Which country has the highest number of indigenous languages spoken?

The country with the highest number of indigenous languages spoken is Papua New Guinea. Located in the Pacific Ocean, Papua New Guinea is home to approximately 852 languages, which is more than any other country in the world. These languages belong to diverse language families and have varying degrees of endangerment.

One reason for the high linguistic diversity in Papua New Guinea is the country's rugged terrain and geographic isolation, which led to the development of distinct language communities. Another reason is that the country was never fully colonized by a European power, which allowed indigenous languages to continue to thrive.

The linguistic diversity in Papua New Guinea is a source of pride for many of its citizens, but it also presents challenges for education and national communication. Efforts have been made to promote the use of a national language, Tok Pisin, as a lingua franca, but this has met with some resistance from those who view it as a threat to the preservation of indigenous languages.