Urdu is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia.
It is the national language and
lingua franca of Pakistan, where it is also an official language alongside English. In India, Urdu is an Eighth Schedule language the status and cultural heritage of which are recognised by the Constitution of India; and it also has an official status in several Indian states. In Nepal, Urdu is a registered regional dialect and in South Africa it is a protected language in the constitution. It is also spoken as a minority language in Afghanistan and Bangladesh, with no official status.