Paris - A Francophonie summit opening yesterday in Moncton, Canada, comprises 49 countries, accounting for some 560 million people, just under 10 per cent of the world population. However, French is a first or main language for just 115 million people (60 million in France), and is ranked 13th among the world's languages.
Africa provides the bulk of the membership, with 29 states, while Canada is represented at the federal level and by the provinces of Quebec and New Brunswick.