mother tongue, but instead may speak one or multiple as a second or third language. According to the 2021 census, South Asian languages with the largest number of speakers in Canada include Hindustani (1,176,295 persons or 3.2 percent of the national population), Punjabi (942,170 persons or 2.6 percent), Tamil (237,890 persons or 0.7 percent), Gujarati (209,410 persons or 0.6 percent), Bengali (120,605 persons or 0.3 percent), Malayalam (77,910 persons or 0.2 percent), Telugu (54,685 persons or 0.2 percent), Marathi (35,230 persons or 0.1 percent), and Sinhalese (33,050 persons or 0.1 percent). Mother tongue Generation status A large minority of Canadians are made up of first generation individuals, numbering 8,219,555 people and forming 23.85% of the national population as of the 2016 Canadian census. In comparison with the nation-wide statistics, as of the 2016 Canadian census, a majority of the South Asian Canadian community was made up of first generation individuals, numbering 1,330,745 people and forming 67.78% of the total South Asian Canadian population. Similarly, a large minority of Canadians are also made up of second generation individuals, numbering 6,100,720 people and forming 17.70% of the total national population as of the 2016 Canadian census. In comparison with the nation-wide statistics, as of the 2016 Canadian census, a large minority of the South Asian Canadian community was made up of second generation individuals, numbering 559,415 people or 28.49% of the total South Asian Canadian population. A narrow majority of Canadians are made up of third or more generation individuals, numbering 20,139,790 people and forming 58.44% of the total national population as of the 2016 Canadian census. In comparison with the nation-wide statistics, as of the 2016 Canadian census, a small minority of the South Asian Canadian community was made up of third or more generation individuals, numbering 34,470 people or 1.76% of the total South Asian Canadian population. Geographical distribution Provinces & territories According to the 2021 census provinces with the largest South Asian Canadian populations include Ontario (1,515,295 persons or 10.8 percent of the total population), British Columbia (473,970 persons or 9.6 percent), Alberta (297,650 persons or 7.1 percent), Quebec (127,995 persons or 1.5 percent) and Manitoba (71,215 persons or 5.5 percent). Canadian provinces and territories by their ethnic South Asian population as per the 2001 Canadian census, 2006 Canadian census, 2011 Canadian census, 2016 Canadian census, and 2021 Canadian census below. With immigration restrictions for non-European origin ethnocultural groups