There are over 800 languages spoken in Indonesia according to the 2010 census. Other sources consider several of these to be dialects of the same language, and show the number of unique languages being closer to 700. By all estimates, Indonesia is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. Indonesian (locally referred to as Bahasa Indonesia) is the primary lingua franca. Indonesian is spoken by over 94% of the population, but it is the primary language of only 20% of the population. Javanese (Jawa) is the most common primary language, spoken by over 30% of the population. The maps, documents, and datasets below provide information about languages spoken throughout the country.

Other sources of language data
Wikipedia
Glottolog

Language data allows humanitarian organizations to better understand the languages people speak and understand, leading to better programming and accountability. These data and maps were primarily supported by the H2H Fund, a funding mechanisms for H2H Network members. The fund is a rapid funding vehicle for network members responding to humanitarian crises.

For more information, read about the project on our blog or contact info@translatorswithoutborders.org.

Maps and resources:


Static map of languages spoken throughout Indonesia. Data based on the 2010 census.

Crisis Language Brief Indonesia tsunami December 2018

Static map of language and communication dynamics in the area directly affected by the Tsunami that struck Indonesia on 22 December 2018.