Info Gambia English

 40% (about 3.2 million people) of Senegal's population speak Wolof as their mother tongue. Another 40% have it as a second language. In the region between Dakar and Saint-Louis, and also to the west and southwest of Kaolack, the majority of the population speak Wolof. In Casamance and west of Senegal, Wolof is used together with the diol and Mandinga. The official language of Senegal is French. 

In The Gambia about 15% of the population (about 200'000 people) has the Wolof mother tongue, but this language has a much greater influence on his importance to the capital, Banjul, on 50% of the population used as their first language. In Serrekunda, the largest city of Gambia, there are only a few people from Wolof ethnic group, but the language is spoken by about 90% of the population. Increasingly, young people of another ethnicity is used as a first language. 

The Wolof is gaining greater influence in The Gambia, in part because of its association with Mbalax music and popular culture of Senegal. In Banjul and Serrekunda, Wolof has achieved the status of lingua franca and is spoken more than the Mandinga, in the provinces, however, remains the Mandinga language. The official language of Gambia is English. Other languages, such as Mandinga (spoken by 40% of the population), the Wolof (15%) and Fula (15%) also have official status, although not used in education. 

In Mauritania, about 7% (approximately 185'000 persons) of the population speak Wolof. In this country, the language used in the southern coastal regions. The official language of Mauritania, Arabic, French is used as a lingua franca. 

The alphabet is Wolof recent, being invented in 1960 by Faye Asano, president of the Movement of African Language teachers. It has strong influences from Arabic, as the alphabet was used, together with the roman before Faye Asano. Taken from the Arabic writing direction (from right) and two of the 25 characters of the Wolof, and no initial start.