1. FRIULIAN / FURLAN
Language family: romance languages.
Where it is spoken: Friuli (Friûl) covers an area of just over 8,200 km2, most of which falls within the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Historical Friuli also includes the district of Portogruaro, which is now located in the territory of Veneto
Numbers of speakers: there is no official census, but it is estimated that between 600-700,000 people speak Friulian in historic Friuli, as well as thousands of Friulians who have emigrated to the rest of the world.
Status: Friulian is recognised as a “minority language” by the Italian State and the Autonomous Region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Despite this, its presence in schools, institutions, and the media is limited.
2. occitan / occitan
Language family: romance languages.
Where it is spoken: Occitania (Occitània) is the largest stateless nation in Europe and covers some 190,000 km2. It includes the southern part of the French state (with its main regions being Auvergne, Dauphiné, Languedoc, Limousin, Provence, and Gascony), as well as some Alpine valleys in Piedmont and Liguria (Italian State) and Aran (in the Principality of Catalonia).
Number of speakers: there is no official census, with an estimated number of speakers ranging from half a million to three million speakers.
Status: Occitan is considered a “regional language” by France and is recognized as a “minority language” in Italy. In both cases, the language finds limited space in schools, the media and in institutions. In Aran, on the other hand, it enjoys a status of “co-official language”.
3. sardinian / sardu
Language family: romance languages.
Where it is spoken: in Sardinia (Sardigna), an island of about 24,000 km2 that enjoys a special statute of autonomy within the Italian state.
Number of speakers: there is no official census, but it is estimated that the language is spoken by more than 1.2 million people.
Status: Sardinian is recognized as a “minority language” by the Italian State and by the Autonomous Region of Sardinia. Despite this, its presence in schools, institutions, and the media is limited.
4. welsh / cymraeg
Language family: celtic languages.
Where it is spoken: Cymraeg is spoken in Wales (Cymru), one of the historic nations that form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Number of speakers: There are around 560,000 Welsh speakers in Wales and some 100,000 in England.
Status: Welsh enjoys a status of co-official language in Wales, but not of perfect bilingualism.
5. basque / euskara
Language family: language isolate.
Where it is spoken: The Basque Country (Euskal Herria) covers more than 20,000 km2 and, at a political and administrative level, it comprises the Basque Autonomous Community and the Autonomous Community of Navarre in the Kingdom of Spain, as well as the Basque territorial community comprised in the Region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine in the French State.
Number of speakers: about 700,000 people.
Status: Basque is the official language (together with Spanish) in the Basque Autonomous Community and in part of Navarre (Basque-speaking area). In the rest of Navarre, protection measures are limited or lacking. In the “French” Basque Country, Euskara has no official recognition but does find a place in education and some areas of public administration.