The map above shows the distribution of Celtic language speakers in Europe in the early 21st century.
In order of the number of speakers they are:
- Welsh: 562,000 speakers (2011) – 19.0% of Wales population
- Breton: 210,000 speakers (2007) – 6.7% of Brittany’s population
- Irish (Irish Gaelic): 94,000 regular speakers (2011) – 1.5% of Ireland (including NI) population. Note while Irish is the National Language in the Republic of Ireland, it is the second most widely spoken language there. However, around 1,000,000 people can speak Irish as a second language in the Republic.
- Scottish Gaelic: 57,000 speakers (2011) – 1.1% of Scotland’s population
- Manx: Extinct (1975) – 1,650 revival speakers – 1.9% of Isle of Man’s population
- Cornish: Extinct (1800) – few hundred revival sepakers – less than 1% of Cornwall’s population
To learn more about Celtic languages and the Celts have a look at:
- The Celtic Languages (Routledge Language Family Descriptions)
- The Discovery of Middle Earth: Mapping the Lost World of the Celts
- Complete Gaelic with Two Audio CDs
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