Somali

Somali is part of the Cushitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family. The language is spoken in Greater Somalia which is located near the Horn of Africa and includes Somalia, as well as parts of Ethiopia and Kenya. Somali is the best documented Cushitic language and has been studied since the 19th century. Archaeologists have uncovered a distinct ancient writing system for Somali, however today the language is officially written using the Latin alphabet. Somali has also been recorded using a variety of other writing systems including the Osmanya alphabet, the Borama alphabet, the Kadare alphabet and the Wadaad writing system.

In Somalia 95% of the population speaks Somali. As of 2015 there are an estimated 2 million people from Somalia living elsewhere in the world. Somali speaking populations can be found in Southern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, North America, Australia and Europe. In Europe, Somali communities of between 20,000 and 45,000 people can be found in Finland, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and the Netherlands. There are also approximately 66,000 Somalis in Sweden. The United Kingdom has the largest Somali community in Europe with approximately 108,000 members.

In 2001 there were 43,532 Somali-born residents in the UK, with 78% of Britain’s Somali community residing in London. The prevalence of Somali in the United Kingdom makes it an important language for reaching local communities.