Endangered languages of Europe
This learning resource is part of the Wikilang project.
Europe has several endangered languages that are at risk of falling out of use, generally because they have few surviving speakers.
UNESCO defines four levels of language endangerment, from the less endangered to the most endangered: vulnerable, definitely endangered, severely endangered and critically endangered. Once a language loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language.
List of endangered languages of Europe
editNote: This list doesn't include endangered languages from Russia that are not present in another European country.
| Language | Countries | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Abaza | Turkey, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| Abkhaz | Georgia, Russia, Turkey | Vulnerable |
| Adyge | Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Macedonia, Russia, Syria, Turkey | Vulnerable |
| Alemannic | Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland | Vulnerable |
| Alpine Provençal (Vivaro-Alpine) | France, Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Aragonese | Spain | Definitely endangered |
| Arbanasi | Croatia | Severely endangered |
| Arbëresh | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Aromanian | Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia | Definitely endangered |
| Arvanitika | Greece | Severely endangered |
| Assyrian Neo-Aramaic | Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey | Definitely endangered |
| Asturian-Leonese | Portugal, Spain | Definitely endangered |
| Auvergnat | France | Severely endangered |
| Balkan Gagauz Turkish | Bulgaria, Greece, Macedonia, Turkey | Critically endangered |
| Banat Bulgarian | Romania, Serbia | Definitely endangered |
| Basque | France, Spain | Vulnerable |
| Bats | Georgia | Severely endangered |
| Bavarian | Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland | Vulnerable |
| Belarusian | Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine | Vulnerable |
| Bohtan Neo-Aramaic | Georgia, Russia | Severely endangered |
| Breton | France | Severely endangered |
| Budukh | Azerbaijan | Severely endangered |
| Burgenland Croatian | Austria, Hungary, Slovakia | Definitely endangered |
| Burgundian | France | Severely endangered |
| Cappadocian Greek | Greece | Critically endangered |
| Catalan (Algherese) | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Chaldean Neo-Aramaic | Armenia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey | Definitely endangered |
| Champenois | Belgium, France | Severely endangered |
| Cimbrian | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Cornish | United Kingdom | Critically endangered |
| Corsican | France, Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Crimean Tatar | Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Ukraine | Definitely endangered |
| Crimean Turkish | Ukraine | Severely endangered |
| Cypriot Arabic | Cyprus | Severely endangered |
| Dungan | Kazakhstan | Definitely endangered |
| East Franconian | Czech Republic, Germany | Vulnerable |
| Emilian-Romagnol | Italy, San Martino | Definitely endangered |
| Faroese | Faroe Islands | Vulnerable |
| Franc-Comtois | France, Switzerland | Severely endangered |
| Francoprovençal | France, Switzerland | Severely endangered |
| Friulian | Italy | Definitely endangered]] |
| Gagauz | Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine | Definitely endangered |
| Gallo | France | Severely endangered |
| Gallurese | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Gascon | France, Spain | Definitely endangered |
| Griko | Italy | Severely endangereduee |
| Guernésiais | Guernsey | Severely endangered |
| Hértevin | Turkey | Critically endangered |
| Homshetsma | Georgia, Russia, Turkey | Severely endangered |
| Inari | Finland | Severely endangered |
| Irish | Ireland, United Kingdom | Definitely endangered |
| Istriot | Croatia | Severely endangered |
| Istro-Romanian | Croatia | Severely endangered |
| Jèrriais | Jersey | Severely endangered |
| Judezmo (Judaeo-Spanish) | Albania, Algeria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Morocco, Romania, Turkey, Serbia | Severly endangered |
| Juhuri | Azerbaijan, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| Kabard-Cherkes | Russia, Turkey | Vulnerable |
| Karaim | Lithuania | Severely endangered |
| Karelian | Finland, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| Kashubian | Poland | Severely endangered |
| Khinalug | Azerbaijan | Severely endangered |
| Kryts (Kryz) | Azerbaijan | Severely endangered |
| Ladin | Italy | Definitively endangered |
| Languedocian (Lengadocian) | France | Severely endangered |
| Latgalian | Latvia, Russia | Vulnerable |
| Laz | Georgia, Turkey | Definitely endangered |
| Lezgian | Azebaijan, Russia | Vulnerable |
| Ligurian | France, Italy, Monaco | Definitely endangered |
| Limburgish | Belgium, Germany, Netherlands | Vulnerable |
| Limousin | France | Severely endangered |
| Livonian | Latvia | Critically endangered |
| Lombard | Italy, Switzerland | Definitely endangered |
| Lorrain | Belgium, France | Severely endangered |
| Low Saxon (Plattdüütsch) | Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Russia | Vulnerable |
| Lower Sorbian (Serbski) | Germany | Definitively endangered |
| Lule Saami | Norway, Sweden | Severely endangered |
| Manx | Isle of Man | Critically endangered |
| Mariupolitan Greek | Ukraine | Severely endangered |
| Megleno-Romanian | Greece, Macedonia | Severely endangered |
| Mingrelian | Georgia | Definitely endangered |
| Mòcheno | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Molise Croatian (Slavomolisano) | Italy | Severely endangered |
| Moselle Franconian | Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg | Vulnerable |
| Nogay | Romania | Severely endangered |
| Norman | France | Severely endangered |
| North Frisian | Germany | Severely endangered |
| North Saami (Njukča) | Finland, Norway, Russia, Sweden | Definitely endangered |
| Olonetsian | Finland, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| Ossete | Georgia, Russia | Vulnerable |
| Pannonian Rusyn | Croatia, Serbia | Definitely endangered |
| Picard | Belgium, France | Severely endangered |
| Piedmontese | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Pite Saami | Norway, Sweden | Critically endangered |
| Plautdietsch | Ukraine | Definitely endangered |
| Poitevin-Saintongeais | France | Severely endangered |
| Polesian | Belarus, Poland, Ukraine | Vulnerable |
| Pontic Greek | Armenia, Georgia, Greece, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine | Definitely endangered |
| Provençal | France | Severely endangered |
| Rhenish Franconian (Rhine Franconian) | France, Germany | Vulnerable |
| Romani | Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, United Kingdom, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Servia | Definitely endangered |
| Romansh | Switzerland | Definitely endangered |
| Rusyn | Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Ukraine | Vulnerable |
| Rutul | Azerbaijan, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| Sassarese | Italy | Definitely endangered |
| Saterlan Frisian | Germany | Severely endangered |
| Scanian | Denmark, Sweden | Vulnerable |
| Scots | United Kingdom | Vulnerable |
| Scottish Gaelic | Canada, United Kingdom | Definitely endangered |
| Skolt Saami | Denmark, Norway, Russia | Severely endangered |
| Sardinian | Italy | Definitively endangered |
| Sicilian | Italy | Vulnerable |
| Sorbian | Germany | Definitely endangered |
| South Italian | Italy | Vulnerable |
| South Jutish (South Jutlandic) | Denmark, Germany | Definitely endangered |
| South Estonian (Võro-Seto) | Estonia, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| South Saami | Norway, Sweden | Severely endangered |
| Svan | Georgia | Definitely endangered |
| Swabian German | Italy | Severely endangered |
| Swiss German | Italy | Severely endangered |
| Talysh | Azerbaijan, Iran | Vulnerable |
| Tat | Azerbaijan | Severely endangered |
| Torlakian (Torlak) | Albania, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia | Vulnerable |
| Transylvanian Saxon | Romania | Severely endangered |
| Turoyo | Syria, Turkey | Severely endangered |
| Tsakhur | Azerbaijan, Russia | Definitely endangered |
| Tsakonian | Greece | Critically endangered |
| Udi | Azerbaijan, Georgia | Severely endangered |
| Ume Saami | Sweden | Critically endangered |
| Upper Sorbian (Serbsce) | Germany | Definitely endangered |
| Urum | Georgia, Russia, Ukraine | Definitely endangered |
| Venetian | Croatia, Italy, Slovenia | Vulnerable |
| Walloon | Belgium, France, Luxembourg | Definitely endangered |
| Walser German | Italy | Severely endangered |
| Welsh | Argentina, Chile, United Kingdom | Vulnerable |
| West Flemish | Belgium, France, Netherlands | Vulnerable |
| West Frisian | Netherlands | Vulnerable |
| Western Armenian | Turkey | Definitely endangered |
| Wymysorys (Vilamovian) | Poland | Severely endangered |
| Yiddish | Ausria, Belarus, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, United Kingdom, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine | Definitely endangered |
| Zazaki | Turkey | Vulnerable |