Colonial languages also play a pivotal cultural and political role, being adopted as the official languages of most countries in the region, as well as linguae franca in communication between the region's various ethnic groups. For historical reasons, Western European languages such as French, English and Portuguese predominate in Southern and Coastal subregions, whilst Arabic (in its Maghrebi varieties) spreads inland northwards.
Colonial languages also play a pivotal cultural and political role being adopted as the official languages of most countries in the region as well as linguae franca in communication between the region's various ethnic groups For historical reasons Western European languages such as French English and Portuguese predominate in Southern and Coastal subregions whilst Arabic (in its Maghrebi varieties) spreads inland northwards