There are about 80 languages spoken in Ghana. English is the official language, inherited from colonial times, and serves as a lingua franca. Among the indigenous languages, Akan is the most widely spoken in the southern part of the country, with other significant languages including Ewe, Ga, and Dagbani. Additionally, there are more than 70 ethnic groups, each with distinct languages or dialects, some of which are mutually intelligible. The Ghanaian government also recognizes 11 government-sponsored languages among these diverse tongues.