Fiji has three official languages: English, Fijian, and Fiji Hindi. Fijian is spoken as the first language by most indigenous Fijians, who make up around 54% of the population, while Fiji Hindi is spoken by most Indo-Fijians, who make up a further 37% of the population. English is widely used in government, business, and education as a lingua franca, and it was the sole official language until 1997. Today, English is spoken by almost everyone in Fiji and is the main language used in communications. A small number of other indigenous West Fijian and East Fijian regional languages are spoken on the islands, and Chinese, Arabic, and Urdu are spoken by immigrant populations.