France	French and Walisian (Offices).	Walisians, Polynesians, Melanesians, Mestizos and Whites of French origin.	CatholicProtestant, aboriginal beliefs.

Games de la Francophonie