The official languages of the Comoros are Comorian, French and Arabic. Comorian (or Shikomor) is a Bantu language closely related to Swahili. It is by far the most spoken language in the country, 96.9% . However, Comorian is confined almost exclusively for oral use. Before and during the colonial period, no official recognition had been granted at all to Comoraian. Before the French colonisation, Arabic was the language used by the political powers (the sultans) and by education. Arabic was the language of religion, language of commerce. As a consequence of the colonialisation, administration and education are now in French. Comoros is a full member of the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and of the Arab League.
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“No doubt, to a man of sense, travel offers advantages. As many languages as he has, as many friends, as many arts and trades, so many times is he a man. A foreign country is a point of comparison, wherefrom to judge his own.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)