How many countries speak Lingala?

It's difficult to give an exact number of countries that "speak" Lingala, as it's a language primarily used in specific regions within those countries, rather than being the official language of the entire nation.

However, Lingala is predominantly spoken in these two countries:

* Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): This is where Lingala originated and is widely spoken as a lingua franca, particularly in the capital Kinshasa and surrounding areas.

* Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville): Lingala is also widely used here, especially in the capital Brazzaville and other urban centers.

Lingala is also spoken in other countries, but to a lesser extent, including:

* Central African Republic

* Cameroon

* Gabon

* Angola

* Uganda

* Rwanda

* Burundi

These countries have populations of Lingala speakers, primarily due to historical migration, trade, and cultural exchange. However, it's not an official language in any of these nations except for the DRC and Congo-Brazzaville.