Poland
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Poland (PL)
ECRML
Signed
2003
Ratified
2009
In Force
2009
FCNM
Signed
1995
Ratified
2000
In Force
2001
Country Description
Poland regularly conducts national language censuses, with the last one taking place in 2021. Based on preliminary census results by the Central Statistical Office of Poland, the vast majority of the Polish population uses Polish at home. A total of 37,427,600 people, representing 98.4% of the total population, reported using this language, and the majority of this group, 35,886,700 (94.3%), use it as their only language
There is no official national data on the number of Sign Language users in Poland; the number of deaf Sign Language users is estimated to be around 50 000.
Pan-National Official Language(s)
This category only includes languages that are official throughout the whole country (with the exception of Belgium) - languages that are e.g. regionally 'co-official' are not listed here but can be identified in the categories below wherever a relevant legal document is listed. A future update could include lists of co-official languages, as well.
To increase their visibility, recognised Sign Languages are always listed as official languages even if they are not yet technically official. The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Italian').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Polish
Slavic
|
Polski | Whole country | 1924 (re-established in 1997) | Act of 31 July 1924 on the State Language and the Official Language of Government and Local Government Administrative Authorities / Ustawa z dnia 31 lipca 1924 r. o języku państwowym i języku urzędowania rządowych i samorządowych władz administracyjnych, poz. 724 (Constitution of the Republic of Poland, Art. 27/ Konstytucja RP z dnia 2 kwietnia 1997 roku (art. 27).) | / | Approx. 37 427 600 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 1 (National) | ||
|
Polish Sign Language (PJM)
Sign Language
|
Polski język migowy | Whole country | 2011 | Dz.U. 2011 nr 209 poz. 1243 (Act of 19 August 2011 on sign language and other means of communication / Ustawa z dnia 19 sierpnia 2011 r. o języku migowym i innych środkach komunikowania się) | Approx. 50 000 (not a census) | Deaf Sign Language Users | 2026 (Website accessed) | 5 (Developing) |
ECRML-Recognised Languages
This includes languages recognised under the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML). The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on 'Czech').
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level | ECRML level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Armenian
Armenian
|
Hayeren | Warszawa, Poznań and Kraków, Gliwice | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 1 847 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Developing) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Belarusian
Slavic
|
Biełaruskaja mova | South-eastern territories of Podlaskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | Approx. 16 900 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 5* (Developing) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Czech
Slavic
|
Čeština | Mainly in the town of Zelów (Bełchatowski Poviat, Łódzkie Voivodship) | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 1 451 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
German
Germanic
|
Deutsch | 22 municipalities | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | Approx. 199 000 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Karaim
Turkic
|
Karaj tili | Warszawa and in its vicinity, in Wrocław andTrójmiasto | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 1-50 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Not listed | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Kashubian
Slavic
|
Kaszëbsczi (jãzëk) | 5 municipalities, Pomorskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | Approx. 87 600 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 6b (Threatened) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Lemko
Slavic
|
Lemkivsʹkyy hovir | Traditionally, Łemkowszczyzna [Lemkos Region] i.e. Beskid Niski and part of Beskid Sądecki. In 1947 as a result of the Operation Vistula (condemned by the Senate of the Republic of Poland in 1990) they were resettled to the territories of the current place of living (the western voivodships of Poland) | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 6 279 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 6b (Threatened) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Lithuanian
Baltic
|
Lietuvių kalba | Northern territories of Podlaskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 5 303 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Rromani ćhib | Warszawa, Poznań, Wrocław, Łódź, Kraków, Mielec and Puławy and in a number of smaller municipal centres | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 14 468 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Baltic Romani - 5* (Developing), Carpathian Romani - 5* (Developing), Sinte Romani - 5* (Developing), Vlax Romani - 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Russian
Slavic
|
Russkiy | Throughout the country, Old Believers (Starovery) live in Podlaskie and Warmińsko-mazurskie Voivodships | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 19 805 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Slovak
Slavic
|
Slovenský jazyk | Małopolskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 765 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Unestablished | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Tatar
Turkic
|
Tatar tele | Territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the end of the 14th century | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 1-50 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Not listed | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Ukrainian
Slavic
|
Ukrainska mova | Due to Operation Vistula in 1947 by, almost all Ukrainians inhabiting the territories of south-eastern Poland were resettled to the lands of northern and western Poland. As a result, the biggest centres of the Ukrainian minority are currently in Warmińsko-mazurskie, Dolnośląskie and Zachodniopomorskie. Centres of the Ukrainian minority can also be found in south-eastern Podkarpackie and Małopolskie Voivodships. | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 24 539 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Yiddish
Germanic
|
Yidish | Mainly in big cities | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | 90 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 8b (Nearly extinct) | Part II & Part III |
Non-ECRML Languages – Source Overview
Languages marked with ✓ appear in that source.
Languages listed in multiple sources may have differing data – see the detail tables below.
| Language | Ethnologue | ELP |
|---|---|---|
| English | ✓ | |
| Esperanto | ✓ | |
| French | ✓ | |
| Knaanic | ✓ | |
| Lower Silesian | ✓ | ✓ |
| Prussian | ✓ | |
| Rusyn / Ruthenian | ✓ | |
| Silesian | ✓ | |
| Sudovian | ✓ | |
| Upper Silesian | ✓ | |
| Wymysorys | ✓ |
Non-ECRML Languages (Ethnologue)
Languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue. The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from Ethnologue, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
English
Germanic
|
English | / | / | / | / | 13 237 000 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Esperanto
Esperanto
|
Esperanto | Scattered internationally. Most widely represented in Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, United States, Brazil, Belgium, and United Kingdom (in order of number of members in the World Esperanto Association). | / | / | / | 101 000 (all users) | Users | 2004 | 3 (Wider communication) | ||
|
French
Romance
|
Français | / | / | / | / | 979 900 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Knaanic
Slavic
|
Leshon Knaan | / | / | / | / | No known L1 speakers | / | / | 10 (Extinct) | ||
|
Lower Silesian
Slavic
|
Schläsisch | Lower Silesia voivodship: scattered | / | / | / | 12 000 | Users | / | 6a* (Vigorous) | ||
|
Prussian
Baltic
|
Prūsiska bilā | Warmia-Masuria voivodship | / | / | / | 50, no known L1 speakers | Users | / | 9 (Dormant) | ||
|
Rusyn / Ruthenian
Slavic
|
Rusîn'skyj jazyk | Subcarpathia voivodship: Lemko area, scattered along Slovak border | 2005 | Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(4)) | / | 6 150 | Users | 2021 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Silesian
Slavic
|
Slōnskŏ gŏdka | Silesia voivodship: scattered | / | / | / | 467 000 | Users | 2021 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Sudovian
Baltic
|
Yotvingian | Podlaskie voidvodship: Białystok, Suwałki county | / | / | / | No known L1 speakers | Users | / | 10 (Extinct) | ||
|
Wymysorys
Germanic
|
Wymysiöeryś | Silesia voivodship: Bielsko county, Wilamowice village | / | / | / | 20 | Users | 2018 | 8b (Nearly extinct) |
Non-ECRML Languages (Endangered Languages Project)
Languages listed in the Endangered Languages Project (ELP). The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from ELP, reflecting its current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Lower Silesian
Slavic
|
Schläsisch | / | / | / | / | 22 9000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Upper Silesian
Slavic
|
Ślōnskŏ gŏdka | / | / | / | / | 60 000 (international) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable |
Recognised Minorities
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