French is one of four Latin-based (or Romance) languages taught in the Department of Romance Languages, along with Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. More than 250 million people in more than 50 countries speak French. It is an official language in 29 countries and maintains its status as a major language of culture, diplomacy, and economics. The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, established in 1970 and usually referred to as La Francophonie, includes 57 member states on four continents. French is a passport to much of the world,