List of countries and territories where German is an official language

German is the official language of six countries, all of which lie in central and western Europe.

Since 2004, Meetings of German-speaking countries have been held annually with six participants: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland:[1] While not official at the national level, German is a co-official language in subdivisions of the countries listed below.

While these may cover minority rights, support of certain language facilities (schools, media, etc.

), and the promotion of cultural protection/heritage, they do not encompass the establishment of German as an "official" language, i.e., being required in public offices or administrative texts.

These countries include: Although in France, the High German varieties of Alsatian and Moselle Franconian are identified as "regional languages" according to the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages of 1998, the French government has not yet ratified the treaty, and therefore those varieties have no official legal status.