Russian-Speaking Countries 2023

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Interactive Map Introduction The Russian Language History of the Russian Language The Soviet Union Countries Near Russia Countries That Speak Russian Russian-Speaking Countries Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Ashmore and Cartier Islands Australia Australian Indian Ocean Territories Austria Azerbaijan Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil British Virgin Islands Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Faroe Islands Federated States of Micronesia Fiji Finland France Gabon Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Norfolk Island North Korea Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestine Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay People's Republic of China Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Republic of Macedonia Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Martin Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Saint-Barthélemy San Marino São Tomé and Príncipe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Siachen Glacier Sierra Leone Singapore Sint Maarten Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia Somaliland South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand The Bahamas The Gambia Togo Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States of America United States Virgin Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe FAQs How many countries have Russian as an official language? In which countries is Russian spoken?Do Ukrainians speak Russian?

Introduction

Russian is a widely spoken language in the world, with an estimated 260 million native speakers and an additional 120 million non-native speakers. It is the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages, and one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations. As a prominent language for international communication, it is used by a variety of people from different backgrounds. Russian is also one of the two official languages in Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as being an official language in several unrecognized states including Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria. It is also used extensively in parts of Ukraine, Estonia and Latvia. Over the past few decades Russian has also become increasingly popular throughout Central Asia as a lingua franca for trade, education and culture.

Country	Russian-Speaking Country	English-Speaking Country	Portugese-Speaking Country	Spanish-Speaking Countries
Afghanistan	No	No	No
Albania	No	No	No
Algeria	No	No	No
Andorra	No	No	No
Angola	No	No	Yes
Anguilla	No	Yes	No
Antigua and Barbuda	No	Yes	No
Argentina	No	No	No	Yes
Armenia	No	No	No
Aruba	No	No	No
Ashmore and Cartier Islands	No	No	No
Australia	No	Yes	No
Australian Indian Ocean Territories	No	Yes	No
Austria	No	No	No
Azerbaijan	No	No	No
Bahrain	No	No	No
Bangladesh	No	No	No
Barbados	No	Yes	No
Belgium	No	No	No
Belize	No	Yes	No
Benin	No	No	No
Bermuda	No	Yes	No
Bhutan	No	No	No
Bolivia	No	No	No	Yes
Bosnia and Herzegovina	No	No	No
Botswana	No	Yes	No
Brazil	No	No	Yes
British Virgin Islands	No	Yes	No
Brunei	No	Yes	No
Bulgaria	No	No	No
Burkina Faso	No	No	No
Burundi	No	No	No
Cambodia	No	No	No
Cameroon	No	No	No
Canada	No	Yes	No
Cayman Islands	No	Yes	No
Central African Republic	No	No	No
Chad	No	No	No
Chile	No	No	No	Yes
Colombia	No	No	No	Yes
Comoros	No	No	No
Costa Rica	No	No	No	Yes
Croatia	No	No	No
Cuba	No	No	No	Yes
Curaçao	No	No	No
Cyprus	No	No	No
Czech Republic	No	No	No
Democratic Republic of the Congo	No	No	No
Denmark	No	No	No
Djibouti	No	No	No
Dominica	No	Yes	No
Dominican Republic	No	No	No	Yes
East Timor	No	No	No
Ecuador	No	No	No	Yes
Egypt	No	No	No
El Salvador	No	No	No	Yes
Equatorial Guinea	No	No	No	Yes
Eritrea	No	No	No
Estonia	No	No	No
Ethiopia	No	No	No
Faroe Islands	No	No	No
Federated States of Micronesia	No	No	No
Fiji	No	Yes	No
Finland	No	No	No
France	No	No	No
Gabon	No	No	No
Georgia	No	No	No
Germany	No	No	No
Ghana	No	Yes	No
Greece	No	No	No
Grenada	No	Yes	No
Guam	No	Yes	No
Guatemala	No	No	No	Yes
Guernsey	No	Yes	No
Guinea	No	No	No
Guinea-Bissau	No	No	Yes
Guyana	No	Yes	No
Haiti	No	No	No
Honduras	No	No	No	Yes
Hong Kong	No	No	No
Hungary	No	No	No
Iceland	No	No	No
India	No	No	No
Indonesia	No	No	No
Iran	No	No	No
Iraq	No	No	No
Ireland	No	Yes	No
Isle of Man	No	Yes	No
Israel	No	No	No
Italy	No	No	No
Ivory Coast	No	No	No
Jamaica	No	Yes	No
Japan	No	No	No
Jersey	No	Yes	No
Jordan	No	No	No
Kenya	No	Yes	No
Kosovo	No	No	No
Kuwait	No	No	No
Laos	No	No	No
Latvia	No	No	No
Lebanon	No	No	No
Lesotho	No	No	No
Liberia	No	Yes	No
Libya	No	No	No
Liechtenstein	No	No	No
Lithuania	No	No	No
Luxembourg	No	No	No
Macau	No	No	Yes
Madagascar	No	No	No
Malawi	No	Yes	No
Malaysia	No	No	No
Maldives	No	No	No
Mali	No	No	No
Malta	No	No	No
Marshall Islands	No	Yes	No
Mauritania	No	No	No
Mauritius	No	Yes	No
Mexico	No	No	No	Yes
Moldova	No	No	No
Monaco	No	No	No
Mongolia	No	No	No
Montenegro	No	No	No
Montserrat	No	No	No
Morocco	No	No	No
Mozambique	No	No	Yes
Myanmar	No	No	No
Namibia	No	No	No
Nauru	No	No	No
Nepal	No	No	No
Netherlands	No	No	No
New Caledonia	No	No	No
New Zealand	No	No	No
Nicaragua	No	No	No	Yes
Niger	No	No	No
Nigeria	No	Yes	No
Norfolk Island	No	Yes	No
North Korea	No	No	No
Northern Mariana Islands	No	No	No
Norway	No	No	No
Oman	No	No	No
Pakistan	No	No	No
Palau	No	No	No
Palestine	No	No	No
Panama	No	No	No
Papua New Guinea	No	Yes	No
Paraguay	No	No	No	Yes
People's Republic of China	No	No	No
Peru	No	No	No	Yes
Philippines	No	Yes	No
Poland	No	No	No
Portugal	No	No	Yes
Puerto Rico	No	Yes	No	Yes
Qatar	No	No	No
Republic of Macedonia	No	No	No
Republic of the Congo	No	No	No
Romania	No	No	No
Rwanda	No	No	No
Saint Helena	No	Yes	No
Saint Kitts and Nevis	No	Yes	No
Saint Lucia	No	Yes	No
Saint Martin	No	Yes	No
Saint Pierre and Miquelon	No	No	No
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	No	Yes	No
Saint-Barthélemy	No	No	No
San Marino	No	No	No
Saudi Arabia	No	No	No
Senegal	No	No	No
Serbia	No	No	No
Seychelles	No	No	No
Siachen Glacier	No	No	No
Sierra Leone	No	Yes	No
Singapore	No	Yes	No
Sint Maarten	No	No	No
Slovakia	No	No	No
Slovenia	No	No	No
Solomon Islands	No	Yes	No
Somalia	No	No	No
Somaliland	No	No	No
South Africa	No	Yes	No
South Korea	No	No	No
South Sudan	No	Yes	No
Spain	No	No	No	Yes
Sri Lanka	No	No	No
Sudan	No	No	No
Suriname	No	No	No
Sweden	No	No	No
Switzerland	No	No	No
Syria	No	No	No
São Tomé and Príncipe	No	No	Yes
Taiwan	No	No	No
Tajikistan	No	No	No
Tanzania	No	No	No
Thailand	No	No	No
The Bahamas	No	Yes	No
The Gambia	No	Yes	No
Togo	No	No	No
Trinidad and Tobago	No	Yes	No
Tunisia	No	No	No
Turkey	No	No	No
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus	No	Yes	No
Turkmenistan	No	No	No
Turks and Caicos Islands	No	No	No
Uganda	No	No	No
Ukraine	No	No	No
United Arab Emirates	No	No	No
United Kingdom	No	Yes	No
United States Virgin Islands	No	Yes	No
United States of America	No	Yes	No
Uruguay	No	No	No	Yes
Uzbekistan	No	No	No
Vanuatu	No	No	No
Vatican City	No	No	No
Venezuela	No	No	No	Yes
Vietnam	No	No	No
Western Sahara	No	No	No
Yemen	No	No	No
Zambia	No	Yes	No
Zimbabwe	No	No	No
Eswatini	No	No	No
Åland Islands	No	No	No
Belarus	Yes	No	No
Kazakhstan	Yes	No	No
Kyrgyzstan	Yes	No	No
Russia	Yes	No	No

The Russian Language

Russian is an East Slavic language, which has its roots in Old East Slavonic, the successor to Proto-Slavic languages, which developed during the 10th-13th centuries. It belongs to the Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family and has its own unique writing system and alphabet. Its alphabet is based on Cyrillic script, which was created by two Greek missionaries called Cyril and Methodius in 9th century AD. The Cyrillic alphabet used in Russian is composed of 33 letters divided into 10 vowels, 21 consonants and 2 signs (hard & soft signs). There are also several unique letter combinations which have special pronunciation rules known as ‘softening’.

Over time, Russian absorbed many loanwords from other languages such as German, Swedish, Polish and French, making Russian a language with a very rich vocabulary. It also has a vast array of regional dialects and accents which vary slightly from each other but are all mutually intelligible. For example, modern Moscow speech has been heavily influenced by French while dialects found in some rural areas contain words borrowed from Turkic language families.

History of the Russian Language

The Russian language is one of the oldest surviving Indo-European languages, with its earliest records dating back to the 10th century. It is the native language of some 145 million people in Russia and surrounding countries, as well as being spoken by millions more around the world.

The first written record of Russian dates back to the 10th century in a fragment of Christian scripture known as ‘The Tale of Bygone Years’. This text, written in Old Church Slavonic (OCS), is considered the original precursor to modern Russian and other Slavic languages. OCS served as a literary language until roughly 1700, when the modern Russian language emerged. .

Throughout its history, Russian has been heavily regulated and standardized by government authorities in order to ensure consistent use across all levels of society. During the 18th century, Peter I ordered that all official documents be written in Moscow dialects; this soon became accepted as a national standard form across much of Russia’s growing empire. Later reforms during both Tsarist and Soviet times established a single official variant – ‘Standard Written Russian’ – which remains in use today throughout most parts of modern Russia (with some local variations).

The Soviet Union

The Russian language has been used in many parts of the world over the centuries, but its greatest expansion came during the Soviet Union. This was largely due to language policies that were implemented by the government to promote the language and unite all citizens of the Soviet Union under one common tongue.

During this period, learning and teaching of the Russian language was widely encouraged – and even at times forced – in both schools and public settings. This included not just requiring all students to attend classes on Russian grammar, literature and history, but also introducing it into the curricula in other subjects such as mathematics and science. In addition, incentives were created to encourage citizens to use Russian for communication within their communities; for example, providing jobs or promotions to those who spoke fluent Russian.

The government also provided resources for disseminating information about the language through various media outlets such as newspapers, television programs and radio broadcasts. This helped spread its usage even further, especially among minority populations who did not have access to educational institutions or other sources of formal training. By introducing incentives that promoted literacy skills development and providing necessary resources for disseminating information about the language far beyond major cities and townships, it enabled a much broader population gain proficiency in its usage – thus contributing significantly towards its widespread adoption across multiple regions within what was once called ‘the socialist camp’.

Countries Near Russia

Russia is situated in the heart of Eurasia and is bordered by many countries on all sides. To the north, Russia shares a border with Norway, Finland, and Estonia; to the east, it shares its border with China and Mongolia; to the south, Russia shares its border with Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Ukraine; and finally, to the west lies Belarus as well as several Baltic countries such as Latvia, Lithuania (which was formerly part of the Soviet Union), and Poland.

Of all these countries that border Russia, only three—Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan —and two de facto states—Transnistria and Abkhazia—officially recognize Russian as a state language alongside their own national languages. Belarus recognizes both Russian and Belarusian as official languages while Kazakhstan recognizes both Russian and Kazakh, while Kyrgyzstan has Russian as one of its official languages, alongside Kyrgyz. Although both Transnistria (recognizing Moldovan/Romanian) and Abkhazia (recognizing Abkhaz) do not officially recognize Russian as a state language alongside their own national languages, many residents in each region still speak it due to their historical ties with Russia.

In regards to other bordering countries such as Norway or Finland, although most citizens are native speakers of Norwegian or Finnish respectively (with some limited exceptions in certain regions), there are still significant numbers of people living in these countries who speak Russian either fluently or somewhat proficiently due to immigration from Russia over the past few decades. Additionally, there are also other small pockets of minorities within these counties who have kept alive their traditional dialects of Russian spoken in years past which can often sound quite distinct when compared with the modern standard version spoken today.

Furthermore, Russian culture has had a powerful influence on some of its neighboring countries that did not share any kind of formal political union with them during Soviet days but nevertheless received strong cultural influences from Moscow. This is most evident perhaps in Georgia where Georgian is the country’s official language even though many citizens still tend to use various loan words derived from modern-day Russian during everyday conversations. Similarly Azerbaijan’s population also has a high rate of bilingualism between Azeri-Turkish and Russian due to strong linguistic influences which left legacies throughout the country’s history after long centuries under Tsarist rule.

Countries That Speak Russian

The four countries that have Russian as an official language are Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Belarus. All of these countries were formerly part of the Soviet Union, and Russian remains the dominant language in all of them. In Russia, over 160 million people speak Russian as their first language; in Kazakhstan, over 14 million people speak Russian; in Kyrgyzstan, just over 4 million people speak Russian; and in Belarus, around 9 million people speak Russian.

Beyond the countries that have Russian as an official language, there are countries where Russian is a minority language, including Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. In these nations there are Russian-speaking minorities concentrated largely in urban areas. In Ukraine, ethnic Russians account for 17.3 percent of the population; in Kazakhstan they account for 23.7 percent; in both Latvia and Estonia they make up 26.6 percent; while in Lithuania they form 6.1 percent of the population. In these countries, Russian is an important language of communication among those who identify as Russian minority groups and is often spoken alongside the country’s official language.

The countries that have Russian as an official language are:

1. Belarus
2. Kazakhstan
3. Kyrgyzstan
4. Russia

Russian-Speaking Countries

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