Do you want to know what all are the countries, territories and international organizations where Tamil is designed as the official language? Here you can get the full details about, Tamil speaking countries in the world.
The Tamil language is the spoken as the first language by the Tamil speakers who are the indigenous people of India, just like the native Indians of America. The Tamils moved from Indus valley civilization in south India by the arrival of the Indo-Europeans from the present day Iran and eastern Europe.
The Tamil language is the one of the oldest living language of the Earth and currently spoken by 1% of the world population. Tamil is the 1st classical language of India. Many people have this question in their mind, “Tamil is an official language in which country?”. Let us see in detail.
Countries Where Tamil is an Official Language
| Country | Population | Status | Recognized as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore | 188,591 | Sovereign Country | Official language |
| Sri Lanka | 5,007,003 | Sovereign Country | National language |
Singapore
The Tamil king Chola ruled Singapore in the historical times and currently Tamil is one of the official languages of Singapore.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka was the part of ancient Tamilakam (Tamil country) and Sri Lankan Tamil dialect is considered to be closer to the old Tamil.
Dependent Territories Where Tamil is the Official Language
| Entity | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 379,944 | Union Territory of India |
| Auroville | 2,600 | Autonomous City of India |
| Pondicherry | 1,244,464 | Union Territory of India |
| Tamil Nadu | 72,138,958 | A State of India |
Andaman and Nicobar islands
The Chola empire used the islands as his naval base and currently, the islands are part of the Republic of India.
Pondicherry
Tamil is the official language in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry which compresses of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam.
Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu consists of the most number of the Tamil speakers which is more than 90% of the state.
International Organisations Where Tamil is the Official language
ASEAN
Tamil is an official language of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which has the 10 member states of south-east Asia.
Former Regions Where Tamil was an Official Language
| Entity | Notes |
|---|---|
| Haryana | Tamil was an official language of the Indian state of Haryana until it was replaced by the Punjabi. |
| Chandigarh | Tamil was an official language of the Indian Union Territory of Chandigarh until it was replaced by the Punjabi. |
Haryana
The north Indian state of Haryana had Tamil as its official language until it was replaced by the Punjabi.
Chandigarh
The Chandigarh is the first planned city in the India and Tamil was one of its official languages until it was replaced by the Punjabi.
Partially Recognized and Unrecognized Territories
| Country | Notes |
|---|---|
| Tamil Eelam (Eelam) | Claiming sovereignty over the North and Eastern Sri Lanka as the independent state of Tamil Eelam. |
| Karaikal | Claiming for separate union territory of India (not a separate country). |
| Kongu Nadu | Claiming for a seperate state of India (not a separate country). |
Tamil Eelam
Claiming sovereignty over North Eastern Sri Lanka and the Puttalam district of Sri Lanka as the independent country of Tamil Eelam.
Karaikal
Karaikal is claiming for a separate state or union territory within the Republic of India.
Kongu Nadu
Kongu Nadu is one of the regions of ancient Tamil country and it is currently the part of Tamil Nadu. It is claiming for a separate state with Coimbatore as its capital.
Countries Where Tamil is Recognized as a Minority Language
Canada
The first month of January is celebrated as the Tamil Heritage Month by the Canadians.
Malaysia
The Tamil was recognized as a minority language in Malaysia due to its more than 1,000,000 speakers of Tamil language. Tamil is one of the medium in the schools of Malaysia.
Mauritius and Seychelles
Tamils are one of the first people to settle in Mauritius after French people and in order to recognize their contribution towards the country, Tamil is printed on the currencies of Mauritius.
South Africa
Tamils play an important role in culture and the politics of South Africa. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 – Chapter 1: Founding Provisions states “A Pan South African Language Board established by national legislation must promote and ensure respect for Tamil” along with other minority languages.
Réunion and France
More than 50% of the population of the Réunion are Tamils who no longer speak in Tamil. The Tamil people are also found in significant numbers on the other regions of France.
