List of broadcasting languages by country

Foreign broadcasting is broadcasting with a foreign element.

The foreign element may be the territory of the audience, its ethnicit], or both.

  • Foreign country and ethnicity: an external service aimed at foreign societies in general. Its purpose may be information about the country of origin, about the target country from an outside point of view as well as missionary or commercial purposes.
  • Foreign territory: an external service aimed at expatriates. A special audience among expatriates is armed forces personnel, for whom broadcasting is often done not only from the home country, but also from within the country of deployment.
  • Foreign ethnicity: a service for foreign communities within the country of broadcasting (like migrants, refugees, tourists), which in turn is to be distinguished from broadcasting for indigenous and other non-foreign groups (see also Minority language broadcasting).

List of radio services

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External and selected other foreign language audio broadcasting services

Country Area Broadcaster Years Active languages Former languages Website
  Afghanistan As Radio Afghanistan 1940– 02: eng, urd ara, bal, prs, fre, ger, pus
  Albania Eu Radio Tirana 1938– 07: eng, fre, ger, gre, ita, srb alb, ara, bul, cmn, cze, hun, ind, per, pol, por, rum, rus, spa, swe, tur [1]
  Algeria Ar RAI ? 04: ara, eng, fre, spa [2]
  Angola Af RNA 1977?– 04?: eng, fre, lin, por spa [3]
  Argentina Am RAE 1949– 08: cmn, eng, fre, ger, ita, jpn, por, spa ara [4]
  Armenia As Armradio ? 08: ara, aii, gre, kur, kmr, per, rus, tur aze, eng, fre, geo, ger, spa [5]
  Australia Pac Radio Australia 1939(1931)– 01: eng cmn, yue, fre, ind, jpn, tha, tpi, vie [6]
  Australia Pac SBS 1975– 68: alb, amh, ara, arm, aii, ben, bos, bul, bur, cmn, yue, hak, hrv, cze, prs, din, dut, est, fil, fin, fre, ger, gre, guj, heb, hin, hmn, hun, ind, ita, jpn, kar, khm, run, kor, kur, lao, mac, mal, mlt, mon, nep, pus, per, pol, por, pan, rhg, rum, rus, smo, srb, sin, slo, slv, som, spa, swa, tam, tel, tha, tib, tir, tur, ukr, urd, vie, yid fij, kan, lav, lit, may, mao, nor, swe, ton [7]
  Austria Eu RÖI 1955(1929)– 02: eng, fre ara, epo, ger, spa [8]
  Azerbaijan As AzTV 195?– 01: rus ara, aze, eng, fre, ger, per, tur [9]
  Bahrain Ar Radio Bahrain 1977– 01: eng [10]
  Bangladesh As Bangladesh Betar 1971?– 06: ara, ben, eng, hin, nep, urd [11]
  Belarus Eu Radio Belarus 1962– 08: bel 1962, cmn 2012, eng 1998, fre 2010, ger 1985, pol 2006, rus 1998, spa 2010 - [12]
  Belgium Eu RVi 1934/77–2011 - dut, eng, fre, ger, spa
  Belgium Eu RTBFi 1999– 01: fre ger (BRF) [13]
  Brazil Am Radiobrás 1975?–2007? - eng, ger, por
  Bulgaria Eu Radio Bulgaria 1937– 11: alb, ara, bul, eng, fre, ger, gre, por, srb, spa, tur ita [14]
  Cambodia As RNK 1956?– 02: eng, fre lao, tha, vie [15]
  Canada Am RCI 1945– 05: ara, cmn, eng, fre, spa cze, ger, hun, jpn, pol, por, rus, slo, ukr [16]
  China As CRI 1941– 51?: alb, ara, bel, ben, bul, bur, cmn/yue/nan/hak, hrv, cze, eng 1947, epo, fil, fre 1958, ger 1960, gre, hau, heb, hin 1959, hun, ind, ita, jpn 1941, kaz, khm, kor 1950, kir, lao, may, mon, nep, pus, per, pol, por, rum, rus 1954, srb, sin, spa, swa, tam, tha, tib, tur, ukr, urd, uig, vie [17], [18]
Voice of Tibet ? 01: eng [19]
  Croatia Eu Voice of Croatia 1991– 04: hrv, eng, ger, spa hun, ita [20]
  Cuba Am RHC 1961– 06: ara, eng, epo, fre, por, spa cpf, grn, que [21]
  Czech Republic Eu Radio Prague 1936– 06: cze, eng, fre, ger, rus, spa ara, ita, por, slo [22]
  Denmark Eu DR 1928–2003 - dan
  Egypt Ar European Program 1934– 06: arm, eng, fre, ger, gre, ita [23]
  Egypt Ar Radio Cairo 1953– 18: aar, alb, amh, ara, prs, eng, fre, ful, ger, hau, ita, pus, rus, som, swa, tur, urd, uzb aze, bam, ben, hin, ind, lin, may, nde, per, por, sna, spa, tgk, tha, wol, yor, zul [24]
  Estonia Eu EER4 195?– 01: rus eng, est, fin, swe [25]
  Ethiopia Af Radio Ethiopia ? 05: aar, ara, eng (also 104.7), fre, som amh [26]
  Finland Eu Yle 1939–58 & 1967– 03: eng, fin (easy), lat 1989– fre 1987–2002, ger 1985–2002, rus, swe [27], [28]
  France Eu RFI, MCD 1931– 13: ara, cmn, eng, fre, hau, khm, mande, por, rum, rus, spa, swa, vie cpf, ger, pol, scr [29], [30]
  Georgia As Radio Georgia ? - abk, arm, aze, eng, fre, geo, ger, rus
  Germany Eu DW (DLF) 1953(1929)– 10: ara 1959, amh 1965, prs 1970, eng 1954, fre 1954, gre 1964, hau 1963, pus 1970, por 1954, swa 1963 ben, bul, cze (DLF), dan (DLF), dut (DLF), ger, hin, hun (DLF), ind, ita (DLF), jpn, mac, nor, per, pol (DLF), rum, rus, san, scr, slo (DLF), slv, spa, swe, tur, urd [31]
  Germany Eu WDR Cosmo 1964/1998– 09: ara, gre, ita, kur, pol, rus, scr, spa, tur [32]
  East Germany Eu RBI 1959–1990 - ara, eng, fre, ger, hin, ita, por, spa, swa, swe
  Greece Eu Voice of Greece 1940/47– 01: gre alb, ara, bul, eng, fre, ger, ita, pol, por, rum, rus, scr, spa, swe, tur [33]
  Hungary Eu Radio Budapest
Duna
1934–2007
2012–

01: hun
eng, ger, hun, ita, spa, tur
[34]
  India As AIR 1939– 26: ara, bal, ben, bur, cmn, prs, eng, fre, guj, hin, ind, kan, mal, nep, pus, per, pan, rus, snd, sin, swa, tam, tel, tha, tib, urd yue [35]
  Indonesia As VOI 1945– 08: ara, cmn, eng, fre, ger, ind, jpn, spa kor, may, tha [36]
  Iran As IRIB 1956– 27: ara, alb, arm, ben, cmn, prs, eng, fre, ger, hau, heb, hin, ind, ita, jpn, kaz, pus, per, por, rus, spa, swa, tgk, tly, tur, urd, uzb aii, aze, bal, kur, tuk [37]
  Iraq As Radio Baghdad ? - ara, aze, eng, fre, ger, heb, kur, per, rus, spa, urd
  Israel As Kan Reka 1948– 09: amh 1984, bhh 1975, eng 1948, fre 1948, geo 1970, lad 1948, rus 1958, spa 1952, yid 1948 heb, hun, per, por, rum [38]
  Italy Eu Rai 1930–2011 - alb, amh, ara, bul, cze, dan, eng, epo, fre, ger, gre, hun, ita, lit, pol, por, rum, rus, scr, slo, slv, som, spa, swe, tur, ukr
  Japan As NHK World 1935– 18: ara, ben, bur, cmn, eng, fre, hin, ind, jpn, kor, per, por, rus, spa, swa, tha, urd, vie ger, ita, may, swe [39]
  Jordan Ar Radio Jordan ? 01: eng [40]
  Kazakhstan As KazTRK ? 04: rus; ger, kor, uig kaz; aze, tat, tur [41] (Достық)
  Kenya Af KBC ? 01: eng [42]
  South Korea As KBS World Radio 1953– 11: ara, cmn, eng, fre, ger, ind, jpn, kor, rus, spa, vie por [43]
  North Korea As Voice of Korea 1945– 09: ara, cmn, eng, fre, ger, jpn, kor, rus, spa [44]
  Kuwait Ar RK FM ? 01: eng [45]
  Kyrgyzstan As KTRK Dostuk ? 08: dng, pol, rus, ukr, uig, tat, tur, uzb ger [46]
  Laos As LNR ? 06?: cmn, eng, fre, khm, tha, vie [47]
  Latvia Eu LR ?–2001 - lav, rus, swe
  Libya Ar Voice of Africa ?–2011 - ara, eng, fre
  Lithuania Eu LRT 195?– - eng, lit, pol, rus
  Luxembourg Eu Radio Luxembourg 1933–1992 - dut, eng, fre, ger, ita
  North Macedonia Eu MR3 1945?– 06: alb, rup, bos, rom, srb, tur bul, gre [48]
  Malaysia As Voice of Malaysia 1963–2011 - ara, bur, cmn, eng, ind, may, tgl, tha
  Mexico Am XERMX-OC 1969– 01: spa [49]
  Mongolia As Voice of Mongolia 1964– 05: cmn 1964, eng 1965, jpn 1989, mon 1964, rus fre [50]
  Myanmar As MRTV ? 01: eng [51]
  Nepal As Radio Nepal 1951?– 01: eng (अंग्रेजी समाचार) [52]
  Netherlands Eu RNW 1947–2012 - ara, dut, eng, fre, pap, por, spa, sra
  New Zealand Pac RNZI 1948– 07: eng, fre, niu, pis, rar, smo, ton [53]
  Nigeria Af Voice of Nigeria 1961– 08: ara, eng, fre, ful, hau, ibo, swa, yor [54]
  Norway Eu RNI 1938/48–2001/03 - eng, nor
  Oman Ar Radio Oman ? 01: eng [55]
  Pakistan As Radio Pakistan 1947?– 14: bft, ben, cmn, prs, guj, hin, nep, pus, per, scl, sin, tam, urd; eng ara, asm, bur, fre, ind, rus, swa, tur, uig [56]
  Philippines As DZRP 1972– 02: eng, fil [57]
  Poland Eu Polish Radio 1936– 06: bel, eng, ger, pol, rus, ukr ara, dan, epo, fin, fre, ita, spa, swe [58]
  Portugal Eu RDPi 1935?– 01: por eng, fre, ita [59]
  Qatar Ar Qatar Radio ? 03: eng, fre, urd [60]
  Romania Eu RRI 1939– 12: ara, rup, cmn, eng, fre, ger, ita, rum, rus, srb, spa, ukr gre, per, por, tur [61]
  Russia Eu Sputnik 1929/2014– 31: abk, ara, arm, aze, bel, cmn, cze, prs, eng, est, fre, geo, ger, ita, jpn, kaz, kur, kir, lav, lit, oss, per, pol, por, srb, spa, tgk, tur, uzb, vie afr, alb, amh, asm, bam, ben, bul, bur, cat, yue, dan, dut, fin, ful, gre, guj, hau, hin, hun, ind, kan, khm, kor, lao, mac, mlg, may, mal, mar, mon, nde, nep, nor, pus, pan, rum, rus, scr, sin, slo, slv, sna, som, swa, swe, tgl, tam, tel, tha, urd, zul [62]
  Saudi Arabia Ar SBC ? 12: ara, ben, fre, ind, pus, som, swa, tgk, tur, tuk, urd, uzb bam, eng, per [63]
  Serbia Eu International Radio of Serbia 1936–2015 - alb, ara, bul, cmn, eng, fre, ger, gre, hun, ita, rus, srb, spa
  Singapore As RSI 1994–2007 - cmn, eng, ind, may
  Slovakia Eu RSI 1993– 06: eng, fre, ger, rus, slo, spa [64]
  Slovenia Eu RSi ? 03: eng, ger, slv [65]
  South Africa Af Channel Africa 1966/1992– 06: nya, eng, fre, loz, por, swa afr, dan, dut, ger, kua/ndo, spa, tso [66]
  Soviet Union Eu RPP 1964–1991 - ara, aze, cpf, eng, ger, grn, heb, per, por, spa, yid
  Spain Eu REE 1942– 06: ara, eng, fre, lad, por, rus, spa [67]
  Sri Lanka As SLBC ? 05: ben, eng, hin, sin, tam kan, mal, nep, tel [68]
  Sweden Eu Radio Sweden 1938– 06: ara, eng, kur, per, som, swe (easy) est, fre, ger, por, rus, spa [69]
  Switzerland Eu SRI 1930–2004 - ara, eng, epo, fre, ger, ita, por, roh, spa [70]
  Syria Ar Radio Damascus 1957– 06: ara, eng, fre, ger, rus, spa, tur heb [71]
  Taiwan As RTI 1939– 13: cmn/yue/nan/hak, eng, fre, ger, ind, jpn, rus, spa, tha, vie ara, kor [72]
ICRT 1979– 01: eng [73]
  Tajikistan As Radio Tajikistan ? - ara, prs, eng, per, rus, uzb [74]
  Thailand As RTWS 1938– 10: bur, cmn, eng, fre, jpn, khm, lao, may, tha, vie [75]
  Transnistria Eu Radio Pridnestrovie 1991–2014 - eng, fre, ger, rus [76]
  Tunisia Ar RTCI 1960– 05: eng, fre, ger, ita, spa [77]
  Turkey As Voice of Turkey 1937– 32: alb, ara, arm, aze, bul, cmn, prs, eng, fre, geo, ger, gre, hau, hun, ita, jpn, kaz, kir, mac, may, pus, per, por, rus, spa, swa, tat, tur, tuk, urd, uig, uzb rum, scr [78]
  Northern Cyprus As Bayrak ? 05: ara, eng, fre, ger, gre, rus [79]
  Ukraine Eu RUI 1950 03: eng, ger, rum rus, ukr [80]
  United Arab Emirates Ar ARN Dubai Eye ? 01: eng [81]
  United Kingdom (public) Eu BBC WS 1932– 37: amh 2017, ara 1938, aze 1994, ben 1941, bur 1940, yue 1941, eng 1932, fre 1938, guj 2017, hau 1957, hin 1940, ind 1949, kin 1994, kor 2017, kir 1995, Marathi language 2017, nep 1969, pcm 2017, orm 2017, pan 2017, pus 1981, per 1940, por 1938, rus 1942, sin 1942/90, som 1957, spa 1938, swa 1957, tam 1941, tel 2017, tha 1941, tir 2017, tur 1939, ukr 1992, urd 1949, uzb 1994, vie 1952 afr, alb, bul, cmn, cze, dan, dut, fin, ger, gre, guj, heb, hun, ice, ita, jpn, kaz, ltz, mac, may, mlt, nor, pol, rum, rus, scr, slo, slv, swe [82]
  United Kingdom (military) Eu BFBS 1943– 02: eng, nep [83]
  United Nations Am United Nations Radio 1946(1929)– 11: ara, ben, cmn, eng, fre, hin, por, rus, spa, swa, urd [84]
  United States (public)[1] Am VoA 1942– 31: amh 1982, bam 2013, ben 1958, bur 1943, cmn 1941, yue 1941, cpf 1987, prs 1980, eng 1941, fre 1942, hau 1979, ind 1942, khm 1955, kin/run 1996, kor 1942, kur 1992, lao 1962, nde 2003, orm 1996, pus 1982, por 1942, sna 2003, som 1992, spa 1941, swa 1962, tha 1942, tib 1991, tir 1996, urd 1951, uzb 1958/72, vie 1943 alb, ara, arm, aze, bul, cze, est, geo, ger, gre, hin, hun, ita, jpn, lav, lit, per, pol, rum, rus, scr, slv, tur, ukr [85]
RFE/RL 1951– 17: alb (RFE), arm (RL), aze (RL), bel (RL), prs (RL), geo (RL), kir (RL), mac (RFE), pus (RL), per (RL), rum (RFE), rus (RL), srb (RFE), tgk (RL), tuk (RL), ukr (RL), uzb (RL) bak (RL), bul (RFE), cze (RFE), est (RFE), hun (RFE), kaz (RL), lav (RFE), lit (RFE), pol (RFE), slo (RFE), tat (RL) [86]
Radio Martí 1985– 01: spa [87]
RFA 1996(1951)– 09: bur, cmn, yue, khm, kor, lao, tib, uig, vie [88]
Radio Sawa 2002– 01: ara [89]
  United States (military)[2] Am AFN 1942– 01: eng [90], [91]
  United States (religious) Am TWR 1954– more than 230 [92]
  Uzbekistan As Radio Tashkent 195?– - ara, cmn, prs, eng, ger, hin, kaz, pus, per, rus, tat, tur, uig, urd, uzb [93]
  Vatican City Eu Vatican Radio 1931– 37: alb 1951, amh 1948, ara 1949, arm 1966, bel 1950, bul 1949, cmn 1950, hrv 1947, cze 1947, eng 1937, epo 1976, fin 1975, fre 1931, ger 1937, heb, hin 1965, hun 1939, ita 1931, jpn 1959, kor, lav 1948, lit 1940, mac, mal 1965, pol 1938, por 1940, rum 1947, rus 1948, slo 1947, slv 1947, spa 1934, swa, swe 1953, tam 1965, tig, ukr 1939, vie 1980 dan, est, nor, som, urd [94]
  Venezuela Am Voz de Venezuela 1976–? - spa
  Vietnam As VOV5 1945– 12: cmn, eng, fre, ger, ind, jpn, khm, lao, rus, spa, tha, vie yue [95]

Bold: 10 major international broadcasting languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Turkish)
Italic: major language(s) of the respective country

List of TV services

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Selected external and other foreign language TV services

Country Broadcaster Launched Languages Website
  Australia Australia Plus 1993/2014 English [96]
  China CGTN 1997 on CCTV-4 Arabic, English, French, Russian, Spanish [97]
CCTV-4 1992 Chinese [98]
CNC World 2010 Chinese, English [99]
  Cuba Cubavision Internacional 1986 Spanish
  European Union Euronews 1993 Arabic, English, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Spanish, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish [100]
  France France 24 2006 Arabic, English, French, Spanish [101]
  France
  Belgium
  Switzerland
  Canada
TV5Monde 1984 French [102]
  Germany DW-TV 1992 Arabic, English, German, Spanish [103]
  Germany
  Austria
  Switzerland
3sat 1984 German [104]
  India DD India 1995 Hindi [105]
DD News 2003 English, Hindi, Sanskrit [106]
  Iran Press TV 2007 English [107]
HispanTV 2011 Spanish [108]
Al-Alam 2003 Arabic [109]
Sahar TV 1997 Azerbaijani, English, French, Kurdish, Urdu [110]
  Israel i24news 2013 Arabic, English, French [111]
  Japan NHK World 1998 English, Japanese [112]
  Kazakhstan Kazakh TV 2002 English, Kazakh, Russian [113]
  South Korea Arirang 1997 English [114]
KBS World 2003 Korean [115]
  Myanmar mitv 2001 English [116]
  Netherlands
  Belgium
BVN 1996 Dutch [117]
  Pakistan PTV Global 2006 Urdu [118]
PTV World 2003 English [119]
  Poland TVP Polonia 1992 Polish [120]
itvn 2004 Polish [121]
Belsat TV 2007 Belarusian [122]
  Qatar Al Jazeera 1996 Arabic, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, English [123]
  Russia RT 2005 Arabic, English, Spanish [124]
  Saudi Arabia Saudi 2 1983? English [125]
  South Africa eNCA 2008 English [126]
  Thailand Thai Global Network 1998 English, Thai [127]
  Turkey TRT 1990 Arabic, English, Turkish [128]
  United Kingdom BBC 1991 Arabic, English, Persian [129]
  United States (private) CNN 1985 English, Spanish [130]
  United States (public)[1] VoA 198? Albanian, Bambara, Bosnian, Burmese, Chinese, Creole, Dari, English, French, Indonesian, Macedonian, Ndebele, Pashto, Persian, Russian, Serbian, Shona, Spanish, Tibetan, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Vietnamese [131]
TV Martí 1990 Spanish [132]
Alhurra 2004 Arabic [133]
RFE/RL ? Russian (Настоящее Время), Kyrgyz, Persian, Tajik [134]
  United States (military)[2] AFN 1954– English [135]
  Venezuela Telesur 2005 Spanish
  Vietnam VTV4 1998 Chinese, English, Russian, Vietnamese [136]

References

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