Languages of Asia

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The Language families of Asia

Asia is home to hundreds of languages comprising several families and some unrelated isolates. The most spoken language families on the continent include Austroasiatic, Austronesian, Japonic, Dravidian, Indo-European, Afroasiatic, Turkic, Sino-Tibetan, Kra–Dai and Koreanic. Many languages of Asia, such as Chinese, Persian, Sanskrit, Arabic or Tamil have a long history as a written language.

## Language groups

[edit]

Ethnolinguistic distribution in Central/Southwest Asia of the Altaic, Caucasian, Afroasiatic (Hamito-Semitic) and Indo-European families.

The major families in terms of numbers are Indo-European, specifically Indo-Aryan languages and Dravidian languages in South Asia, Iranian languages in parts of West, Central, and South Asia, and Sino-Tibetan in East Asia. Several other families are regionally dominant.

### Sino-Tibetan

[edit]

Main article: Sino-Tibetan languages

Sino-Tibetan includes Chinese, Tibetan, Burmese, Karen, Boro and numerous languages of the Tibetan Plateau, Southern China, Myanmar, and North East India.

### Indo-European

[edit]

Main article: Indo-European languages

The Indo-European languages are primarily represented in Asia by the Indo-Iranian branch, with its two main subgroups: Indo-Aryan and Iranian.

Indo-Aryan languages are mainly spoken in South Asia. Examples include languages such as Hindustani (Hindi-Urdu), Bengali, Bhojpuri, Punjabi, Marathi, Rajasthani, Gujarati, Sylheti, Noakhali etc.)

Iranic languages are mainly spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan and neighboring regions. Examples include languages like Persian, Kurdish, Pashto and Balochi.

In addition, other branches of Indo-European spoken in Asia include the Slavic branch, which includes Russian in Siberia; Greek around the Black Sea; and Armenian; as well as extinct languages such as Hittite of Anatolia and Tocharian of (Chinese) Turkestan.

### Altaic families

[edit]

Main article: Altaic languages

A number of smaller, but important and separately distinguished language families spread across central and northern Asia have long been linked in a hypothetical, controversial and unproven Altaic family. These are the Turkic, Mongolic, Tungusic (including Manchu), Koreanic, and Japonic languages. But since the mid-20th century a majority of scholars have come to regard it as a Sprachbund.[1][2]

### Austroasiatic

[edit]

Main article: Austroasiatic languages

The Mon–Khmer languages (also known as Austroasiatic) are the language family in South and Southeast Asia. Languages given official status are Vietnamese and Khmer (Cambodian).

### Kra–Dai

[edit]

Main article: Kra–Dai languages

The Kra–Dai languages (also known as Tai-Kadai) are found in southern China, Northeast India and Southeast Asia. Languages given official status are Thai (Siamese) and Lao.

### Austronesian

[edit]

Main article: Austronesian languages

The Austronesian languages are widespread throughout Maritime Southeast Asia, including major languages such as Indonesian (Indonesia and Timor-Leste), Fijian (Fiji), Hiligaynon, Bikol, Ilocano, Cebuano, Tagalog (Philippines), and Malay (Brunei, Malaysia, and Singapore). Other significant Austronesian languages in Indonesia include Javanese, Sundanese, and Madurese. Meanwhile, Indonesian is the most widely spoken language in the Austronesian family.

### Dravidian

[edit]

Main article: Dravidian languages

The Dravidian languages of South India and parts of Sri Lanka include Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Tulu, while smaller languages such as Gondi and Brahui are spoken in central India and Pakistan respectively.

### Afro-Asiatic

[edit]

Main article: Semitic languages

The Afroasiatic languages (in older sources Hamito-Semitic) are represented in Asia by the Semitic branch. Semitic languages are spoken in Western Asia, and include the various dialects of Arabic and Aramaic, Modern Hebrew, and Modern South Arabian languages in addition to extinct languages such as Akkadian and Ancient South Arabian.

### Siberian families

[edit]

Main article: Paleosiberian languages

Besides the Altaic families already mentioned (of which Tungusic is today a minor family of Siberia), there are a number of small language families and isolates spoken across northern Asia. These include the Uralic languages of western Siberia (better known for Hungarian and Finnish in Europe), the Yeniseian languages (linked to Turkic and to the Athabaskan languages of North America), Yukaghir, Nivkh of Sakhalin, Ainu of northern Japan, Chukotko-Kamchatkan in easternmost Siberia, and—just barely—Eskimo–Aleut. Some linguists have noted that the Koreanic languages share more similarities with the Paleosiberian languages than with the Altaic languages. The extinct Rouran language of Mongolia is unclassified, and does not show genetic relationships with any other known language family.

### Caucasian families

[edit]

Main article: Languages of the Caucasus

Three small families are spoken in the Caucasus: Kartvelian languages, such as Georgian; Northeast Caucasian (Dagestanian languages), such as Chechen; and Northwest Caucasian, such as Circassian. The latter two may be related to each other. The extinct Hurro-Urartian languages may be related as well.

### Small families of Asia

[edit]

Although dominated by major languages and families, there are number of minor families and isolates in South Asia and Southeast Asia. From west to east, these include:

* Hattic, an unclassified language in Anatolia.
* extinct languages of the Fertile Crescent such as Sumerian and Elamite.
* extinct languages of South Asia; mainly the unclassified Harappan language
* small language families and isolates of the Indian subcontinent: Burushaski, Kusunda, and Nihali. The Vedda language of Sri Lanka is likely an isolate that has mixed with Sinhala.
* the two Andamanese language families: Great Andamanese and Ongan; Sentinelese remains undocumented to date, and hence unclassified.
* unclassified languages in Southeast Asia: Kenaboi.
* the difficult to classify Arunachal languages: Digaro, Hrusish (including the Miji languages[3]), Midzu, Puroik, Siangic, and Kho-Bwa.
* Hmong–Mien (Miao–Yao) scattered across southern China and Southeast Asia
* a few "Papuan" (Non-Austronesian) families of the central and eastern Malay Archipelago: such as the Timor-Alor-Pantar and North Halmahera languages, and the little known extinct Tambora language of Sumbawa. Numerous additional families are spoken in Indonesian New Guinea, which is generally considered to part of Oceania.

### Creoles and pidgins

[edit]

Main articles: Creole languages and Pidgin language

The eponymous pidgin ("business") language developed with European trade in China. Of the many creoles to have developed, the most spoken today are Chavacano, a Spanish-based creole of the Philippines, and various Malay-based creoles such as Manado Malay influenced by Portuguese. A very well-known Portuguese-based creole is the Kristang, which is spoken in Malacca, a city-state in Malaysia.

### Sign languages

[edit]

Main articles: Sign language and List of sign languages § Asia/Pacific

A number of sign languages are spoken throughout Asia. These include the Japanese Sign Language family, Chinese Sign Language, Indo-Pakistani Sign Language, as well as a number of small indigenous sign languages of countries such as Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Many official sign languages are part of the French Sign Language family.

## Official languages

[edit]

Main article: List of official languages by state

Asia and Europe are the only two continents where most countries use native languages as their official languages, though English is also widespread as an international language.

Language  | Native name  | Total Speakers  | Language family  | Official status in a country  | Official status in a region

|
|
|
|
|

Altai | Алтай тил | 57,000 | Turkic |  | Russia

* Altai Republic

Arabic | العَرَبِيَّة | 313,000,000 | Afro-Asiatic | Bahrain
Iraq
Jordan
Kuwait
Lebanon
Oman
Palestine
Qatar
Saudi Arabia
Syria
UAE
Yemen | Israel (special status)
Armenian | հայերեն | 5,902,970 | Indo-European | Armenia |
Assamese | অসমীয়া | 15,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Assam

Azerbaijani | Azərbaycanca

آذربایجان دیلی
تۆرکجه

| 28,000,000 | Turkic | Azerbaijan | Iran

* South Azerbaijan

Russia

* Dagestan (mostly in Derbent)

Balochi | بلۏچی

Balòči

| 7,600,000  | Indo-European |  | Pakistan

* Balochistan

Iran

* Sistan and Baluchestan (Recognised)

Balti | بلتی

སྦལ་ཏི།

| 392,800  | Sino-Tibetan |  | Pakistan

* Gilgit Baltistan

Bengali | বাংলা | 230,000,000 | Indo-European | Bangladesh, India (Scheduled) | India

* Barak Valley, Assam (Additional)
* Jharkhand (Recognised)
* Tripura
* West Bengal

Bhojpuri | भोजपुरी | 50,579,447 | Indo-European | Nepal | Nepal

* Province 2, Parsa, Bara

India

* Jharkhand (Additional)

Bikol | Bikol
Bikol Naga | 4,300,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Bicol Region

Bodo | बर'/बड़
Boro | 1,984,569 | Sino-Tibetan | India (Scheduled) | Nepal

India

* Bodoland, Assam
* West Bengal

Burmese | မြန်မာဘာသာ | 33,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan | Myanmar |
Cantonese (Yue) Language | 廣東話/广东话 | 110,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | China

* Hong Kong
* Macau

Buryat | Буряад хэлэн
ᠪᠤᠷᠢᠶᠠᠳ
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ
ᠬᠡᠯᠡᠨ | 440,000 | Mongolic |  | Russia

* Buryatia

Cebuano | Bisaya
Binisaya
Sinugbuanong_Binisaya
Sebwano/Sinebwano | 27,500,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Central Visayas
* Eastern Visayas
* Northern Mindanao
* Davao Region

Chhattisgarhi | छत्तीसगढ़ी | 17,983,446 | Indo-European |  | India

* Chhattisgarh (Additional)

Chin | Kukish | 3,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Myanmar

* Chin State

Chinese Mandarin | 普通話/普通话
國語/国语
華語/华语 | 1,300,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan | China
Singapore
Taiwan | Myanmar

* Kokang
* Wa State

Dari | دری | 33,000,000 | Indo-European | Afghanistan |
Dhivehi | ދިވެހިބަސް | 400,000 | Indo-European | Maldives |
Dogri | डोगरी | 2,600,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Jammu and Kashmir

Dzongkha | རྫོང་ཁ་ | 600,000 | Sino-Tibetan | Bhutan |
Filipino (Tagalog) | Wikang Filipino | 106,000,000 | Austronesian | Philippines |
Formosan |  | 171,855 | Austronesian |  | Republic of China

* Taiwan

Georgian | ქართული | 4,200,000 | Kartvelian | Georgia |
Gujarati | ગુજરાતી | 50,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
* Gujarat

Hakka | 客家話/客家话
Hak-kâ-fa | 2,370,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Republic of China

* Taiwan

Hebrew | עברית | 7,000,000 | Afro-Asiatic | Israel |
Hindi | हिन्दी | 615,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Andaman and Nicobar Islands
* Bihar
* Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
* Chhattisgarh
* Delhi
* Gujarat
* Haryana
* Himachal Pradesh
* Jammu and Kashmir
* Jharkhand
* Ladakh
* Madhya Pradesh
* Rajasthan
* Uttar Pradesh
* Uttarakhand
* West Bengal (Additional)

Hiligaynon | Hiligaynon
Ilonggo
Hiniligaynon/Inilonggo | 9,100,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Western Visayas

Hokchiu | 馬祖話
Mā-cū-huâ | 12,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Republic of China

* Matsu, Fukien (de facto)

Hokkien | 臺灣話
Tâi-oân-oē | 18,570,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Republic of China

* Taiwan (de facto)

Ibanag | Ibanag | 500,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Cagayan Valley

Ilocano | Pagsasao nga Ilokano | 11,000,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Northern Luzon
* Central Luzon

Indonesian | Bahasa Indonesia | 270,000,000 | Austronesian | Indonesia
Timor Leste (Working languages) |
Japanese | 日本語 | 120,000,000 | Japonic | Japan (de facto) |
Javanese | Basa Jawa
ꦧꦱꦗꦮ
بَاسَا جَاوَا | 80,000,000 | Austronesian |  | Indonesia

* Special Region of Yogyakarta
* Central Java
* East Java

Suriname, Sri Lanka, New Caledonia

* Javanese is also spoken by traditional immigrant communities of Javanese descent

Kachin | Jinghpaw | 940,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Myanmar

* Kachin State

Kannada | ಕನ್ನಡ | 51,000,000 | Dravidian | India (Scheduled)  | India

* Karnataka

Kapampangan | Kapampangan/Pampangan | 2,800,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Central Luzon

Karen | ကညီကျိာ်း | 6,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Myanmar

* Kayin State

Kashmiri | कॉशुर

كٲشُر

| 7,000,000  | Indo-European | India (Scheduled)  | India

* Jammu and Kashmir

Kayah | Karenni | 190,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Myanmar

* Kayah State

Karakalpak | Qaraqalpaqsha | 870,000 | Turkic |  | Uzbekistan

* Karakalpakstan

Kazakh | Qazaqsha | 18,000,000 | Turkic | Kazakhstan | China

* Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture

Russia

* Altai Republic

Khakas | Хакас тілі
Тадар тілі | 43,000 | Turkic |  | Russia

* Khakassia

Khmer | ភាសាខ្មែរ | 16,000,000 | Austroasiatic | Cambodia |
Konkani | कोंकणी
ಕೊಂಕಣಿ | 2,300,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Goa
* Maharashtra (Recognized)
* Karnataka (Recognized)
* Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Recognized)

Korean | 조선어
한국어 | 80,000,000 | Koreanic | North Korea
South Korea | China

* Changbai Korean Autonomous County
* Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture

Kurdish | Kurdî
کوردی | 32,000,000 | Indo-European |  | Middle east

* Great Kurdistan

Kyrgyz | Кыргызча
قىرعىزچا | 7,300,000 | Turkic | Kyrgyzstan | China

* Kizilsu Kyrgyz Autonomous Prefecture

Lao | ພາສາລາວ | 7,000,000 | Kra-Dai | Laos |
Magahi | मगही/मगधी | 12,706,825 | Indo-European |  | India

* Jharkhand (Additional)

Maguindanao | بس ماگینداناو

Maguindanaon

| 1,500,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Bangsamoro
* Soccsksargen
* Zamboanga Peninsula

Malay | Bahasa Melayu
بهاس ملايو | 30,000,000 | Austronesian | Brunei
Malaysia
Singapore | Indonesia

* Malay language in Indonesia is considered a regional language (bahasa daerah), on part with regional languages spoken in the regions of Sumatra and Kalimantan

Malayalam | മലയാളം | 37,000,000 | Dravidian | India (Scheduled) | India

* Kerala
* Lakshadweep
* Mahé, Puducherry

Marathi | मराठी | 99,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
* Goa
* Maharashtra

Maithili | मैथिली | 34,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) |

Nepal

* Madhesh Province
* Province No. 1

India

* Bihar
* Jharkhand

Meitei | ꯃꯤꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ
মৈতৈ
Manipuri | 2,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | India

* Manipur

Mizo | Mizo | 1,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan | India (Scheduled) | India

* Mizoram

Mon | ဘာသာ မန် | 851,000 | Austroasiatic |  | Myanmar

* Mon State

Mongolian | Монгол хэл
ᠮᠣᠩᠭᠣᠯ
ᠬᠡᠯᠡ | 5,200,000 | Mongolic | Mongolia | China

* Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

Nagpuri | नागपुरी/सादरी | 5,108,691 | Indo-European |  | India

* Jharkhand (Additional)

Nepali | नेपाली | 29,000,000 | Indo-European | Nepal, India (Scheduled) | India

* Darjeeling, West Bengal (Additional)
* Sikkim

Odia | ଓଡ଼ିଆ | 35,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Odisha
* Jharkhand (Recognised)

Okinawan | 沖縄語 / うちなーぐち | 1,143,000 | Japonic |  | Japan

* Okinawa Prefecture

Ossetian | Ирон | 540,000
(50,000 in South Ossetia) | Indo-European |  | North Ossetia–Alania

South Ossetia

Pangasinan | Pangasinan | 1,400,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Ilocos Region
* Central Luzon

Pashto | پښتو | 100,000,000 | Indo-European | Afghanistan | Pakistan

* Balochistan (Recognised)
* Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Recognised)

Persian | فارسی | 130,000,000 | Indo-European | Iran |
Punjabi | ਪੰਜਾਬੀ
پن٘جابی | 113,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Delhi (Additional)
* Haryana (Additional)
* Punjab
* West Bengal (Additional)

Rakhine | ရခိုင်ဘာသာ | 1,000,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | Myanmar

* Rakhine State

Rohingya | Ruáingga | 1,800,000 | Indo-European |  |

* U.N. refugee camps
* Myanmar
* Rakhine State

Russian | Русский | 260,000,000 | Indo-European | Kazakhstan (co-official)
Kyrgyzstan (co-official)Russia |
Sanskrit | संस्कृतम् | 3,210,000 [4] | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | India

* Uttarakhand (Additional)
* Himachal Pradesh (Additional)

Santali | ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ | 7,600,000 | Austroasiatic | India (Scheduled) | India

* West Bengal (Additional)
* Jharkhand

(Additional)

Shan | ၽႃႇသႃႇတႆ | 3,295,000 | Kra-Dai |  | Myanmar

* Shan State

Sindhi | سنڌي | 40,000,000 | Indo-European | India (Scheduled) | Pakistan

* Sindh

Sinhala | සිංහල | 18,000,000 | Indo-European | Sri Lanka |
Tajik | Тоҷикӣ | 7,900,000 | Indo-European | Tajikistan |
Tamil | தமிழ் | 88,000,000 | Dravidian | India (Scheduled), Singapore, Sri Lanka | India

* Puducherry
* Tamil Nadu

Tausug | بَهَسَ سُوگ

Bahasa Suluk

| 1,200,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Bangsamoro
* Mimaropa
* Zamboanga Peninsula

Malaysia

* Sabah

Telugu | తెలుగు | 86,000,000 | Dravidian | India (Scheduled) | India

* Andhra Pradesh
* Telangana
* Yanam, Puducherry

Tetum | Lia-Tetun | 500,000 | Austronesian | Timor Leste | Indonesia

* East Nusa Tenggara

Thai | ภาษาไทย | 60,000,000 | Kra-Dai | Thailand |
Tibetan | བོད་སྐད་ | 1,172,940 | Sino-Tibetan |  | China

* Tibet Autonomous Region

Tripuri | Tripuri | 3,500,000 | Sino-Tibetan |  | India

* Tripura

Tulu | ತುಳು | 1,722,768 | Dravidian |  | India

* Karnataka (Recognised)
* Kerala (Recognised)

Turkish | Türkçe | 88,000,000 | Turkic | Turkey
Cyprus | Iraq

* Turkmeneli

Turkmen | Türkmençe | 7,000,000 | Turkic | Turkmenistan |
Tuvan | Тыва дыл | 240,000 | Turkic |  | Russia

* Tuva

Urdu | اُردُو | 255,000,000 | Indo-European | Pakistan, India (Scheduled) | India

* Bihar (Recognised in 15 districts)
* Jammu and Kashmir
* Jharkhand (Recognised)
* National Capital Territory of Delhi (Additional)
* Telangana (Additional)
* Andhra Pradesh (Additional)
* Uttar Pradesh (Additional)
* West Bengal (Additional)

Uyghur | ئۇيغۇرچە | 10,416,910 | Turkic |  | China

* Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region

Uzbek | Oʻzbekcha
Ўзбекча | 45,000,000 | Turkic | Uzbekistan |
Vietnamese | 㗂越

Tiếng Việt

| 86,500,000 | Austroasiatic | Vietnam (de facto) |
Waray | Winaray/Waray | 4,000,000 | Austronesian |  | Philippines

* Eastern Visayas

Yakut | Саха тыла | 450,000 | Turkic |  | Russia

* Yakutia

Zhuang | Vahcuengh | 16,000,000 | Kra-Dai |  | China

* Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
* Wenshan Prefecture, Yunnan

## See also

[edit]

* Asia portal
* Language portal

* Asian studies
* Asianic languages
* Classification schemes for Southeast Asian languages
* East Asian languages
* Languages of South Asia
* List of extinct languages of Asia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Starostin, George (2016-04-05). "Altaic Languages". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Linguistics. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199384655.013.35. ISBN 978-0-19-938465-5. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
2. ^ De la Fuente, José Andrés Alonso (2016). "Review of Robbeets, Martine (2015): Diachrony of verb morphology. Japanese and the Transeurasian languages". Diachronica. 33 (4): 530–537\. doi:10.1075/dia.33.4.04alo. "For now, shared material between Transeurasian [i.e. Altaic] languages is undoubtedly better explained as the result of language contact. But if researchers provide cogent evidence of genealogical relatedness, that will be the time to re-evaluate old positions. That time, however, has not yet come."
3. ^ Blench, Roger. 2015. The Mijiic languages: distribution, dialects, wordlist and classification. m.s.
4. ^ Census 2011, Table C-17: Population by bilingualism and trilingualism, India

* v
* t
* e

Languages of Asia

Sovereign states|

* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* Cyprus
* Egypt
* Georgia
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Russia
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste (East Timor)
* Turkey
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

States with
limited recognition|

* Abkhazia
* Northern Cyprus
* Palestine
* South Ossetia
* Taiwan

Dependencies and
other territories|

* British Indian Ocean Territory
* Christmas Island
* Cocos (Keeling) Islands
* Hong Kong
* Macau

* Category
* Asia portal

* v
* t
* e

Language families of Eurasia

Europe|

* Indo-European
* Afroasiatic
* Uralic
* Turkic
* Mongolic
* Basque
* Iberian
* Tartessian
* Paleo-Corsican
* Paleo-Sardinian
* Camunic
* Ligurian
* North Picene ?
* Rutulian
* Sicanian
* Tyrsenian
* Eteocretan
* Eteocypriot
* Minoan

West Asia|

* Afroasiatic
* Indo-European
* Turkic
* Elamite
* Gutian
* Hattic
* Hurro-Urartian
* Kaskian
* Kassite
* Sumerian

Caucasus|

* Kartvelian
* North Caucasian
* Northeast Caucasian
* Northwest Caucasian
* Turkic
* Indo-European

South Asia|

* Indo-European
* Dravidian
* Sino-Tibetan
* Austroasiatic
* Burushaski
* Nihali
* Kusunda
* Harappan ?

East Asia|

* Sino-Tibetan
* Austroasiatic
* Hmong–Mien
* Kra–Dai
* Austronesian
* Turkic
* Tungusic
* Mongolic
* Koreanic
* Japonic

Indian Ocean rim|

* Great Andamanese
* Ongan
* Sentinelese
* Kenaboi

North Asia|

| "Paleosiberian"|

* Ainu
* Chukotko-Kamchatkan
* Nivkh
* Yeniseian
* Yukaghir

|

Other North Asia|

* Uralic
* Turkic
* Mongolic
* Tungusic
* Eskaleut
* Rouran ?
* Xiongnu ?

Proposed groupings|

* Alarodian
* Altaic
* Borean
* Nostratic
* Dené–Caucasian
* Eurasiatic
* Dené–Yeniseian
* Dravido-Korean
* Elamo-Dravidian
* Ibero-Caucasian
* Indo-Hittite
* Indo-Pacific
* Indo-Semitic
* Indo-Uralic
* Karasuk
* Serbi–Mongolic
* Pontic
* Ural-Altaic
* Uralo-Siberian
* Uralic–Yukaghir
* Eskimo–Uralic
* Chukotko-Kamchatkan–Amuric

Arunachal|

* Greater Siangic
* Siangic
* Digaro
* Mijiic
* Miju
* Hrusish
* Kho-Bwa

East and Southeast Asia|

* Andamanese
* Austric
* Austro-Tai
* Austronesian–Ongan
* East Asian
* Sino-Austronesian

Substrata|

* Atlantic
* Pre-Celtic
* Pre-Germanic
* Pre-Goidelic
* Pre-Greek
* Vasconic
* Pre-Vedic
* Pre-Finno-Ugric
* Paleo-Laplandic
* Proto-Euphratean

* Families in italics have no living members.
* Families with more than 30 languages are in bold.

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Countries and languages lists

Countries

| By official languages|

* Countries and territories by official language
* Arabic
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* Italian
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* Portuguese
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* Russian
* Spanish
* Tamil

|

Endonyms and exonyms|

* Countries and capitals in native languages
* Country names in various languages
* A–C
* D–I
* J–P
* Q–Z
* Cambodia
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* Iceland
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* Languages of the European Union

Languages

| By continent
and subregion|

* Africa
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|

By country|

* Official languages
* by country and territory
* Countries by number of languages
* Countries and territories by official language

By population|

* By number of native speakers
* Europe
* By number of total speakers
* Languages in censuses

By language family|

* Language families
* List of Indo-European languages
* List of Mongolic languages
* List of Turkic languages
* List of Uralic languages

Language-based
geopolitical
organizations|

* Arab League (Arabic)
* Dutch Language Union (Dutch)
* Commonwealth of Nations (English)
* Latin Union (Romance languages)
* Three Linguistic Spaces
* Francophonie (French)
* Community of Portuguese Language Countries
* Países Africanos de Língua Oficial Portuguesa (Portuguese)
* Hispanidad (Spanish)
* Organization of Turkic States (Turkic languages)
* International Organization of Turkic Culture (Turkic languages)

See also|

* Lists of languages
* Category:Languages

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Asia articles

History|

| Chronology|

* Indian Ocean trade
* Silk Road
* Imperialism
* Decolonisation
* Cold War

|

By topic|

* Military conflicts
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Geography|

* Cities
* metropolitan areas
* tallest buildings
* urban agglomerations
* Countries and territories
* by population
* Extreme points
* Islands
* Lakes
* Mountains
* Rivers

Geopolitical|

| Transcontinental regions|

* Asia–Pacific
* Caucasus
* EMEA
* Mediterranean world
* MENASA
* Greater Middle East/Middle East and North Africa
* Middle East/Near East
* Indo-Mediterranean
* Indo-Pacific
* Indian Ocean world
* Pacific Rim
* Pacific Asia

|

Intracontinental regions|

* Anatolia/Asia Minor
* Arabia
* South Arabia
* Cyprus
* Far East/Pacific Asia
* Greater China
* China proper
* Taiwan
* Tibet
* Xinjiang
* Indochina
* Malay world
* Manchuria
* Northeast China
* Outer Manchuria
* Greater Mongolia
* Inner Mongolia
* Mongolia
* Japan
* Korea
* Russian Far East
* Inner Asia
* Greater Central Asia
* Greater Iran
* Greater Khorasan
* Global Southeast
* Greater India
* Levant/Syria
* Southern Levant
* Mesopotamia
* Siberia
* South Caucasus
* Turkestan
* Afghan Turkestan
* Chinese Turkestan
* Russian Turkestan

Continental subregions|

* Central Asia
* Soviet Central Asia
* East Asia
* Northeast Asia
* North Asia
* South Asia
* Subregions
* Southeast Asia
* Mainland Southeast Asia
* Maritime Southeast Asia
* West Asia

Cultural|

* Austronesia
* Indosphere
* Sinosphere
* Nanyang
* Northern and southern China

Physical|

| Supercontinents|

* Afro-Eurasia
* Afro-Asia
* Eurasia

|

Subcontinents|

* Arabian subcontinent
* Indian subcontinent

Plateaus|

* Anatolian plateau
* Deccan Plateau
* Iranian plateau
* Mongolian Plateau
* Tibetan Plateau

Peninsulas|

* Anatolian Peninsula
* Arabian Peninsula
* Indian Peninsula
* Indochinese Peninsula
* Malay Peninsula
* Korean Peninsula
* Leizhou Peninsula
* Liaodong Peninsula
* Shandong Peninsula

Archipelagos|

* Japanese Archipelago
* Ryukyu Islands
* Malay Archipelago
* Indonesian Archipelago
* Maluku Islands
* Sunda Islands
* Greater Sunda Islands
* Lesser Sunda Islands
* Philippine Archipelago
* Visayan Islands
* Mergui Archipelago

Biogeographic|

* Eastern Asia
* Indo-Pacific
* Malesia
* Tropical Asia

Politics|

* Heads of government
* Heads of state
* Elections
* political parties
* Democracy
* Human rights
* Law
* Military
* Pan-Asianism

Intergovernmental|

* Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)
* Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
* Bay of Bengal Initiative (BIMSTEC)
* Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO)
* Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)
* Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
* Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
* Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG / GCC)
* Mekong–Ganga Cooperation (MGC)
* Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
* South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC)
* Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO)

Economy|

* Countries by average wage
* Countries by GDP (PPP)
* Countries by HDI
* Currencies
* Stock exchanges
* Technology
* renewable energy
* Transport
* airports
* high-speed rail

Markets|

* Property markets

Society|

* Demographics
* Education
* Etiquette
* Health
* Languages
* Life expectancy
* People
* ethnic groups

Culture|

* Art
* Cinema
* Cuisine
* Literature
* Music
* Philosophy
* Religion
* Sport

Future|

* Asian Century
* Chinese Century
* Indian Century
* Pacific Century

* Outline
* Index

* Category
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