Urdu is primarily spoken in South Asia, especially in Pakistan and India. It is the national and official language of Pakistan, where it is widely understood and used as a lingua franca, though only about 8-9% speak it as their first language. In India, Urdu is one of the 22 officially recognized languages and is spoken by a significant population, particularly in states such as Jammu and Kashmir, Telangana, Bihar, Delhi, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh
. Beyond South Asia, Urdu is spoken by diaspora communities in countries including the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It also has speakers in other parts of the world such as Germany, Norway, South Africa, and Australia due to migration
. In summary, Urdu is spoken:
- As a first and second language mainly in Pakistan and India.
- By minority communities in Nepal, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and some Gulf countries.
- By immigrant communities in Europe, North America, and other regions worldwide
