Languages of Vanuatu

The Republic of Vanuatu has the world's highest linguistic density per capita.
For a population of 0.3 million, Vanuatu is home to 138 indigenous Oceanic languages.
In addition, modern history has brought new languages, including the country's three official languages: English, French, and Bislama.
Even more languages have been brought by recent migrations.

A highly multilingual country

Indigenous languages

There are over one hundred local languages spread over the archipelago.
Vanuatu is the country with the highest density of languages per capita in the world: it currently shows an average of about 1760 speakers for each indigenous language, and went through a historical low of 565; only Papua New Guinea comes close. Some of these languages are very endangered, with only a handful of speakers, and indeed several have become extinct in recent times. Generally however, despite the low numbers for most of the indigenous languages, they are not considered especially vulnerable for extinction.

Bislama

Bislama, a creole language derived from English, similar to Tok Pisin of Papua New Guinea and other nearby creoles, is the first language of many urban ni-Vanuatu, that is, the residents of Port Vila and Luganville; it is the most common second language elsewhere in the Vanuatu islands.
In recent years, the use of Bislama as a first language has considerably encroached on indigenous languages, whose use in the population has receded from 73.1 to 63.2 percent between 1999 and 2009.
Out of the three official languages, Bislama is the most spoken in Vanuatu, followed by English, and lastly French.

English and French

From the times when Vanuatu used to be an English-French condominium, there is still an unofficial separation line between regions where English or French are taught at school. English is the first language of about 2% of the population, up from about 1% in 1995. Based on the number of sufficiently educated adults, about 62% of the population speaks English as a second language. French is the first language of 0.6% of the population, down from more than 3% if SIL's figures are comparable. About 31% of the population can at least read and write simple sentences in French.
The majority of the country's population speak an indigenous language as their first language, with Bislama as a second language. As for English and French, they belong to a third circle, in spite of their official status.

List of Vanuatu’s indigenous languages

Vanuatu is home to more than a hundred indigenous languages: a recent count lists 138. Among them, three became extinct in recent decades. Many are named after the island they are spoken on, though some of the larger islands have several different languages. Espiritu Santo and Malakula are linguistically the most diverse, with about two dozen languages each.
Some language names refer to networks of dialects rather than unified languages. Uripiv, for example, is a dialect continuum spoken across several islands in Malampa Province. In such cases, the decision as to how many languages should be counted is notoriously difficult, and sometimes the object of controversy. The number of 112 [|listed below] may differ from other counts proposed in the literature, depending partly on these difficulties.
All indigenous languages of Vanuatu are Oceanic. Three are Polynesian languages of the Futunic group: Emae, Mele-Fila and Futuna-Aniwa. The remaining languages belong to these three groups of the Southern Oceanic branch of Oceanic:

North Vanuatu
Central Vanuatu
South Vanuatu
Ethnologue

Below is the Ethnologue's list of most of the indigenous languages of Vanuatu, which are still spoken or were until recently. It provides links to corresponding Ethnologue entries and to an OLAC list of media resources on the language.
Tip: Click on the column title to change the sort order.

Language	Ethn.	OLAC	Other names	Speakers	% of the total population	Region	Family	Notes
Akei			Tasiriki	650	0.2404	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Amblong				300	0.1109	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Anejom̃			Aneityum	900	0.3328	Aneityum	SV
Aore				Extinct	0.0000	Espiritu Santo, Aore	NCV
Apma					2.8846	Pentecost	NCV
Araki				8	0.0030	Araki	NCV	Moribund
Aulua				750	0.2774	Malekula	NCV
Avava			Katbol	700	0.2589	Malekula	NCV
Axamb			Ahamb	750	0.2774	Malekula	NCV
Baetora					0.4919	Maewo	NCV
Baki			Burumba, Paki	350	0.1294	Epi	NCV
Bierebo			Bonkovia-yevali	800	0.2959	Epi	NCV
Bieria			Bieri, Vovo, Wowo	70	0.0259	Epi	NCV	Endangered
Burmbar			Banan Bay, Vartavo	900	0.3328	Malekula	NCV
Butmas-Tur			Ati	520	0.1923	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Central Maewo					0.5177	Maewo	NCV
Daakie			Port-Vato		0.4808	Ambrym	NCV
Daakaka			Baiap, South Ambrym		0.4438	Ambrym	NCV
Dixon Reef				50	0.0185	Malekula	NCV	Shifting
Dorig			Wetamut	300	0.1109	Banks Islands	NCV
Emae				400	0.1479	Shepherd Islands	Polynesian
Eton				500	0.1849	Efate	NCV
Fortsenal			Kiai	450	0.1664	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Futuna-Aniwa			West Futuna		0.5547	Futuna, Aniwa	Polynesian
Hano			Raga		2.4038	Pentecost	NCV
Hiw			Hiu	280	0.1035	Torres Islands	NCV
Ifo				Extinct	0.0000	Erromango	SV
Kwamera					1.2944	Tanna	SV
Koro				250	0.0925	Banks Islands	NCV
Lamenu			Lamen, Varmali	850	0.3143	Epi, Lamen	NCV
Lakon			Lakona; Vurē	800	0.2959	Banks Islands	NCV
Lamap			Port Sandwich		0.4438	Malekula	NCV
Larevat			Laravat	680	0.2515	Malekula	NCV
Lehali				200	0.0740	Banks Islands	NCV
Lelepa			Havannah Harbour	400	0.1479	Lelepa, Efate	NCV
Lemerig			Sasar	2	0.0007	Banks Islands	NCV	Moribund
Lenakel					4.2529	Tanna	SV
Letemboi			Small Nambas	800	0.2959	Malekula	NCV
Lewo			Varsu		0.8136	Epi	NCV
Lonwolwol			West Ambrym		0.4438	Ambrym	NCV
Lorediakarkar				850	0.3143	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Lo-Toga			Loh, Toga	580	0.2145	Torres Islands	NCV
Löyöp			Lehalurup	240	0.0888	Banks Islands	NCV
Mae			Dirak		0.3698	Malekula	NCV
Maii				180	0.0666	Epi	NCV
Malfaxal			Na’ahai	600	0.2219	Malekula	NCV
Malua Bay			Middle Nambas	500	0.1849	Malekula	NCV
Maragus				15	0.0055	Malekula	NCV
Maskelynes					0.4068	Malekula, Maskelynes Islands	NCV
Mavea			Mav̋ea, Mafea	34	0.0126	Mavea	NCV
Mele-Fila			Ifira-Mele		1.2944	Efate, Mele, Ifira	Polynesian
Merei				400	0.1479	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Morouas				150	0.0555	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Mota				750	0.2774	Banks Islands	NCV
Mpotovoro				430	0.1590	Malekula	NCV
Mwerlap			Merlav		0.4068	Banks Islands	NCV
Mwesen			Mosina	10	0.0037	Banks Islands	NCV
Mwotlap			Motlav		0.7766	Banks Islands	NCV
Nahavaq			South West Bay	700	0.2589	Malekula	NCV
Nakanamanga					3.5133	Efate, Shepherd Islands	NCV
Namakura			Makura		1.3868	Efate, Shepherd Islands	NCV
Naman			Litzlitz	15	0.0055	Malekula	NCV
Narango				160	0.0592	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Nasarian				5	0.0018	Malekula	NCV
Navut				520	0.1923	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Nese				160	0.0592	Malekula	NCV
Neverver			Lingarak		0.4623	Malekula	NCV
Ninde			Labo		0.4068	Malekula	NCV
Nisvai	–		Vetbon		0.0518	Malekula	NCV
Nokuku				160	0.0592	Espiritu Santo	NCV
North Tanna					1.8491	Tanna	SV
North Ambrym					1.9416	Ambrym	NCV
Northeast Ambae			Lolovoli; Aoba		1.8491	Ambae	NCV
Nume			Tarasag		0.2589	Banks Islands	NCV
Olrat				3	0.0011	Banks Islands	NCV
Paama			Paamese		2.2189	Paama	NCV
Piamatsina				150	0.0555	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Polonombauk				220	0.0814	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Repanbitip				90	0.0333	Malekula	NCV
Rerep			Pangkumu, Tisman	380	0.1405	Malekula	NCV
Roria			Mores	75	0.0277	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Saa			Sa		0.9245	Pentecost	NCV
Sakao			Hog Harbour, N'kep		1.4793	Espiritu Santo, Sakao	NCV
Shark Bay				450	0.1664	Espiritu Santo, Litaro	NCV
Sie			Se, Erromanga		0.7027	Erromango	SV
Ske			Seke	300	0.1109	Pentecost	NCV
South Efate			Erakor		2.2189	Efate	NCV
Southeast Ambrym					1.3683	Ambrym	NCV
Southwest Tanna					1.8491	Tanna	SV
Sowa				0	0.0000	Pentecost	NCV
Sungwadia			Marino; North Maewo		0.1849	Maewo	NCV
Tamambo			Malo; Tamabo		1.4793	Malo	NCV
Tambotalo				50	0.0185	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Tangoa				800	0.2959	Tangoa	NCV
Tasmate				150	0.0555	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Tiale				400	0.1479	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Tolomako				900	0.3328	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Tutuba				500	0.1849	Espiritu Santo, Tutuba	NCV
Unua			Onua	520	0.1923	Malekula	NCV
Ura				6	0.0022	Erromango	SV
Uripiv-Wala-Rano-Atchin			Uripiv		3.3284	Malekula	NCV
Valpei				300	0.1109	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Vao					0.7027	Vao, Malekula	NCV
V’ënen Taut			Big Nambas		1.2389	Malekula	NCV
Vera’a			Vatrata	500	0.1849	Banks Islands	NCV
Vinmavis			Neve’ei	500	0.1849	Malekula	NCV
Volow			Valuwa	0	0.0000	Banks Islands	NCV
Vunapu				380	0.1405	Espiritu Santo	NCV
Vurës			Vureas, Mosina		0.7396	Banks Islands	NCV
Wailapa				100	0.0370	Espiritu Santo	NCV
West Ambae			Duidui		3.2174	Ambae	NCV
Whitesands					2.7736	Tanna	SV
Wusi				300	0.1109	Espiritu Santo	NCV

François (2015)

The following list of 138 Vanuatu languages is from François.

No.	Language	Other names	Speakers	Ethnologue	ISO 639-3	Region
1	Hiw	Hiu	280			Torres Islands
2	Lo-Toga	Loh, Toga	580			Torres Islands
3	Lehali		200			Banks Islands
4	Löyöp	Lehalurup	240			Banks Islands
5	Mwotlap	Motlav	2100			Banks Islands
6	Volow	Valuwa	1			Banks Islands
7	Mota		750			Banks Islands
8	Lemerig	Sasar	2			Banks Islands
9	Vera'a	Vatrata	500			Banks Islands
10	Vurës	Vureas, Mosina	2000			Banks Islands
11	Mwesen	Mosina	10			Banks Islands
12	Nume	Tarasag	700			Banks Islands
13	Dorig	Wetamut	300			Banks Islands
14	Koro		250			Banks Islands
15	Olrat		3			Banks Islands
16	Lakon	Lakona, Vurē	800			Banks Islands
17	Mwerlap	Merlav	1100			Banks Islands
18	Sungwadia	Marino, North Maewo	500			Maewo
19	Sungwadaga	Central Maewo	1400			Maewo
20	Baetora	South Maewo, Sungaloge	1330			Maewo
21	East Ambae	Lolovoli, Aoba	5000			Ambae
22	West Ambae	Duidui	8700			Ambae
23	Raga	Hano	6500			Pentecost
24	Apma		7800			Pentecost
25	Ske	Seke	300			Pentecost
26	Sa	Saa	3900			Pentecost
27	Tolomako	Bigbay	900			Espiritu Santo
28	Piamatsina		250			Espiritu Santo
29	Vunapu		380			Espiritu Santo
30	Valpei		300			Espiritu Santo
31	Nokuku		250			Espiritu Santo
32	Meri	Tasmate, Oa	300			Espiritu Santo
33	Wusi	Kula	350			Espiritu Santo
34	Bura		300			Espiritu Santo
35	Merei	Tiale, Lametin	400	,	,	Espiritu Santo
36	Mores	Ko	200			Espiritu Santo
37	Ande	Morouas	500			Espiritu Santo
38	Toksiki	Soisoru, Roria	200			Espiritu Santo
39	Kiai	Fortsenal	450			Espiritu Santo
40	Moiso		100			Espiritu Santo
41	Kene		300			Espiritu Santo
42	Daruru		100			Espiritu Santo
43	Akei	Tasiriki	4000			Espiritu Santo
44	Retlatur		100			Espiritu Santo
45	Wailapa	Ale	500			Espiritu Santo
46	Farsaf	Narango, Nambel	400			Espiritu Santo
47	Varavara	Amblong, Aje	300			Espiritu Santo
48	Narmoris		220			Espiritu Santo
49	Biliru	Tambotalo	3			Espiritu Santo
50	Atin		120			Espiritu Santo
51	Ati	Polonombauk, Meris	85			Espiritu Santo
52	Farnanto		100			Espiritu Santo
53	Se	Fanafo	20			Espiritu Santo
54	Sinia	Navut	520			Espiritu Santo
55	Butmas-Tur	Ati, Farafi	520			Espiritu Santo
56	Ngen	Shark Bay	450			Espiritu Santo, Litaro
57	Tholp	Nethalp	0			Espiritu Santo
58	Sakao	Hog Harbour, Nkep	4000			Espiritu Santo
59	Mavea	Mav̋ea, Mafea	34			Espiritu Santo, Mavea
60	Tutuba		500			Espiritu Santo, Tutuba
61	Aore		0			Espiritu Santo, Aore
62	Tamambo	Malo, Tamabo	4000			Espiritu Santo, Malo
63	Tangoa	Movono	370			Espiritu Santo, Tangoa
64	Araki		8			Espiritu Santo, Araki
65	Axamb	Ahamb	750			Malakula
66	Lendamboi	Small Nambas, Letemboi	800			Malakula
67	Nasvang		275			Malakula
68	Sörsörian		3			Malakula
69	Avok		500			Malakula, Avok
70	Uliveo	Maskelynes	1100			Malakula, Maskelynes
71	Port Sandwich	Lamap	1200			Malakula
72	Nisvai	Vetbon	200			Malakula
73	Burmbar	Banam Bay, Vartavo	900			Malakula
74	Mbwenelang		<10			Malakula
75	Aulua		750			Malakula
76	Niolean	Repanbitip	90			Malakula
77	Rerep	Pangkumu, Tisman	380			Malakula
78	Unua	Onua	520			Malakula
79	Vivti		<5			Malakula
80	Nitita		<5			Malakula
81	Avava	Katbol, Navava, Bangsa’	700			Malakula
82	Neverver	Lingarak, Nevwervwer	1250			Malakula
83	Litzlitz	Naman	15			Malakula
84	Uripiv	Uripiv-Wala-Rano-Atchin, Northeast Malakula	9000			Malakula, Atchin, Uripiv
85	Rutan		?			Malakula
86	Botovro	Mpotovoro	430			Malakula
87	Vao		1900			Malakula, Vao
88	Alovas		?			Malakula
89	Vovo		475			Malakula
90	Nese	Matanvat	160			Malakula
91	Najit		<5			Malakula
92	Malua Bay	Middle Nambas	500			Malakula
93	Njav		10			Malakula
94	Tirax	Mae, Dirak	1000			Malakula
95	V'ënen Taut	Big Nambas	3350			Malakula
96	Tape	Maragus	15			Malakula
97	Larëvat	Laravat, Larevat	680			Malakula
98	Neve'ei	Vinmavis	500			Malakula
99	Nivat		<10			Malakula
100	Nasarian		5			Malakula
101	Aveteian	Dixon Reef	50			Malakula
102	Ninde	Labo	1100			Malakula
103	Nahavaq	South West Bay, Siesip	700			Malakula
104	Nāti		25			Malakula
105	Naha'ai	Malvaxal, Malfaxal	600			Malakula
106	Navwien		5			Malakula
107	North Ambrym		5250			Ambrym
108	Orkon	Fanbak	30			Ambrym
109	Southeast Ambrym		3700			Ambrym
110	Daakie	Port Vato	1300			Ambrym
111	Daakaka	South Ambrym, Baiap	1200			Ambrym
112	Dalkalaen		1000			Ambrym
113	Raljago	West Ambrym, Lonwolwol	<10			Ambrym
114	Paama	Paamese	6000			Paama
115	Lamen	Lamenu, Varmali	850			Epi, Lamen
116	Lewo	Varsu	2200			Epi
117	Bierebo	Bonkovia-Yevali	900			Epi
118	Baki	Burumba, Paki	350			Epi
119	Mkir	Maii	180			Epi
120	Bieria	Bieri, Vovo, Wowo	25			Epi
121	Namakura	Makura, Namakir	3750			Efate, Shepherd Islands
122	Emae	Makatea	400			Shepherd Islands
123	Nakanamanga		9500			Efate, Shepherd Islands
124	Lelepa	Havannah Harbour	400			Efate, Lelepa
125	Eton		500			Efate
126	South Efate	Erakor	6000			Efate
127	Mele-Fila	Ifira-Mele	3500			Efate, Mele, Ifira
128	Sie	Se, Sie, Erromanga	1900			Erromango
129	Ura		6			Erromango
130	Utaha		0			Erromango
131	North Tanna		5000			Tanna
132	Lenakel	Netvaar	11500			Tanna
133	Southwest Tanna	Nawal	5000			Tanna
134	Whitesands	Narak	7500			Tanna
135	Kwamera	Nafe, Nɨfe	3500			Tanna
137	Anejom̃	Aneityum	900			Aneityum
138	Futuna-Aniwa	West Futuna	1500			Futuna, Aniwa

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