French is a Romance language and one of the most important cultural and diplomatic languages in the world. It is an official language in France, parts of Belgium and Switzerland, as well as in numerous countries in Africa, Canada (especially Quebec) and on several islands worldwide. French was the language of the European upper classes and diplomats for centuries. It is characterized by an elegant idiom, complex grammar and far-reaching lexical influence on many other languages. Today, over 300 million people worldwide speak French.